Turkiye, Jordan, and Syria Aim to Revive Rail Links
Turkey, Jordan and Syria signed a trilateral memorandum in Amman to revive rail links, focusing on the historic Hejaz Railway and a north‑south logistics corridor. The agreement seeks to harmonise transport regulations, lower transit fees and integrate Mediterranean, Red Sea and inland ports into a unified freight network. Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu highlighted the goal of boosting exports and transit revenues while positioning the corridor as a gateway to Europe and Central Asia. Implementation is slated to begin within three years, with Saudi Arabia next in line for technical talks.
Akiem Secures EUR 1.52 Billion Green Refinancing
French rolling‑stock specialist Akiem completed a €1.52 billion ($1.66 billion) green senior debt refinancing, converting all existing borrowings to sustainable financing. The deal combines 7‑ and 10‑year bank loans with 15‑ and 20‑year private placements, extending maturities to two decades. A €700 million...
Ukrainian Railway Industry Involved in the Production of Alstom Locomotives
Alstom has selected a slate of Ukrainian railway firms to supply critical components for its new Traxx electric freight locomotives, with deliveries slated to begin in early 2027. The contract, signed in November 2025, covers 55 locomotives to be delivered through...
Portland Purchases Battery-Powered Urbos Trams
Portland Transportation Bureau selected CAF USA to supply 15 battery‑powered Urbos trams for the Portland Streetcar system. The new vehicles will enable wireless, overhead‑wire‑free operation on the NS line extension to Montgomery Park, marking the network’s first battery‑run service. They replace...
Czechia Signs EUR 405 Million Contract for Hradec Králové Station Modernisation
Czech infrastructure manager Správa železnic awarded a EUR 405 million ($441 million) contract to OHLA ŽS, Subterra and Elektrizace železnic Praha to modernise Hradec Králové station. The EU Cohesion Fund will contribute up to EUR 354.5 million (about $386 million), with the State Fund covering the balance. slated for...
The Jundiz Intermodal Terminal Enters the Concession Process
Spain’s railway infrastructure manager Adif has opened a tender for a six‑year concession to operate the Jundiz Intermodal terminal in Vitoria‑Gasteiz. The winning operator must invest roughly $1.4 million and will manage a 55,000 m² loading area, including mixed‑gauge tracks that accommodate...
Alstom Retains Contract for Automated Train System at the World’s Busiest Airport
Alstom secured a five‑year extension to operate and maintain the Plane Train automated people‑mover at Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest hub. The deal, valued at roughly €140 million (about $153 million), continues a partnership dating back to 1980. In 2025...
SNCF Plans to Use AI and Data Analytics for the New TGV INOUI
SNCF Voyageurs convened a two‑day datathon with 70 data specialists and engineering students to prototype AI‑driven features for the upcoming TGV INOUI high‑speed service. Teams focused on predictive maintenance, energy‑efficiency tools and a self‑check‑in passenger system, delivering prototypes such as a...
Birmingham Has Opened a New Tram Extension
The West Midlands Metro opened a 1.7‑km tram extension on April 5, adding Albert Street and Millennium Point stations as the first phase of Birmingham’s Eastside project. The new line links key destinations—including Moor Street railway station, the Clayton Hotel, Birmingham...
Sweden Launches a Tender for 20 Norrtåg Regional Trains
Sweden has opened a tender for 20 new Norrtåg regional trains, marking the largest rolling‑stock investment in the operator’s history. The project, funded through the joint venture AB Transitio, carries a maximum budget of roughly $340 million (3.8 billion SEK). Delivery is targeted...
LTG Cargo Joins the List of NATO Suppliers
LTG Cargo, Lithuania’s leading rail freight operator, has been awarded a NATO NCAGE code, allowing it to bid directly on Alliance procurement contracts. The company reported a 70% rise in military train shipments over four years, moving 180 trains in...
COMSA Secures a Major Railway Contract in Croatia, Previously Awarded to STRABAG
Spanish construction group COMSA Corporación has been awarded a €278.8 million (≈ $307 million) contract by Croatia’s HŽ Infrastruktura to modernize, double‑track and electrify the 44‑km Hrvatski Leskovac–Karlovac railway segment. The upgrade will introduce new bridges, viaducts, station refurbishments and signalling systems, allowing...
