CZECH minister of Transport Mr Dan Ťok confirmed on December 20 that the government will advance a project to convert the country’s existing 1796km 3kV dc electric network to 25kV ac in order to standardise Czech mainlines.

JOURNEY times between three major cities in China’s central Hunan province were reduced significantly on December 26 with the opening of the Changsha - Zhuzhou - Xiangtan Intercity Railway.

TOKYO Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei) has awarded Japan Transport Engineering Company (J-Trec) a contract to supply 27 eight-car Sustina S13 EMUs for the Toei Asakusa Line from Nishi-Magome to Oshiage.

CHINA Railway (CRC), the state-owned national operator, has been appropriated a Yuan 800bn ($US 115.13bn) budget for 2017 as it pushes ahead with network and service expansion following a record-breaking 2016.

FRANCE and Spain took control of the international high-speed rail link between both countries on December 21 after the contract with concessionaire TP Ferro was terminated following the company’s liquidation in September.

THE Donghae Line in Busan, Korea, opened on January 3, bringing the total number of lines on Busan’s metro network to six.

A flurry of new metro lines and line extensions opened in cities across China in the final week of 2016.

CONSTRUCTION of the China - Laos railway officially got underway on January 1 following a ceremony held in the northern Lao city of Luang Prabang and attended by the prime minister of Laos, Mr Thongloun Sisoulith.

THE government of the Philippines has reopened bidding to Japanese companies for the supply of 120 new LRVs for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 in Manila after it abandoned a previous tender in March 2016.