Canadian High Speed Line Corridor Details to Be Announced This Year
Alto, the promoter of Canada’s high‑speed rail, will announce detailed corridor plans this autumn after completing a massive public‑consultation effort. The outreach engaged over 10,000 residents, hosted 26 open‑house events, 10 virtual sessions and 32 stakeholder roundtables, generating 324,026 portal visits and 24,142 questionnaire responses. Findings will be released in a June report, moving the project from corridor‑level analysis to a defined alignment linking Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois‑Rivières and Quebec City. The engagement aims to balance community concerns with the projected benefits of the high‑speed line.
Leo Express Talgo Sets Unveiled Ahead of Cross-Border Deployment
Open‑access operator Leo Express showcased its refurbished Talgo VI trainsets on a special Prague‑to‑Bratislava run ahead of commercial launch on April 30. The 13‑car, 348‑seat formations feature low‑floor access, 1 m seat pitch in economy, and a diesel generator car for onboard...
CargoBeamer Boosts Trans-Alpine Intermodal Services
CargoBeamer has launched a new trans‑Alpine rail service linking the DUSS terminal in Kornwestheim near Stuttgart with the Malpensa intermodal terminal near Milan, operating four round trips per week with a plan to increase to five. The route replaces the...
Siemens to Present AutomatedTrain at InnoTrans 2026
Siemens Mobility will demonstrate its AutomatedTrain project at InnoTrans 2026, using a Mireo multiple‑unit equipped for GoA4 unattended operation. The train will run autonomously up to 40 km/h, performing pre‑movement checks, obstacle detection and real‑time localisation before sending a ready‑to‑depart signal...
Vitézy Given Hungarian Ministerial Brief to Create ‘Golden Age of Railways’
Prime Minister‑elect Péter Magyar has appointed former Budapest transport authority chief Dávid Vitézy as Hungary’s Minister of Transport & Investment. Vitézy’s mandate includes turning major railway stations into mixed‑use urban centres, creating integrated fare systems and expanding public‑transport and active‑mobility...
Dubai’s Gold Line Underground Metro Project Approved
Dubai’s ruler announced approval of the Gold Line, a 42‑km fully underground metro costing about AED 34 billion (~$9.2 billion). Construction will start immediately, with tenders this year and the main contract awarded in 2027, aiming for a September 9 2032 opening. The line...
Rail Infrastructure Contractor to Enter Freight Market in Australia and the Americas
Martinus Group, a rail infrastructure contractor, announced the creation of Martinus Haulage, its own freight haulage business targeting bulk‑commodity transport on Queensland's 1,067 mm gauge network. The venture is backed by a strategic partnership with Chinese rolling‑stock maker CRRC Ziyang, which...
Rail Suppliers Reject EU Claim that ‘Limited Competition’ Is Driving ETCS Cost Surge
The European Commission’s DMT report warned that ETCS onboard costs have doubled to about $990,000 per vehicle between 2018 and 2022, attributing part of the rise to limited competition among suppliers. Rail supply bodies UNIFE and UNISIG rebut this claim,...
Railway Supply Industry News Round-Up
Rail supply chain leaders announced several strategic moves this week. RB Rail will host its 2026 Industry Day on April 27, highlighting new procurement windows for the Baltic corridor. PJM launched a Swiss subsidiary in Thalwil, while Railinc promoted Joan...
Incoming Alstom CEO Warns of Further Fallout From Delayed Projects as Shares Fall
Alstom reported record €27.6bn (≈$30bn) order intake and a €100bn (≈$110bn) backlog, but free cash flow slumped to €330m (≈$363m), far below the €1.5bn (≈$1.65bn) target it had set. Adjusted EBIT margin fell to about 6%, and the company’s shares...
Study Finds that Oslo Does Not Need Another Metro Tunnel Just Yet
A study commissioned by Oslo and Akershus authorities and carried out by transport agency Ruter and metro operator Sporveien finds that the existing T‑banen network can handle projected ridership growth to 2050 without a new cross‑city tunnel. The report advises...
EIB Signs €266m Loan to Support București Tramway Upgrade
The European Investment Bank approved a €265.6 million (≈$289 million) loan to modernise Bucharest’s tram system, targeting speed, reliability, comfort and accessibility. The city will refurbish roughly 50 km of track, acquire 63 new trams and upgrade the Colentina depot, with work slated...