Rolling Highways in Spain – A Solution for Modern Freight Transport
In February 2019 Spain introduced its first standard‑gauge rolling highway, a rail‑road hybrid service designed to shift long‑haul freight from trucks to trains. The initiative is part of a broader $9.2 billion rail‑freight modernization plan that includes new terminals, gauge upgrades...
Stadler Withdraws Its Appeal Against the SBB Contract Awarded to Siemens
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) has made the award of its double‑decker train contract to Siemens Mobility legally final after Stadler withdrew its appeal. The contract covers 116 trains, with an option for 84 more, and SBB projects savings of hundreds...
Alstom Acquires Cummins’ Hydrogen Technology Division
Alstom announced the acquisition of Cummins' hydrogen fuel‑cell division, bringing the engineering, product development and support capabilities for rail applications in‑house. The deal consolidates Alstom's control over the full hydrogen system value chain, from design through maintenance, and is expected...
Paris Wants to Introduce Contactless Bank Card Payments
Île‑de‑France Mobilités is weighing an open‑payment system that would let riders tap a bank card directly on the Paris metro and RER, with a decision expected in May. The region already piloted contactless card payments on buses, aiming for full...
The Santo Domingo Metro Receives Its First Metropolis Trains
Alstom has delivered the first two of eight three‑car Metropolis trains to the Santo Domingo Metro, marking a key milestone for the Line 2 extension project. The trains were manufactured in Barcelona and will undergo final inspections and testing before entering...
PKP Intercity Receives the First Modernised Combo Multi-Purpose Railcars
PKP Intercity has taken delivery of the first six of 50 modernised Combo multi‑purpose railcars built by H. Cegielski. The €351 million (≈ $90 million) project, co‑financed by EU funds through Poland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, adds new bogies, Wi‑Fi, USB, bicycle spaces...
Passenger Train Derails in Russia: 24 Injured
A passenger train traveling from Chelyabinsk to Moscow derailed near the Briandino station in Russia’s Ulyanovsk region on April 3, 2026. The eight‑car train was carrying about 415 passengers; 24 people, including four children, suffered injuries but no deaths were...
RB Rail Launches New Tender for the Electrification of Rail Baltica
RB Rail AS has opened a new procurement process for design‑consultancy services covering the energy subsystem of the Rail Baltica high‑speed line in Latvia and Lithuania. The tender is split into two separate lots, allowing firms to bid on either country...
AIP Acquires Shares in Cross London Trains
AIP Management is acquiring an additional stake in Cross London Trains (XLT), with the deal expected to close in the first half of 2026, expanding its footprint in the UK rail sector. XLT owns 115 Siemens Desiro City Class 700 electric...
A Nationwide Rail Overhaul Set to Reshape Travel Across Poland
Poland has launched the Integrated Railway Network (ZSK) under the Port Polska programme, targeting a nationwide high‑speed rail system that caps travel between Warsaw and major cities at 100 minutes. A 480‑km "Y" line connecting Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań and Wrocław...
EU Sends New Equipment for Ukraine’s Railways
On April 2, 2026, the European Union announced a new support package for Ukraine’s state railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, delivering over 50 pieces of equipment to restore and maintain war‑damaged rail infrastructure. So far, 23 items—including vehicles and generators—have arrived via...
MÁV Paid Compensation for Fictitious Delays Following the Switch to Daylight Saving Time
Hungary’s state railway MÁV experienced a daylight‑saving‑time glitch that falsely displayed hour‑long delays on its Vonatinfó platform. The error automatically triggered compensation payouts to passengers whose trains were actually on time, while some genuinely delayed travelers initially missed refunds. MÁV...
Adif Moves Forward with the “Y” High-Speed Rail Line Project
Adif has issued a €484,700 (≈$528,000) design tender for the 45‑km Bizkaia segment of the Basque Country’s “Y” high‑speed rail line, linking Elorrio to Bilbao’s access route and the Bergara hub. The firm is simultaneously advancing design work on the...
