THE Spanish Government has issued a decree outlining its final plans to partially open profitable passenger rail routes to competition, particularly those which operate on the extensive high-speed rail network.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) says turnover increased by 3% last year thanks mainly to growth in passenger income and the infrastructure maintenance it carries out on behalf of French Rail Network (RFF).

HS2 Ltd, the company developing the high-speed line between London, Birmingham and northern England, has awarded the first contracts for planning services for the second phase of the route.

THE prime minister of Singapore Mr Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Mr Najib Tun Razak have agreed to build a high-speed line between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by 2020, which will reduce the journey time between the two cities from 6h 11min to around 90 minutes.

OUIGO is the name adopted by French National Railways (SNCF) for its new low-cost TGV service which is to start operation from eastern Paris to Marseille and Montpellier on April 2. Fares will start at €10, or €5 for children under 12, up to a maximum of €85.

CENTRAL Japan Railway Company (JR Central) held simultaneous ceremonies in Tokyo and Osaka on February 8 to mark the entry into commercial service of its latest-generation Shinkansen train, the N700A.

RUSSIA's Ministry of Transport says construction could begin on the country's first high-speed lines within a year, allowing commercial services to start in time for the 2018 soccer World Cup.

GERMAN infrastructure manager DB Networks and Hessen State Ministry of Economics, Transport and Regional Development announced on January 30 that the planning process for the Hanau – Würzburg/Fulda high-speed line is to resume, and a programme of public consultation will begin later this year.

SPAIN's national train operator Renfe this week announced a major change in its fares policy, with an 11% reduction in all tourist class AVE train tickets and new discounts in an effort push ridership beyond the 22 million mark.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has published details of its initial preferred route for the second phase of High Speed Two (HS2), which will extend the line north from the Birmingham area with two separate branches totalling 338 route-km to Manchester and Leeds.