HVO Fuel Tested as a Direct Replacement for Diesel on Cork Commuter Trains
Iarnród Éireann is conducting a pilot that replaces diesel with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) on two‑car Class 2600 commuter trains in Cork. The trial will use 100,000 L of HVO supplied by Corrib Oil over a 12‑ to 16‑week period, matching the fleet’s...
Urban Rail Industry News Round-Up
This week’s urban rail roundup highlighted several major projects. Turkey’s Sakarya municipality will issue a tender on April 28 for a 15.2 km, 19‑stop tram line with two branches. Tbilisi received four international bids—three from Turkey and one from China—to build a...
An Expanded Remit for Railway Gazette International
ProMedia Group, which bought Railway Gazette International and other UK transport titles from DVV Media in January, has merged the editorial operations of RailTech.com into RailwayGazette.com. The combined platform now boasts a larger, globally‑sourced newsroom delivering deeper coverage of the...
Tender for the Manufacture and Supply of Track Motor Vehicle with Cranes and Track Electric Vehicle with Cranes
Israel Railways Ltd (ISR) has issued Tender 42237 for the manufacture and supply of track motor vehicles with cranes and track electric vehicles with cranes. The procurement follows Israeli Mandatory Tender Laws and the International Agreement on Government Procurement. Bids...
Union Pacific and Rocky Mountain Steel Agree Seven-Year Rail Contract
Union Pacific has signed a seven‑year contract with Rocky Mountain Steel to source domestically produced steel rails, ending a 2025 lawsuit over a disputed price increase. The Colorado‑based mill, backed by a $1 billion investment, will operate on power from a...
Leo Express Train Hits Truck in Slovakia, Killing Truck Driver and Injuring More than 20
A Leo Express passenger train derailed near Bratislava after colliding with a truck at an uncontrolled, light‑controlled crossing in Dunajská Streda. The crash killed the 58‑year‑old truck driver and injured 21 passengers, most with broken‑glass injuries, including one head injury....
Renfe Withdrawal From France Puts Talgo’s €350m Le Train Deal at Risk
Talgo’s €350 million (about $381 million) contract to supply up to ten Avril high‑speed trains to French private operator Le Train is now in jeopardy after Renfe scrapped its planned expansion into France. The deal depended on the Avril units being homologated on...
Finland Says Long-Delayed Cross-Border Rail Link to Sweden Set for ‘Summer Launch’
Finland’s Transport Minister announced that the long‑delayed Tornio‑Haparanda cross‑border rail link aims to launch in the summer, after a bilateral agreement lets Finnish and Swedish rolling stock operate under each other’s permits. The project, funded with €37 million (≈$41 million) EU TEN‑T...
Hitachi to Develop Portugal’s Second Translator Tech for ETCS Trains on Legacy Lines
Hitachi Rail has secured a contract from Infraestruturas de Portugal to build the country’s second Specific Transmission Module (STM), a translator that lets ETCS‑equipped trains run on legacy Convel signalling. About 69% of Portugal’s 2,500‑km network still uses Convel, so...
More than 30 Trains Damaged in Denmark After Traction System Fault Upends Traffic
More than 30 trainsets were damaged in eastern Denmark after a fault in Banedanmark's traction power system caused overhead wires to sag and collide with pantographs. The incident halted traffic across much of Zealand, affecting at least 10,000 passengers with...
ERTMS Trackbot Starts Operations in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has launched its first real‑world deployment of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) Trackbot on the Northern Lines between Leeuwarden and Harlingen Haven. Developed by Strukton, AMT and No Man Trackwork with Hitachi support, the autonomous robot...
Trains Return to Flood-Hit Czech Rail Line After 18 Months
Czech Railways will restart service on the Lipová Lázně–Javorník line (Line 295) on 16 April 2026, ending an 18‑month suspension caused by severe September 2024 flooding. Infrastructure manager Správa železnic completed all repairs, allowing the first scheduled trains to run at 04:13 and 05:10....
