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.

ITALIAN high-speed operator NTV is seeking a new CEO after Mr Flavio Cattaneo left the company on April 12 to take up his new role as CEO of Telecom Italia.

SWISS Federal Railways (SBB) has unveiled plans to improve the performance of international passenger services on the Gotthard route, which with punctuality of 82% are 7% below the national average.

ALSTOM and Hitachi Rail Italy presented new trains to Trenitalia on April 15 and 19. The presentations were attended by Mr Nicola Zingaretti, president of Lazio region, Ms Barbara Morgante, Trenitalia's CEO and Mr Michele Civita, Lazio's regional councillor for mobility.

ITALIAN State Railways (FS) achieved a 53% increase in net profit to €464m in 2015 thanks to growing passenger traffic both in Italy and Germany, particularly from its domestic high-speed services.

ITALIAN infrastructure manager Italian Railway Network (RFI) has awarded Stars Railway Systems, a consortium of IDS Ingegneria Del Sistemi and Intecs, Italy, a contract to supply 100 Sirio-LX obstacle detection systems for deployment on PAI-PL automatic level crossings in Lombardy and Tuscany.

Italy's infrastructure manager, Italian Rail Network (RFI), will receive a massive injection of additional government funds to invest in upgrading the network and increasing capacity. Maurizio Gentile, RFI's CEO, explains to David Briginshaw how the money will be spent.

Buoyed by continuing growth in the face of a lacklustre economy and strong competition, Trenitalia has set its sights on further opportunities to develop its business, as CEO Barbara Morgante explains.

Renato Mazzoncini was appointed CEO of Italian State Railways (FS) on December 1 2015 following the resignation of the entire FS board on November 26 because of a failure to agree on how to privatise the national railway. Mazzoncini, who was previously CEO of FS subsidiary Busitalia, outlines his priorities and objectives for FS in an exclusive interview with David Briginshaw.

MILAN Transport (ATM) announced on March 29 that it will exercise an option with Hitachi Rail Italy (formerly AnsaldoBreda) for 15 additional Leonardo trains for metro Line M2.