SINGAPORE Land Transport Authority (LTA) issued an invitation to tender on April 11 for a contract to carry out an engineering feasibility study for the Singaporean section of the Singapore – Kuala Lumpur high-speed line.

INTERNATIONAL high-speed operator Thalys launched a new twice-daily direct service between Amsterdam Central and Lille Europe on April 12.

ITALIAN Rail Network (RFI) has refuted claims that it gave Trenitalia a competitive advantage over its open-access high-speed competitor NTV by denying NTV access to Rome Termini station in the centre of the Italian capital.

THE director general of Turkish State Railways (TCDD) Mr Süleyman Karaman says construction is complete on the Istanbul - Eskisehir section of the 533km high-speed line to Ankara allowing test running to begin.

ITALY's infrastructure manger Italian Rail Network (RFI) has agreed to allow private open-access high-speed operator NTV to start running non-stop Rome – Milan services from Rome Termini station.

TURKISH State Railways (TCDD) has awarded a €10m contract to Thales to modernise the signalling and telecommunications at Eskisehir station.

In an exclusive interview, Mauro Moretti, CEO of Italian State Railways (FS), explains how the national railway has managed to weather one of the worst financial and economic crises to hit Italy while at the same time facing strong competition. David Briginshaw and Marco Chiandoni report.

EAST Japan Railway (JR East) has confirmed that it has been appointed as a consultant by Britain's HS2, the company overseeing the project to construct a 531km Y-shaped high-speed network from London to central and northern England.

SUSEO High Speed Railway Corporation (SHSRC) has awarded Hyundai-Rotem a contract worth Won 342.2bn ($US 302m) to supply 10 high-speed trains, which are being ordered for the extension of the high-speed network to Suseo and Mokpo in 2017.

EGYPT is to revive plans for a high-speed line linking the Mediterranean coast with the country's far south, according to transport minister Mr Ibrahim El-Demeiry, who has described the project as "a top priority" for the interim government.