SWEDEN: Stockholm Transport (SL) has ordered another 10 EMUs from Stadler for use on the 65km, 891mm-gauge Roslagsbanan line which connects the capital with districts to the north and east. Each three-car train has 150 seats and has capacity for around 300 passengers. The deal is worth SFr 94m ($US 116.82m) and the trains are due to enter service in 2028. They will replace a fleet of trains supplied by ABB between 1988 to 1995. Stadler has already supplied 22 X15P EMUs for the Roslagsbanan and the contract includes options for up to another 31 trains.
Czech Republic: Czech Railways (ČD) has issued a tender inviting manufacturers to bid for a contract to supply up to 90 long-distances coaches. The framework contract will cover six types of coach as well as the delivery of spare parts. The coaches must be capable of operating at up to 230km/h and certified for operation in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Denmark and Poland. The coaches are expected to be operated as nine-car formations and hauled by Vectron locomotives.
Britain: Great Western Railway (GWR) has signed a technical support and spares supply agreement with Alstom to support the introduction of 26 class 175 DMUs on lines in the southwest of England. Under the eight-year, £75m agreement, Alstom will deliver maintenance support for the trains, which were built by Alstom between 1999 and 2001, at GWR’s Laira depot in Plymouth. Owned by Angel Trains, the first class 175s are expected to enter passenger service on regional routes later this year, including Exeter St Davids - Penzance, and Exeter St Davids - Barnstaple - Okehampton.
Europe: Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and ČD have confirmed plans to introduce ČD ComfortJet stock on a new three times-daily direct connection from Prague to Vienna, Graz, Klagenfurt and Villach from the December 2025 timetable change. The service will use the new Koralm Railway and will help to reduce Vienna - Klagenfurt journey times by 45 minutes to 3h 10min. The new nine-car ComfortJet trains offer 555 seats, including 99 in first class, and 113 more compared with the previous trains.
Cottbus: New low-floor ForCity Plus 47T LRVs built by Škoda Group have entered passenger service in the German city. A launch ceremony was held at the Thiemstraße tram terminus on August 15. The three-module LRVs are approximately 29m long and 70% low floor. They have capacity for up to 158 passengers. Cottbus has ordered a total of 22 vehicles under a contract agreed in 2021 by Škoda Group and the cities of Frankfurt (Oder), Brandenburg (Havel) and Cottbus. While the trams appear similar, they have been tailored to the needs of each city. In Frankfurt (Oder) type 46T vehicles entered service earlier this year while Brandenburg (Havel) is expecting to launch operation of type 48T sets soon.
Israel: Israel Railways (IR) has issued a request for information from prospective suppliers of a new fleet of 12 shunting locomotives. The possible contract is expected to include options for another 12 units that will be ordered within 10 years. The new locomotives will support growing operations at existing and new service areas that will support the railway’s expansion.
Britain: Chiltern Railways has announced plans to introduce 13 class 68 locomotive-hauled push-pull trains consisting of Mk5 coaches on its route between London Marylebone, Oxfordshire and the West Midlands during 2026. Chiltern is leasing the locomotives under a 10-year agreement with owner Beacon Rail. To help meet parent company’s Arriva’s objective to reduce emissions across its operations, the diesel locomotives will run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a renewable fuel consisting of vegetable oils and other recycled materials.
