‘European Commission safeguarded competitive pricing of rail’
By blocking the merger of two railway giants Siemens and Alstom, the European Commission has safeguarded the increasingly competitive pricing of rail transport. This was stated by the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA). Attractive prices...Read more
‘Railway companies should not have to pay for cancellations’
Railway companies should not have to carry the financial burden of train path cancellations or diversions. At the moment, international rail freight carriers too often face additional charges in case of a disruption. This is...Read more
Rail Freight Forward coalition signed in Katowice
On Friday 14 December, the Rail Freight Forward coalition was launched in Katowice, Poland. This is a coalition of European rail freight companies committed to reducing the negative impact of freight transport on the planet....Read more
Rail Freight Day 2018: what was achieved in the last 2 years?
At the Rail Freight Day in Vienna yesterday, nine European rail sector associations (CLECAT, EIM, ERFA, EUG, ESC, RNE, UIP, UIRR, UNIFE), supported by the rail freight corridors, presented their progress in implementing the Sector...Read more
EU railway companies should ‘get going’ with language pilots
In 2019, railway undertakings may carry out pilot projects to test alternative means of ensuring effective communication during railway operations. The European Commission urges the sector to ‘get going’ with these tests, which are aimed...Read more
‘Rise Spanish track access charges could harm rail freight market’
The Spanish Anti-Trust Authority (CNMC) has requested the Spanish infrastructure manager ADIF to review its proposal to increase the track access charges in 2028. It concluded that it had not consulted the market sufficiently, while...Read more
EU rail sector: Graz Declaration could mark beginning of new era
The rail sector associations CER, EIM, ERFA, UIP, UIRR and UNIFE welcome the Graz Declaration, pushing for environment-friendly transportation in Europe. The rail sector stands ready to intensify its collaborative efforts in acting as a...Read more
Rastatt one-year anniversary: where are we now?
It is exactly one year ago that the disrupted railway line at Rastatt was reopened for train traffic. The three lobby organisations ERFA, NEE and UIRR take the opportunity to highlight the lessons learnt so...Read more
Alternative language requirements train drivers proposed
The European Commission (EC) has proposed pilot projects to test alternative means of ensuring effective communication during railway operations. In case of a diversion eligible train drivers may not be present, resulting in the cancellation...Read more
Economic damage of Rastatt incident more than 2 billion Euros
The Rastatt incident that paralysed rail freight traffic during a seven-week interruption of railway operations on the Karlsruhe-Basel line of the Rhine-Alphine Corridor has resulted in economic damage of more than two billion Euros for...Read more
ERFA: ‘In fact, all railways are tollgates’
In the rail freight sector, operators pay for every train kilometre. In principle, this makes all railways tollgates, while only 20 per cent of European highways and main roads require toll. A new balance must...Read more
ERFA welcomes French railway reform
The European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) is positive about the ongoing discussions regarding far-reaching reforms of the French National Railways (SNCF). It believes that France is well on its way towards a policy supporting a...Read more
Rail freight 2017 & ahead – by ERFA’s Julia Lamb
To say it’s been a challenging year for the rail freight sector, not least in Europe, is an understatement. While the immediate effects of the Rastatt landslip in August were nothing short of an operational...Read more