REPORT: European Railways Increasingly Vulnerable to Extreme Weather
A new European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) report finds that 70% of infrastructure managers have observed a rise in extreme‑weather impacts, with annual delays equivalent to one to three full years of rail service. Floods, storms and landslides are...
EUR 400 Million Rail Modernisation Contract in Romania
Romanian rail operator CFR SA awarded a EUR 410 million (≈ $447 million) contract to modernise the Craiova‑Filiași line, part of the Orient/East‑Mediterranean Corridor. The 38‑km Lot 1 project, led by the Alstom‑Terna TrackWorks consortium, includes electrification, ERTMS Level 2 signalling, and upgraded stations. The 177‑month programme...
Lithuania Cuts Train Ticket Prices in Half Due to Rising Fuel Costs
Lithuania’s state‑run railway LTG Link will slash domestic ticket prices by 50 % from April 1 to May 31, a move aimed at cushioning commuters from soaring fuel costs linked to Middle‑East tensions. The discount, which can be stacked with existing student and senior...
The New CEO of Alstom Takes up Its Role
Martin Sion officially assumed the role of CEO at Alstom on April 1 2026, succeeding Henri Poupart‑Lafarge after a decade of leadership. During Poupart‑Lafarge’s tenure, Alstom’s revenue rose from roughly €6 billion ($6.5 billion) to €18.5 billion ($20.2 billion) and integrated Bombardier Transportation, cementing its position as...
Ukraine and Bulgaria Plan to Launch a Passenger Train Service
Ukraine and Bulgaria, together with Romania, will launch a summer 2026 passenger train linking Kyiv, Bucharest and Sofia. The 24‑hour service follows a route through Vinnytsia, Mohyliv‑Podilskyi, Ungheni and Iași, reviving the historic Bulgaria Express corridor that ended in 2014....
The First Modernization of a Prague Metro Station Has Been Completed
DPP announced the completion of the first modernization of a Prague metro station, Českomoravská on Line B. The year‑and‑a‑half project overhauled both underground and above‑ground areas, replacing escalators, ventilation, about 120 km of cables and installing 1,600 LED fixtures. A new design...
Procedure for the First Archaeological Contract for the Dublin Metro
Transport Infrastructure Ireland has qualified five archaeological firms to bid on the first contract for Dublin’s MetroLink, covering the northern stretch from Estuary to Fosterstown. The qualification system remains open, allowing additional firms to join as the project progresses. Archaeological...
Metrans Acquires 50% of the Afluent Arad South Terminal
Swiss logistics firm Metrans has signed a binding agreement to acquire a 50% stake in the Afluent Arad South intermodal terminal in western Romania. The facility spans 3.5 hectares, can be expanded to 82 hectares, and currently stores 750 TEU....
Slovenia’s Success: The Divača–Koper Double-Track Line
On March 11, 2026 a Flirt test train successfully traversed Slovenia’s new 27.7‑km Divača–Koper double‑track line, proving the route’s operational readiness. The line, 75 % of which runs through tunnels—including a 6.7‑km longest tunnel—replaces the single‑track bottleneck and cuts the Divača‑Koper...
SWR Marks 30 Years of Legoland with a Special Arterio Train
South Western Railway introduced a specially‑branded Arterio train, dubbed the “Legoland Locomotive,” at London Waterloo to celebrate Legoland Windsor’s 30‑year anniversary. The train, part of Alstom’s Aventra family, will run to Windsor & Eton Riverside, linking families to the theme park...
Alstom to Deliver Belgrade’s First Metro Line
Alstom has secured a €915 million (≈$1 billion) contract to deliver Belgrade’s first fully automated metro line, Line 1, spanning 15 kilometres with 15 stations, 11 of which are underground. The turnkey deal includes 32 driverless Metropolis three‑car trains, Urbalis CBTC signalling, power supply,...
How Milan Used the Olympic Games to Accelerate Investment in Transportation
Milan leveraged the 2026 Winter Olympics as a mobility stress test, accelerating public‑transport investments to ease road congestion and integrate northern Italian provinces into the European rail network. The city transformed the Porta Romana rail yard into an Olympic Village...
