SNCF launches Rail Route Connect for massive road-to-rail shift
Seven companies with logistics sites across France joined forces with Fret SNCF to form the first national network to promote a massive shift of rail: Rail Route Connect (2RC). The association’s main objective is to...Read more
French rail workers to strike over the weekend
STRIKE ALERTAfter negotiations with SNCF on Friday 10 December failed, French union SUD-Rail is maintaining their plan to strike from 15 December to 19 December. The French national rail company offered 60 extra euros a month...Read more
Lyon-Turin: works have started on another section of the French tunnel
Drilling operations on the French side of the base tunnel for the Lyon-Turin railway have started on Thursday 8 December for the tunnel connecting Saint Jean de Maurienne and Saint Julien Montdenis. The 3-kilometre-long tunnel...Read more
French government calls for ‘energy sobriety’ from SNCF not fewer trains
While the French government has called on SNCF to make energy savings in response to the current crisis, it has not requested that the state railway utility prepare to run fewer trains this winter in...Read more
GEODIS the economic bloodline of SNCF in H1
At the end of July, the French railway company SNCF was able to report a profit of 928 million euros for first half of 2022. This is encouraging: SNCF group is on track to meet...Read more
SNCF might sell Akiem to Canadian investor
SNCF is negotiating the sale of its freight locomotive leasing company Akiem with the Canadian investment fund Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec (CDPQ). The railway company jointly owns the subsidiary (50:50) with German...Read more
Sale of SNCF’s freight locomotive leasing company enters home stretch
SNCF is continuing its strategy of disposing of non-strategic assets after moving out of the red last year thanks largely to the €3.2 billion sale of its rail wagon leasing company, Ermewa.Read more
European railways carry over 10,000 tonnes in humanitarian aid to Ukraine
Until last week, more than 10,000 tonnes in humanitarian aid was brought into Ukraine by over 1,600 cargo wagons. Several thousand tonnes were transported on passenger trains. Railway undertakings from all across Europe, together with...Read more
SNCF back in the black: who would have thought?
The loss-making rail freight subsidiary SNCF Fret was in the black for the first time last year. This was announced during a recent press conference where the French state railways SNCF presented its annual results.Read moreFrench track access charges to be halved until 2024
The French government will invest 170 million euros per year until 2024 in the rail freight industry. Among other measures, half of the track access charges will be subsidised. It wants to double the transport...Read more
Three new rolling highways in France
The Government of France is considering three new routes for rolling highways across the country. They will be launched by the year’s end. Some of the planned rail freight connections could be extended to the...Read more
Roll on Rail off: Brittany Ferries sails into freight sector
Brittany Ferries intends to increase cooperation with the rail freight sector. The cross-Channel operator has announced plans for a ‘rail motorway’ from the English Channel port of Cherbourg to Bayonne-Mouguerre on the Atlantic coast, just...Read more
French railway strikes cost SNCF nearly billion euros
The French railway company SNCF expects to have suffered losses amounting to nearly 600 million euros in revenue due to the railway strikes. This was said by the new company president & CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou....Read more
Strikes in France to impact rail freight operations
Rail freight in France is to suffer disturbances due to a wide-scale strike by the transport industry on Thursday and maybe also Friday. The strikes are held to voice against the reforms of the pension...Read moreRail link between France and Italy via Modane reopened
The railway line in Maurienne valley linking France and Italy via Modane has been reopened today in the early morning. The route had been closed for train traffic for three weeks due to a mudslide....Read more
Many trains cancelled, some rerouted between France and Italy
A plan is in the making to reroute freight trains on the disrupted railway line between France and Italy. Four alternative routes have been identified, some of them already in use. However, a large majority...Read moreNew rail link to increase cargo traffic between Normandie and Paris
Upgrade works are carried out at the railway track between Serqueux-Gisors in the French region of Normandie. In October 2020 the project should be completed with a brand new station at Serqueix. The upgrade is...Read more
Railtraxx and Captrain Belgium merge into single company
Railtraxx and SNCF-subsidiary Captrain Belgium have merged to operate as one company called Railtraxx. Beginning of April, SNCF had taken over the Belgian carrier RailTraxx. The French railway holding decided to merge it with its...Read more
Intermodal service Andalusia – Antwerp for vegetables tested
A new intermodal service is being tested to transport agricultural products between Almeria in Spanish Andalusia and Antwerp in Belgium. The service is initiated by Swiss operator Hupac, Spanish railway company Renfe and Spanish consortium...Read more