The popularity of the world’s biggest railway exhibition, InnoTrans, shows no sign of abating. As attention shifts to the 2018 edition, David Briginshaw reports from Berlin on how the organiser, Messe Berlin, is attempting to meet demand.

BAVARIAN Railway Company (BEG) has issued calls for tender for the operation of two networks in the Augsburg area: E-Network electric services and the D-Network Augsburg II diesel services.

BERLIN Brandenburg Transport Authority (VBB) has issued a call for tender for the operation of two regional lines comprising the Prignitz network.

RHINE-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR) has invited bids for the operation of four regional lines in the Lower Rhine area.

BIDS have been invited by May 9 2018 for the operation of Network 7b of the EBO regional rail network in the Karlsruhe area of Germany. The tender is split in two lots and both concessions will be for 12 years starting in December 2022.

NETINERA subsidiary Metronom has been awarded a 15-year concession to continue operating three regional express lines in northern Germany by Lower Saxony’s regional public transport authority LNVG and the cities of Hamburg and Bremen.

DB Regio’s new fleet of Bombardier class 445 and 446 Twindexx EMUs finally entered passenger service in early December.

BAVARIAN Railway Company (BEG) has invited bids for the operation of regional passenger services on the Chiemgau-Berchtesgader network in Germany.

LUXEMBOURG Railways (CFL) has begun operation of an inter-city service between Luxembourg and Düsseldorf in Germany in cooperation with German Rail (DB).

VIAS Rail took over the operation of the Erft-Schwalm regional rail network in Germany from DB Regio on December 10 operating services on two routes.