SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket announced on February 12 that tracklaying has been completed in the 8.7km Hallandsås tunnel, Sweden's longest railway tunnel, and the SKr 10.5bn ($US 1.25bn) project is on course for its official opening on December 13.
SPANISH rolling stock manufacturer Talgo has selected JP Morgan, Santander, and Nomura as banking advisors to evaluate the possibility of launching an initial public offering on the Madrid stock exchange, which is provisionally valued at €400-500m.
PASSENGER numbers on the German rail network reached their highest recorded level in 2014, according to annual figures published on February 12 by the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
LEIPZIG has become the third German city to order Tramino low-floor LRVs from Polish manufacturer Solaris.
THE board of Ile-de-France transport authority Stif has approved a €1.5bn investment in new rolling stock for the Paris region, including 72 metro trains and 29 suburban EMUs, which will be 100%-funded by the authority.
VIVARAIL, Britain, has awarded Strukton Rail a contract to supply traction and onboard equipment for the type D78 metro trains it recently purchased from London Underground and which it plans to convert to DMUs for heavy rail operation.
THE Danish government has approved an amendment to the law permitting the construction of Copenhagen's Cityringen circle metro line to allow the construction of the Sydhavn branch line.
STOCKHOLM County Council launched public consultation on February 9 on plans to construct two extensions to the metro Blue Line, which would serve the city's growing southern suburbs.
HELSINKI Regional Transport Authority (HSL) confirmed on February 10 that it will negotiate a five-year transitional contract with Finnish national train operator VR Group for the operation of suburban services in the Helsinki area from April 2016.
RHINE-Ruhr Transport Authority (VRR) announced on February 10 that it has selected Siemens as preferred bidder for a contract to supply 82 EMUs for the Rhine-Ruhr Express (RRX) network and maintain the fleet for 30 years.
