Vietnam is currently proceeding with a bold programme of urban railway construction while the government is aiming to enhance existing main line infrastructure and even eyeing a high-speed link. However, these projects are not without their problems, as Dr Akira Hosomi, chief representative in Vietnam, for Japan International Consultants for Transportation (JIC), and Nguyen Hong Hanh, a senior business assistant at JIC Vietnam, explain.

Despite completing two major projects earlier this year, JR East has announced plans to increase the rate of investment. As David Briginshaw reports exclusively from Tokyo, the emphasis is on growth and measures to make the railway more resilient to earthquakes.

JAPAN's ruling Liberal Democratic and Komeito parties began discussions on August 7 on the proposed third phase of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which would extend the line from Tsuruga to Shin-Osaka.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport has approved a £361m order with Hitachi Rail Europe for a fleet of 29 AT300 dual-mode 200km/h trains for operation by First Great Western (FGW) on services between London, Plymouth and Penzance.

CHINA Railway Corporation has awarded a Yuan 118.7m ($US 19.1m) contract to Hollysys Automation Technologies, China, for on-board and lineside high-speed signalling equipment.

A new structure for Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) came into effect on July 27, when the Ministry of Transport and Communications signed two agreements with the company to terminate the original build-operate-transfer concession for the Taipei - Kaohsiung high-speed line.

A ceremony was held on July 23 to mark the entry into service of the first German Rail (DB) class 407 ICE 3 on cross-border services from Frankfurt to Paris. An agreement was also signed to extend shared DB and French National Railways (SNCF) Germany - France cross-border services, which began in 2007, to 2020.

CALIFORNIA High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has awarded Sener, Spain, a contract to develop engineering and environmental services for the 72.4km Palmdale - Burbank Airport section of the first phase of California's high-speed line.

SPAIN's national operator Renfe will launch a tender in September for the supply of 40 high-speed trains under a €1.1bn framework contract to be awarded during 2016, according to its president Mr Pablo Vázquez.