Six Consortia Compete for Poland’s First High-Speed Rail Contract
Six consortia have applied to build Poland’s first high‑speed rail segment, a 13‑km stretch linking Kotowice to the planned Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) airport. The contract, part of the Warsaw‑Łódź line within a Y‑shaped network to Poznań and Wrocław, is...
The Netherlands Plans Parallel and Faster ERTMS Rollout to Combat Too Slow Pace
The Dutch rail authority warns that the nationwide ERTMS upgrade could slip to 2060‑2070, far beyond the original 2056 deadline. To avoid this, the programme directorate proposes a parallel, multi‑region rollout aiming for full implementation by 2040. The first tranche,...
ERTMS to Be Activated on Rome-Florence High-Speed Line After Weekend Closure
Italy’s Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) completed activation of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) on the Rome‑Florence high‑speed line after a weekend shutdown. The €147 million (≈$159 million) project, funded partly by EU NRRP money, used a concentrated intervention that cut...
Stadler Opens New Austrian Workshop to Support Westbahn High-Speed Fleet
Stadler has inaugurated a 4,600 sqm high‑speed train workshop just outside Vienna, officially opened on 10 April after operating since March. The facility currently maintains Westbahn’s Stadler KISS double‑deck EMUs and is positioned to service other operators’ rolling stock. Built with STRABAG...
RailTech.com and Railway Gazette International Join Forces
RailTech.com is merging with Railway Gazette International, creating an expanded Railway Gazette International brand within weeks. The integration will redirect the RailTech.com domain to railwaygazette.com, move its article archive, and convert all RailTech subscribers to Railway Gazette International subscriptions. A...
Portugal Gives More Management Freedom to CP, Budget Limitations Still in Place
Starting in 2027 Portugal’s state‑owned rail operator CP will enjoy greater management autonomy, allowing more flexible hiring and tool acquisition, but it will remain subject to strict financial rules. The change removes CP from the Public Administration Institutional Sector, easing...
Top Spanish Hyperloop Developer Zeleros Files for Bankruptcy
Zeleros, a leading Spanish hyperloop developer, entered voluntary insolvency after its €15 million ($16.3 million) fundraising fell short and long development cycles strained cash flow. A Valencia court approved liquidation while evaluating a binding offer from engineering group Amper to acquire Zeleros’...
Stadler Secures €32.5m Order for Rack Trains on Europe’s Highest Open-Air Railway
Swiss train builder Stadler won a follow‑up contract from the Gornergrat Railway to supply four additional Polaris rack‑and‑pinion multiple units. The deal, valued at roughly CHF30 million (about $33 million), expands a fleet renewal that began in 2019. Delivery is scheduled for...
Spain High-Speed Crash: Possible Rail Break Detected 22 Hours Before Accident, but No Alert Triggered
Spain’s high‑speed network suffered its deadliest crash in a decade when an Iryo train derailed near Adamuz, killing 46. A Civil Guard report reveals that Adif’s signalling system detected an electrical disturbance consistent with a rail break 21 hours and 57 minutes...
Poland Rules RegioJet ‘Violated Passengers’ Rights’ over Cancellations, Threatens Multi-Million-Euro Fine
Poland’s rail regulator UTK ruled that Czech operator RegioJet breached passenger rights by cancelling 23 scheduled services in December 2025, part of a broader disruption that saw over 1,000 trains scrapped during the holiday peak. The regulator can fine the...
Alstom Delivers Romania’s First Next-Gen Traxx Electric Locomotive
Alstom has delivered the first of a 16‑unit Traxx Passenger electric locomotive programme for Romania’s Railway Reform Authority, marking the start of a €150 million ($165 million) contract that includes 20 years of maintenance. The four‑axle unit, ARF002, arrived on 7 April at Bucharest’s...
Iranian Rail Bridge Hit by Airstrike After Israel Warned Citizens to Not Take Trains
Israel’s air force struck a railway bridge near Kashan, killing two people and prompting the IDF to issue a nationwide warning that Iranians should avoid trains until 21:00 local time. The warning led to the cancellation of train services to...
TGV Collides with Truck in France, Train Driver Reported Dead
A TGV traveling at roughly 160 km/h (100 mph) collided with a truck carrying a military vehicle near Noeux‑les‑Mines, France, on 7 April 2026. The train driver, 56, was trapped in the cab and died, while 14 passengers were injured, two critically....
