SPAIN’s development minister Mr Iñigo de la Serna announced on November 28 that national train operator Renfe has awarded Talgo a contract to supply and maintain up to 30 high-speed trains.

SPANISH national train operator Renfe opened economic bids for a contract to supply and maintain up to 30 high-speed trains at its headquarters in Madrid on November 22, with CAF and Talgo emerging as front runners for the contract.

CHINA’s top economic planner the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has approved plans for five more new lines representing a total investment of Yuan 187bn ($US 27.3bn) as the government seeks to revive flagging economic growth through infrastructure spending.

BRITAIN’s secretary of state for transport Mr Chris Grayling announced on November 15 that the government has finalised its preferred route for most of Phase 2b of High-Speed 2 (HS2), which will extend the line to the East Midlands and Northern England in the early 2030s.

KOREA Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hyundai Rotem and Korail in Seoul on November 10 pledging to collaborate on a project to develop Korea’s first double-deck high-speed train.

BRITAIN’s Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed on November 4 that services on the initial London - Birmingham phase of High Speed 2 (HS2) will be included in the forthcoming Inter City West Coast (ICWC) franchise, which is due to start in 2019.

DANISH infrastructure manager Banedanmark marked the start of tracklaying on the Copenhagen - Køge - Ringsted high-speed line on October 28, when the first 10 sleepers were lowered into position by Denmark’s transport minister Mr Hans-Christian Schmidt.

TRIAL passenger operation of German Rail’s (DB) new ICE 4 high-speed trains began on October 31, when two class 412 sets were introduced on Hamburg - Würzburg - Munich services.

AHEAD of next week’s COP22 in Marrakech, Morocco, the United Nation’s independent High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport has issued the Global Sustainable Transport Outlook Report, which includes 10 recommendations for how governments, businesses, and civil society should redirect resources in the transport sector to advance sustainable development.

TURKISH State Railways (TCDD) inaugurated Ankara’s new $US 235m high-speed station on October 29 with a celebration that was attended by president Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and prime minister Mr Binali Yildilrim.