Hanoi to Stop Trains on the Famous Street Where Tourists Stand Just a Few Centimeters From the Tracks
Hanoi’s municipal government will reroute most passenger trains to terminate at Hanoi Station from the south and Gia Lam Station from the north, while freight services will be diverted to a new terminal at Ha Dong by July 2026. The plan, approved by...
Women in Rail Award 2026: Women Make up only 23% of the Workforce in the Rail Sector
The European Commission and key rail organisations have opened nominations for the 2026 Women in Rail Award, highlighting that women comprise only about 23 % of the European rail workforce. The award, presented at InnoTrans 2026, aims to accelerate gender diversity through...
SBB and SNCF Voyageurs Extend Partnership for TGV Lyria
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and SNCF Voyageurs have renewed their commercial pact for the TGV Lyria high‑speed service, extending the agreement through 2032 and covering the 2023‑2027 period. The cross‑border line now transports 5.7 million passengers annually, operating 17 daily round‑trips with...
Hitachi Rail to Build a Premium Dining Railcar in Japan
Hitachi Rail will build Seibu Railway’s new premium dining car, the Fine Dining Train “vies,” slated for service in March 2028. The design draws on Hitachi’s Laview express train platform, leveraging large windows, spacious interiors, and advanced control systems. The project...
DB Cargo Has Equipped 60 Diesel Locomotives with the LEADER System in Just Four Months
DB Cargo has completed a rapid retrofit of its entire Class 77 diesel fleet, installing the LEADER driver‑assistance system on all 60 locomotives within four months. The digital tool, first proven on electric units since 2016, is designed to cut fuel...
Budapest Boasts Minimal Wage Gaps Between Women and Men
Budapest’s public transport operator BKV announced that its 2025 gender pay analysis shows an average hourly wage gap of –6.8% and a median gap of –7.3%, indicating women earn slightly more than men. Bonus distribution is similarly balanced, with a...
Leo Express and Lux Express Launch Joint Tickets to the Baltic States
Leo Express and Lux Express have teamed up to sell a single ticket that combines Leo Express’s train service with Lux Express’s coach network, linking the Czech Republic, Poland and the three Baltic capitals. The partnership routes passengers from Prague...
State Aid for Investment: A Driving Force for Railway Infrastructure
The European Commission has released new guidelines on state aid for railway infrastructure, updating the 2008 framework to include explicit rules for financing new lines, upgrades, and digital traffic‑management projects. The rules differentiate aid for interoperability from rolling‑stock modernization and...
Trams Are Making a Comeback in Major Cities
European cities are reviving tram and light‑rail networks as congestion worsens and subway projects become financially prohibitive. Swiss transport experts at the ASST forum highlighted tram‑train concepts in Lugano and emerging plans in Romania’s Oradea region. Funding mechanisms, rather than...
Design Contract for the Signalling System on the Wessex Line
AtkinsRéalis has secured a £98 million (≈ $124 million) design‑build contract from Network Rail to upgrade signalling and telecommunications on 43 km of the Wessex Line near Portsmouth over the next three years. The project will deploy the firm’s Advanced Signalling Method – the...
Croatia Unveils Hybrid Train for Zagreb–Split Line
Croatia’s state rail operator HŽPP announced the rollout of six hybrid diesel‑electric multiple units for the Zagreb–Split corridor, funded by a €57.3 million (≈$62 million) European Investment Bank loan. The first unit will enter service in July 2026, with monthly deliveries through...
Hitachi Rail Is Leveraging AI for Railway Operations and Maintenance
Hitachi Rail announced at NVIDIA’s GTC conference its AI‑driven HMAX for Rail platform, which fuses data from trains, signalling and infrastructure using edge computing on NVIDIA IGX Thor. The suite enables automated onboard functions, predictive maintenance and energy‑consumption reduction, aiming to...
Voestalpine Secures EUR 500 Million in Orders in Germany and Switzerland
voestalpine Railway Systems secured €500 million (approximately $545 million) in orders from Deutsche Bahn and Swiss Federal Railways for rails, switches, signaling and monitoring solutions. The contracts cover the modernization of Frankfurt Central Station, the Hamburg‑Berlin high‑capacity corridor, and a 20‑year digitalisation framework...
