SITUATED in Central Europe and with relatively flat terrain, on the face of it Poland has the ideal conditions for railways to flourish.

THE European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) brings together newcomers on the European rail market. ERFA covers the whole value chain of rail transport across Europe and all members are united in a commitment to work towards a competitive and innovative single European railway market underpinned by attractive, fair and transparent market conditions for all railway companies.

AFTER a hugely challenging year in 2015, German Rail (DB) witnessed a return to growth in its long-distance passenger business during 2016 and has also enjoyed success in the German regional rail market, retaining several major contracts whilst winning back some routes previously lost to competitors.

2016 was a challenging year for Transdev Germany employees. The accident at Bad Aibling, resulting in 12 fatalities, four of whom were Transdev train drivers, demanded a lot of strength. Colleagues across the Transdev group in Germany have shown incredible solidarity and support to overcome this crisis.

THE Polish city of Bydgoszcz has selected local supplier Pesa as preferred bidder for a contract to supply 18 low-floor LRVs for the city’s metre-gauge tram network.

HUNGARY’s National Infrastructure Development Agency (NIF) has published a call for tenders for contracts to plan and build the Szeged - Hódmezővásárhely tram-train line.

A new opening date for the Haramain high-speed project, announced last November, was ratified on January 16 during a visit to Saudi Arabia by a Spanish delegation led by Spain’s King Felipe VI when Saudi authorities agreed to extend the delivery deadline by 14 months until March 2018 and to acknowledge €150m in cost overruns.

NANJING added a seventh line to its metro network on January 18 with the start of trial operation on the first phase of Line 4.

IN what is claimed to be a world first for a rolling stock leasing company, Alpha Trains has concluded a green private placement to refinance debt associated with the acquisition of environmentally-friendly electric trains.

THE first of 215 S200 SF LRVs for San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) was unveiled at Muni Metro East Maintenance Facility on January 13, just hours after completing its road journey from Siemens’ Sacramento plant.