THE Brazilian National Transport Agency (ANTT) has issued a call for tenders for Brazil's inaugural high-speed rail line from Rio Janeiro to São Paulo and Campinas. Prequalification bids will be accepted up to August 13 2013 for the supply of technology and to operate the 350km/h line, with a winner set to be announced on September 19 2013.

PRESIDENT Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, speaking today at the 81st General Assembly of the International Union of Railways (UIC) in Paris, told delegates that the first phase of the Brazilian high-speed project will be announced tomorrow.

TEST running is now in full swing on the 681km high-speed line connecting the Chinese capital Beijing with Zhengzhou.

SPAIN's national train operator Renfe is ready to launch commercial services on the country's newest high-speed line next month.

KORAIL, Korea's national train operator, presented a certificate today to Hyundai Rotem to mark 100 fault-free days for operating five modified KTX-Sancheon high-speed trains.

EUROSTAR plans to conduct a two-month trial starting in May of a weekly service from London and Ashford to Lyon, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence in southern France.

TAIWAN High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) has selected Lloyds Register Rail as independent safety assessor (ISA) for the 3.3km underground extension of the Kaohsiung – Taipei high-speed line to Taipei Nangang station.

JUST six days before the first trains were due to run, the Dutch government and Belgian National Railways (SNCB) have finally settled their long-running dispute over the launch of Fyra high-speed services between Amsterdam and Brussels, clearing the way for the launch of commercial operations on December 9.

THE long-awaited launch on December 9 of Fyra high-speed services between Amsterdam and Brussels using AnsaldoBreda V250 trains may be delayed.

A SACRAMENTO County Judge has rejected a bid by farm bureaus in Merced and Madera counties to halt preparatory work on the initial section of California's high-speed line between Merced and Fresno until a lawsuit is decided.