TWO Swiss metre-gauge railways - Wynental & Suhrentalbahn (WSB) and Montreux Bernese Overland (MOB) - have issued calls for tender for the supply of new trains.
BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) announced on December 15 that it has awarded 11 companies Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) Passports in a bid to streamline the bidding process for rail franchises.
PKP Intercity's new fleet of ED160 Flirt 3 EMUs entered commercial service on the morning of December 13, when one of the eight-car trains formed the 05.07 from Gdynia to Katowice via Warsaw.
THE final phase of Vienna's new Main Station became operational on December 13, bringing a major-shake up of long-distance services into the Austrian capital.
NATIONAL Express launched its first passenger operations on the German mainline network on December 13, when it took over the operation of two regional routes in North Rhine Westphaila from DB Regio.
REGULAR passenger services returned to the Swedish town of Trelleborg for the first time since the 1970s on December 12, when Skånetrafiken introduced Pågatåg regional services on the 34km Continental Line from Malmö.
GERMAN Rail (DB) finally started passenger operation of its new IC2 double-deck push-pull inter-city trains with the launch of the 2016 timetable on December 13.
ARRIVA has confirmed further details of its plans for new rolling stock for the Northern franchise following its selection as preferred bidder for the contract on December 9.
SWEDEN's enterprise minister Mr Mikael Damberg drove the inaugural train through the 8.7km Hallandsås tunnel on December 9. Construction of what is now the cournty's longest tunnel started as long ago as 1992.
BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) announced on December 9 that it has selected Arriva as preferred bidder for the Northern franchise, while TransPennine Express will be awarded to First Group.
