DHL Global Forwarding launched a new rail freight service between Shenzhen, China, and Minsk, Belarus, on May 22 with a transit time of less than 12 days.

STADLER Minsk CEO Mr Philipp Brunner confirmed to the Belarusian media on January 23 that the company has secured a contract to supply 10 trains to Minsk Metro.

RUSSIAN Railways (RZD) marked the launch of variable-gauge Talgo trains on Moscow – Berlin overnight services with an inauguration ceremony at Moscow Kursk station on December 17, which was attended by Russian transport minister Mr Maxim Sokolov, RZD president Mr Oleg Belozerov, and Talgo president Mr Carlos Oriol.

TRANSPORTNAYA Koncessionnaya Kompanya (TKK), a consortium of Lider Group and LSR Group, in St Petersburg, Russia, has placed an order with Stadler for 23 Metelitsa trams. The first six vehicles are due to handed over in July 2017.

BELARUS Railways (BC) has confirmed it will launch electric passenger services on the line from the capital Minsk to the country's second-largest city Gomel on June 3.

BELARUSIA Railway (BC) has completed electrification of the final section of the Minsk - Gomel line between Zhlobin - Gomel, close to the borders with Ukraine and Russia.

BELARUS Railways (BC) has awarded Pesa, Poland, a contract to supply four additional class DP3 three-car DMUs with an option for a further four trains.

STADLER Minsk has rolled out the first of two 1520mm-gauge EPm-001 inter-city EMUs for Belarus Railways (BC).

TEST running is underway with three 200km/h tilting sets which Talgo is supplying to Russian Railways (RZD) with a view to placing them in service on the Berlin – Moscow route next year.

TESTING and commissioning is underway of the first of 18 7.2MW electric locomotives built by CRRC subsidiary Datong Locomotive Works for Belarus Railways (BC).