REPRESENTATIVES of Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR), Westphalia-Lippe Local Transport (NWL) and Rhineland Local Transport (NVR) signed contracts with National Express Group in Wuppertal on September 25 for the operation of two regional routes in North Rhine Westphalia.

GERMAN Rail (DB) is to reopen the Hannover – Berlin high-speed line on November 4, several weeks earlier than expected.

GERMAN infrastructure manager DB Networks has launched a project which aims to determine the optimal rail profile for minimising noise from rail traffic in built-up areas.

GERMAN Rail (DB) said on September 11 that it expects to draw 35% of the traction current requirement for the German railway network from renewable energy sources by 2015, five years ahead of schedule.

GERMAN intermodal operator European Cargo Logistics (ECL) has expanded its services between the port of Lübeck and Duisburg to accommodate lorry semitrailers that cannot be loaded by crane, using a unique parallel loading and unloading system developed by CargoBeamer, Germany.

EUROPE'S largest railfreight market experienced falling volumes in the first half of this year, according to figures published by Germany's federal statistics agency Destatis, which show 181.1 million tonnes of freight were carried on the German network between January and June, a 1.1% year-on-year decline.

BAVARIAN Railway (BEG) has issued a tender for contracts to operate regional passenger train services on the Allgäu diesel network which encompasses several non-electrified lines in western Bavaria.

HOHENZOLLERN Railways (HzL) has won the tender to continue to operate stopping services on the 87.5km line between Tübingen and Sigmaringen, south of Stuttgart.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) stepped up the operation of high-speed services between France and Germany on August 26 with the launch of a daily TGV between Paris and Freiburg-im-Breisgau.

CONTINUING disruption to train services in Germany caused by flood damage to tracks near the River Elbe, exacerbated by staff shortages at a signalling centre in Mainz, a major junction on the network near Frankfurt, are likely to cost German Rail (DB) dear as a result of lost revenue and increased operating costs.