What is new this week in Europe?
Many new connections and departures were launched or announced this week. These include two services between the Netherlands and Germany. Three new lines were established to Italy; from Germany, Belgium and Austria. A new service commenced...Read more
Lineas frees up capacity for impacted truckers Oosterweel works
To lessen the impact of the Oosterweel works on Belgian mobility, Lineas is doubling the capacity on its trains in and out of Antwerp. This doubling means the number of containers that can be removed...Read more
€40 for each unit shifted from road to rail or waterways
The rail and road sectors of Belgium are jointly launching a concrete proposal to stimulate a shift to rail. They argue for a compensation for companies that shift their cargo from road to rail, a...Read more
Volvo Train Belgium now also to China
On Thursday morning the first train stacked with Volvo cars from Xi’an in China entered the Kluizendok terminal in the North Sea Port of Belgium. It was the official launch of a service that has...Read more
Lineas CEO: most people put on a suit, we take it off
Lineas does rail differently; with a fresh, new approach. This attitude not only stems from the innovative express network of its trains. When CEO Geert Pauwels showed up for this interview, he appeared in jeans...Read more
Belgian national mobility pact: ‘adopt a true mobility policy’
In Belgium several NGO’s have launched the national mobility pact. They ask the next government to focus on rail transport as the backbone of tomorrow’s transport model and adopt a true mobility policy in favour...Read more
H. Essers develops dedicated rail hub in Genk, Belgium
The Belgian Euro Terminal Genk is to include a state-of-the-art rail terminal called H.Essers Railport Genk. The terminal will facilitate the domestic rail connections Genk-Antwerp and Antwerp-Ghent-Zeebrugge in order to support freight transport between Genk...Read moreLineas CEO: running trains should be as easy as trucks
To make the railway the backbone of the European transport network, driving a train must become as easy as driving a truck. Furthermore, a level playing field must be created between rail and road transport,...Read more
Lineas strengthens presence in Germany
Belgian rail freight operator Lineas plans to strengthen its business in Germany. Therefore, the company continues a recruitment campaign in the neighbouring country. Lineas will hire at least ten new train drivers in Germany by...Read more
‘Belgium should reduce cost of rail to push modal shift’
Representatives of the Belgian rail freight industry have asked their government to reduce the costs of train paths and transshipment, in order to boost rail freight traffic. Driving a train through Belgium should be as...Read more
First direct rail freight service from Belgium to Trieste
A new direct rail freight line between Genk in Belgium and Trieste in Italy has been launched. The service is a cooperation between Lineas and logistics company H. Essers and is the first direct train...Read moreLineas starts shunting activities in Port of Rotterdam
Lineas has started shunting activities in the Maasvlakte-West, an extension of the Port of Rotterdam. Three locomotives were taken into use. It is the first time the Belgian operator gains foothold in the Dutch port. The...Read more
Lineas opens new operation centre in Mainz, Germany
Lineas has opened a new operation centre in Mainz, Germany. The location is important for the Belgian operator, as it is situated in the Rotterdam – Antwerp – Rhine/Ruhr region triangle, where 40 per cent...Read more
‘Strikes in France can easily have similar effect as Rastatt disaster’
The SNCF strike in France hits the European rail freight industry hard, and as a result, seriously affects the European market, industry leaders have said. “International rail transport towards Switzerland, Italy and Spain is almost...Read moreNew Lineas service links Zeebrugge to Euro network
Belgian rail operator Lineas has reaffirmed its drive to promote road to rail modal shift by launching a new service linking three terminals at the Port of Zeebrugge with its European Green Xpress intermodal network. Lineas...Read morePetition calls for Dutch action on rail freight policy
A group of more than 50 rail freight stakeholders has presented a petition to the Dutch Parliament, calling for action to help stimulate rail cargo transport and put it on a par with its German...Read moreLineas’ railway line LORO results in massive modal shift to rail
Belgian railway company Lineas witnessed an increase of 55 per cent in containers shipped through the country with the introduction of railway line LORO, connecting Antwerp’s east and west bank of the river Scheldt. The...Read moreLineas plans massive expansion international fleet
Lineas plans to increase its current staff of 225 international train drivers with fifty more, to add an additional hundred every year after. The expansion is in line with its ambition to transform from a...Read moreLineas opens new intermodal freight line Antwerp-Wels-Graz
The Belgian rail operator Lineas opened a new intermodal rail freight line, connecting the Austrian cities of Graz and Wels to Antwerp in Belgium. The line is part of the Green Xpress Network of the...Read more