Faster freight pledge from Network Rail
Getting more freight onto the UK’s railways and off the UK’s roads, is dependent on making schedules more reliable, says Network Rail, the agency responsible for infrastructure capacity. Easier said than done says everyone else. Network...Read more
ÖBB increases rail capacity for driving ban Tyrol
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group has finished the preparation for the sectoral driving ban in Tyrol that will take effect on the 1st of January 2020. The rail freight operator is boosting its capacity of the...Read more
2019: the year of a much-needed reboot
Today is the last day of the year 2019, a good moment to look back at a very interesting year for rail freight in Europe. Four industry leaders look back, and share their ambitions for...Read more
Ukraine moves towards liberalisation of rail freight sector
The Government of Ukraine plans to liberalise the country’s rail freight sector. To this end, a pilot project will be introduced on railways. Until 4 December 2021, the private enterprises will be able to provide...Read more
Will EU transit via Russia become possible in 2020?
Five months after lifting the ban on the transit of EU fresh products to third countries via Russia, transportation of this freight is still not possible. To change this, Russia should create clarity about the...Read more
UK election landslide makes Brexit inevitable
The right-wing Conservative Party has won a huge majority in the UK General Election, on the back of a clear manifest pledge to ‘Get Brexit Done’. The very real probability now is that the United...Read more
Russia forms new rules for electronic seals transit goods
The government of Russia will develop the requirements for electronic seals to be used for transit goods from the EU to China. The new legislation should be composed by the end of July. The use of...Read more
Noise differentiated track access charges under review
The effect of noise differentiated track access charges (NDTAC) in Europe is under review. Since 2015, it is legally possible for infrastructure managers to include a malus or bonus in the track access charge for...Read more
Most freight trains on Rail Baltica will be intermodal
The Rail Baltica line that is to connect Poland with Estonia by European gauge railway in 2026 will be a great stimulus for intermodal transport in the Baltic region. 80 per cent of freight trains...Read more
New rail freight service for agricultural products Seville-Valencia
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has started a rail freight service this week to link the fluvial port of Seville with the ports of Cordoba and Valencia. With this service the company is responding to agricultural...Read more
Trial rail freight service between Tilburg and Changsha
GVT and Hunan Xiangou Express Co will run a test train from Changsha in China to Tilburg in the Netherlands, departing on the 16th of August. The freight train will arrive seventeen days later in...Read more
PKP has launched a new route to China
Polish railway company PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa (PKP LHS) has launched a new route to China. Running a trial, a container train has departed from Euroterminal in Slawkow, and it will continue its journey on...Read more
Civil works to repair the rail freight connection in Naples port
The national Italian rail company FS Group and the Naples port have signed an agreement to revive its rail freight connection. FS and the port authority will analyse the necessary civil works to repair the...Read more
Renfe will invest 282 million Euros in trains in 2018
The Spanish national company Renfe will invest 282 million Euros on buying and updating trains, accounting for 74 per cent of the total budgeted invest in 2018. Most of the purchases were committed since 2016, the...Read moreFrance to gradually take over SNCF debt
French president Emmanuel Macron announced that the state will gradually take over the debt of national rail operator SNCF, starting in January 2020. He also confirmed that he will continue pressing reforms of the company....Read more
Rail freight not as clean and sustainable as expected
In certain ways, rail freight seems to be less clean and sustainable as assumed. Diesel as well as electric locomotives emit much higher CO2 levels than expected. This was concluded in a research of the...Read more