ADIF Under Scrutiny, EU Fraud Probe: Where Does Spain’s High-Speed Crash Investigation Stand?
The Adamuz train collision that killed 46 people has sparked a multi‑layered investigation, including a European fraud probe into EU funds used for high‑speed rail maintenance. A Hitachi report revealed a voltage drop in the track circuit 22 hours before...
Arriva Puts Long-Idled Flirts Into Service in NL, but Not on Their Intended Route
Arriva has placed two of its long‑idle Stadler Flirt electric multiple units into service on regional routes in South Limburg, after delays to the electrification of the Maaslijn forced the fleet into storage for about seven years. The Maaslijn electrification...
Renfe Abandons High-Speed Plans Between Spain and Paris
Renfe has suspended its planned high‑speed service between Spain and Paris, citing unresolved certification issues for its Talgo S‑106 trains in France. The project, originally targeted for a 2024 launch to align with the Paris Olympics, has been delayed for...
How Voestalpine’s Integrated System Solutions Can Boost Rail Infrastructure Performance
Voestalpine Railway Systems will showcase its integrated system solutions at InnoTrans 2026, emphasizing a holistic approach that combines high‑quality steel, turnouts, fastenings, sleepers and digital tools. The company tailors these coordinated ecosystems to diverse rail applications, from high‑speed and freight...
Alstom Installs New CEO Martin Sion as Poupart-Lafarge Steps Down After Decade
Martin Sion, former ArianeGroup chief, became Alstom CEO on April 1, succeeding Henri Poupart‑Lafarge after a decade. He inherits a company with €18 billion (≈$19.6 billion) revenue, a record €94.5 billion (≈$103 billion) order backlog, but persistent delivery delays and negative free cash flow of...
Budapest–Belgrade Passenger Launch Slips Beyond Elections, Key ETCS Experts Resign
Hungary’s Budapest‑Belgrade railway will not see passenger service before the April parliamentary elections and is now likely to slip into summer. The Ministry of Construction and Transport says the European Train Control System (ETCS) is “operating flawlessly,” yet critical testing...
Belgian Railways SNCB Ends Onboard Ticket Sales From July to Target Fraud and Aggression Towards Staff
Belgian state railway NMBS/SNCB will cease selling tickets onboard its trains starting July 1, 2026, joining most European operators that already prohibit on‑train purchases. Onboard sales now represent only 1.5% of total tickets, while fare‑evasion‑related aggression toward staff rose to...
Czechia’s SŽ Targets Foreign Suppliers with Procurement Shake-Up
Czech infrastructure manager Správa železnic (SŽ) will host its first "Suppliers Day" on April 14 to unveil a new procurement framework that breaks large rail contracts into discipline‑specific tenders. The shift aims to lower entry barriers for foreign and smaller...
‘ERTMS Is Not a Product, It’s a Mindset’: Experts on How It Should Evolve
European rail leaders at RailTech Europe 2026 warned that the cost of retrofitting trains for the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) has doubled in four years, threatening wider adoption. The European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) and industry players...
The Paris-Berlin Night Train Is Back: European Sleeper Launches First Service Following ÖBB Exit
European Sleeper launched a Paris‑Berlin night train on 26 March, stepping into the void left by ÖBB’s December exit. The service departs Paris on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, returning from Berlin on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with an early‑morning arrival...
Renfe Invests €25 Million in Local and Metric Gauge Stations
Spain’s state‑owned rail operator Renfe is committing roughly $27 million to upgrade 110 suburban and metric‑gauge stations under its “A Punto” programme, with work starting in May and lasting 18 months. The modest interventions—ranging from new façades and shelters to improved parking, bike...
Storms Damage Trains Across NW England
Severe gusts on March 25 knocked down trees and damaged overhead line equipment along the West Coast Main Line and surrounding routes in North West England and the Midlands. The disruption stranded multiple passenger trains, forced cancellations, and caused delays...
Open Access Lumo Cracks the West Coast Main Line
First Group‑backed Lumo is set to launch an open‑access service on the West Coast Main Line between Stirling and London, using refurbished Class 222 diesel multiple units. After convincing the Office of Rail and Road, the operator secured four scarce train...