TRENITALIA has received three bids for a contract worth around €1.5bn to supply 130 regional diesel and electric multiple units with options for a further 60 trains. 

THE metre-gauge Matterhorn Gotthard Railway (MGB) has awarded Siemens a contract to renew signalling and train control equipment as part of an upgrading programme on its 154km network in southern Switzerland.

SNCF Geodis subsidiary Viia formally presented its Viia Transhelvetica project for the transalpine transport of semi-trailers via the Gotthard line to the Swiss Federal Transport Office (BAV) in Bern on August 14.

IN CONTRAST with the decline in neighbouring Poland, Ukraine witnessed slight overall growth in freight volumes during the first half of this year, according to the latest figures released by Ukrainian Railways (UZ).

AFTER a lengthy and complex decision process, Czech Railways (CD) has finally announced it will go ahead with a reduced order for seven 230km/h Railjet trains from Siemens.

THE EUROPEAN Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has agreed to provide Macedonia's Public Enterprise for Railway Infrastructure with a €46.4m 15-year loan to fund the rebuilding of the 30.8km Kumanovo – Beljakovce line, the first phase of a project to establish a direct rail link between Skopje and Sofia.

DUTCH passenger operators NS Passenger, Syntus, and Veolia have launched a joint initiative that uses a smartphone app to encourage passengers to travel outside peak periods.

A GROUNDBREAKING ceremony was held at the site of the future Roosevelt station in Seattle on August 17 to mark the start of construction on Sound Transit's Northgate Link 6.9km light rail extension from Husky Stadium to Northgate.

A ceremony was held on August 18 to mark the start of construction of last remaining 21km segment of the 143km Nagasaki – Hakata Shinkansen between Isahaya and Nagasaki.

MID-SAXONY Transport Authority (VMS) has awarded Vossloh Kiepe and Vossloh Rail Vehicles a €42.3m contract to supply eight bi-mode City Link tram-trains for use in the Chemnitz area.