The Swiss do it again: legal approval for underground rail freight project
The Swiss Federal Council has approved the law on underground goods transport, which will come into force on 1 August. The law provides the legal ground for implementing a futuristic yet realistic project: the Cargo...Read more
1st breakthrough of this new twin-tube tunnel in Austria
Tunnelling crews achieved the first breakthrough of the twin-tube Semmering base tunnel construction project in Austria on Friday. The hole-through moment came some seven years after the start of construction.Read more
Is optimised data sharing a solution to Rhine-Alpine issues?
Approaching the issues that the Rhine-Alpine corridor faces from time to time can be a challenging task. However, the solution could be simpler than expected, relying mainly on an optimised data-sharing environment able to transform...Read more
Switzerland invests in French and Italian infrastructure: ‘it’s our duty’
Switzerland aims to extend its infrastructure investments in France and Italy, targeting rail lines and terminals. In France, it is working with the government to define the size and type of investment on the Wörth-Strasbourg...Read more
Switzerland reaches out to France for North-South rail bypass
Political support for companies operating in the Rhine-Alpine Corridor is on the way. The Swiss government considers supporting financially the electrification of the Wörth-Strasbourg line crossing through France. The aim is to create a long-term...Read more
Hupac reaches pre-pandemic growth levels, 2022 could slow things down
Hupac scored positive performance results for 2021. The Swiss-based company reached an annual turnover of 631 million euros-14 per cent more than 2020 and a company record-and a profit of almost 12 million euros. The...Read more
Switzerland off to another rail freight market reform
“The last few years have shown that rail freight in Switzerland can hardly be financed independently”, claimed the Swiss Federal Council. As a result, “there is a need for further reforms with a particular focus...Read more
Port of Antwerp connects with Switzerland through Athus terminal
A new intermodal connection is in the pipeline to link the Belgian Port of Antwerp with the Birsterminal in the Rhine port Birsfelden, Switzerland. The intermodal route will pass through Terminal Container Athus in southern...Read more
Gateway Basel Nord to become a nature conservation transport hub
Switzerland’s under-construction Gateway Basel Nord trimodal terminal has submitted plans to create a nature conservation concept in its area. The project aims to create a meadow bridge for migrating animals on top of a 45,8-hectare...Read more
Brenner Base Tunnel underground junction not compliant with regulations
A new report concludes that an underground connection to the Brenner Base Tunnel in Germany would not fully comply with the current regulations. A connection point underground, instead of the normal above-ground, is preferred by...Read more
Switzerland next stop for DAC test train
After an extensive test program at five Austrian stations from the beginning of February to the beginning of March 2022, a freight train with Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) will be tested in Switzerland now. The...Read more
This is how Switzerland supports the 4-metre corridor to Milan
Italy and Switzerland have agreed on a plan of action for the expansion of the Lötschberg-Simplon corridor. This expansion will enable cross-border intermodal transport with a height of 4 metres up till the Milan/Novara area...Read more
New connection to three-border region Switzerland-Germany-France
ÖBB’s subsidiary Rail Cargo Group has launched a new railway service between Austria and Switzerland. Three times per week a blocktrain shuttles between the Swiss terminal Frenkendorf, near the border with Germany and France and...Read more
Hupac: ‘what we need now, is an electricity subsidy for rail’
An energy subsidy for rail, a new bypass on the Rhine-Alpine corridor and better coordination of construction works. Those are three things the European rail freight industry needs in 2022 if it wants to develop...Read more
European test run with Digital Automatic Coupling begins
In Berlin, a freight train equipped with a Digital Automatic Coupler has started a practical test run across Europe, lasting several months. German Federal Minister for Transport Volker Wissing gave the symbolic starting signal for...Read more
Rotterdam-Wolfurt route achieves best performance yet
The TransFER route connecting the port of Rotterdam and Wolfurt in Austria reached a volume record in 2021. With more than 18,500 TEUs transported, Rail Cargo Group’s service saw a 170 per cent growth since...Read more
Ottmarsheim turns into rail hub for the Alsace region
Logistics provider Swissterminal is expanding its Schweizerzug service with a new connection between Antwerp and Ottmarsheim, starting 1 January 2022. This transport service will begin with three direct roundtrips per week, each with the fastest...Read moreSwiss federal government regulates to boost modal shift
The Swiss federal council wants to strengthen the trans-alpine modal shift to rail freight even more. Consequently, the Swiss government adopts new regulations regarding truck tariffs and the country’s rolling highways (Ro-La) to facilitate modal...Read moreBrenner Base Tunnel reaches the Italian-Austrian border
After 14 kilometers and 3.5 years of tunneling, ‘Serena’, a 300-meter Tunnel Boring Machine, reached the Brenner Pass under the Alps. In May 2018, the machine started its work on an exploratory tunnel, going from...Read more