AUSTRIAN Federal Railways (ÖBB) has confirmed it plans to focus on the development of its international passenger and freight business as the company's financial performance continues to improve.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) rail freight subsidiary Fret SNCF celebrated the launch of a new China - France container service on April 21, when the first train from Wuhan arrived at the Saint-Priest terminal in Venissieux south of Lyon.

IRJ at SmartRail Europe, Amsterdam: Denmark's largest rail freight operator DB Cargo Scandinavia (DBCS) has warned it could be forced to pull out of the market because of the cost of equipping its locomotives with ETCS.

TENDERS have been published in Official Journal of the European Union for concessions to operate regional passenger train services in the German state of Thüringia and the Rhine-Rhur area.

GERMAN private operator BahnTouristikExpress (BTE) will introduce car-carrying overnight services from Hamburg to Lörrach in December 2016.

SIEMENS has received contracts to supply a total of 11 multi-system Vectron electric locomotives for two European freight operators.

BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG public transport authority NVBW has launched international tenders for three regional contracts with a combined volume of more than 2 million train-km per year.

THE mayor of Berlin Mr Michael Müller and Berlin senator for transport Mr Andreas Geisel confirmed on April 8 that the city is looking at options for the extension of U-Bahn line U8 from its current northern terminus at Wittenau to serve the Märkisches Viertal residential area in the district of Reinickendorf.

THURINGIA's state Ministry of Infrastructure and Agriculture and South Thuringia Railway (STB), a 50:50 joint venture between Erfurt Railway (EB) and Hessen State Railways (HLB) signed an 11-year concession agreement in Erfurt on April 6 for the operation of South Thuringia Diesel Network.

GERMAN Rail (DB) subsidiary DB Regio has awarded Alstom a €40m contract to supply eight Coradia Lint DMUs for the Central Franconia regional network around Nuremberg.