THE City of Buenos Aires confirmed on January 26 that it is planning to order 60 additional 300 series Metropolis cars from Alstom as part of the ongoing modernisation of its metro train fleet.

PORTUGUESE Trains (CP) and Railway Equipment Maintenance Company (EMEF) unveiled interior and exterior designs for CP's refurbished Alfa Pendular EMUs in Lisbon on January 27.

THE privatisation of Greece's national train operator Trainose is set to resume after the board of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) gave the go-ahead on January 20 for a new international tender for the sale of 100% of the company's share capital.

HITACHI has begun production of a fleet of 70 class 385 EMUs ordered by last year by Abellio for the ScotRail franchise.

THE government of the Austrian province of Styria has given its backing to a €20m project to restore the 2.8km cross-border link between Bad Radkersburg and Gorna Radgona after more than 70 years.

FOLLOWING a competitive tender, the Korean city of Yongin has awarded NeoTrans a Won 169bn ($US 141m) contract to operate and maintain the 18.1km light metro Everline.

MAJOR construction works on Auckland's long-proposed 3.4km City Rail Link are set to start in 2018, two years ahead of its previous start date, after New Zealand's prime minister Mr John Key announced the government will commit to funding half of the $NZ2.5bn ($US 1.6bn) project.

ITALIAN civil engineering company, Condotte, has appointed Pöyry, Finland, to carry out rock and tunnel engineering for construction of a section of the Follo Line in Norway.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) has agreed the second phase of a cooperation protocol with Indian Railways (IR) signed in April 2015 for a pilot project to upgrade two stations.

DESPITE the expansion of the number of private rail operators in Europe, state funding still makes up 88% of rolling stock procurement.