DRESDEN city council has decided to directly award Dresden Transport (DVB) a 22.5-year contract to continue operating the city’s public transport network.

TESTING of the first Potsdam Tatra KT4D trams to be refurbished by Prague Public Transport (DPP) began on the tram network in the Czech capital on December 19.

THE French Railway Safety Board (EPSF) granted an Authorisation to Place in Service (APS) on December 15 to permit Siemens Velaro D class 407 high-speed trains to operate in multiple on the French rail network.

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.

TWO German and two Czech regional public transport authorities have joined forces to invite bids for a concession to operate cross-border and Dresden area passenger rail services, and have published advance information about the tender.

GERMANY’s newest open-access passenger operator, Locomore, launched its first service linking Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Frankfurt, Hannover and Berlin on December 14.

MUNICH’s tram network was extended to the district of Steinhausen on December 10, when the city’s mayor Mr Dieter Reiter and Mr Ingo Wortmann, CEO of Munich Transport (MVG) inaugurated the 2.8km extension of Line 25 from Max Weber Platz to Berg am Laim S-Bahn station.

THE German city of Mainz celebrated the latest addition to its metre-gauge tram network on December 11 with the opening of the 9.2km Mainzelbahn.

ABELLIO Rail, NorthWestBahn (NWB) and DB Regio have won three tenders to operate train services in the German state of North Rhine Westphalia.

GERMANY’s Pro-Rail Alliance has launched a stinging attack on a draft regulation issued by federal transport minister Mr Alexander Dobrindt allowing the unrestricted use of longer road freight vehicles or Gigaliners, which pose a threat to the future viability of rail freight.