Europe News

Latest news and developments from Europe region

• Renfe completes acquisition of 50 per cent stake in Leo Express [free access]

  August 26, 2021
  Renfe, the national railway operator in Spain, has completed the acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in Leo Express, an open-access train operator in the Czech Republic.

• Dynamic tests start for RER NG trains in Paris, France

  August 26, 2021
  Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF) has commenced dynamic testing with the double-deck electric multiple units (EMUs) called the ‘Réseau Express Régional Nouvelle Génération’ (RER NG).

• Project Endeavour’s AV trials conclude in London, UK

  August 25, 2021
  The demonstration of autonomous vehicle (AV) services across multiple cities in the UK, as a part of ‘Project Endeavour’, has been concluded.

• EV and battery manufacturing to be subsidised in Russia

  August 24, 2021
  The Government of Russia will offer subsidies to electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturers to support the costs of plant construction and special investment contracts.

• B&NES and TPPL launch new bus procurement framework, UK

  August 24, 2021
  A new minibus, bus and, coach procurement framework has been launched by the Procurement Partnership (TPPL), in collaboration with the Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES), to assist the public sector in accessing hydrogen buses.

• Suburban rail services to be modernised in Ukraine

  August 23, 2021
  A Stadler Flirt EMU will commence trials around Kyiv to support the government of Ukraine’s City Express programme that is aimed at modernising the suburban rail network.

• Autonomous tram successfully demonstrated as part of AStriD project, Germany [free access]

  August 23, 2021
  The operation of an autonomous tram has been successfully demonstrated as part of the Autonomous Tram in Depot (AStriD) project.

• ScotRail to reduce 300 rail services, UK

  August 23, 2021
  ScotRail, the rail operator in Scotland, has announced plans to eliminate 300 daily rail services from its timetable as recommended in its ‘Fit For the Future’ report.

• Two construction contracts awarded for Rail Baltica project in Estonia

  August 20, 2021
  Rail Baltic Estonia has signed two construction contracts for three railway crossings along the Rail Baltica section in the country.

• Plan progresses to deploy clean buses in Harrogate, UK

  August 19, 2021
  The North Yorkshire County Council has been invited to bid for more than GBP8 million from the Government of the UK to assist in financing the plan to convert an entire Harrogate bus fleet to electric vehicles.

• Tests for S-Bahn pre-series trains completed in Berlin, Germany

  August 19, 2021
  The testing for all 10 S-Bahn pre-series trains, supplied by a consortium of Siemens and Stadler Pankow, has been completed in Berlin.

• Siemens Mobility to install ATC system across Vienna U-Bahn Line U6, Austria

  August 19, 2021
  Siemens Mobility has secured a contract from Wiener Linien, the public transport provider in Vienna, to install the automatic train control (ATC) system ‘Trainguard MT Zub’ on all trains operating on the Vienna U-Bahn Line U6.

• Tendering process progresses for Otogar–Kemalpasa metro line in Izmir, Turkey

  August 19, 2021
  The first step of the tendering process for the Otogar– Kemalpaşa metro line in Izmir has been completed, with up to seven companies applying to prequalify for the contract to build the line.

• Rolling stock contract to be awarded for HS2 project, UK

  August 18, 2021
  High Speed 2 (HS2) Limited has announced that a key GBP2.75 billion rolling stock contract for HS2 will be awarded in October 2021.

• SKF to supply train systems for Berlin U-Bahn network, Germany

  August 18, 2021
  Stadler Rail has signed a long-term agreement with SKF to supply and service bearings, axleboxes, and lubrication systems for the Series J/JK cars that Stadler Rail will supply for the Berlin U-Bahn network.

• Aberdeenshire Council launches new DRT service, UK

  August 18, 2021
  The Aberdeenshire Council has launched Ready2Go, a new demand-responsive transport (DRT) service.

• MCD Line D3 to connect with HSR network in Russia

  August 17, 2021
  The first high speed railway (HSR) network connecting Moscow and Saint Petersburg has been planned to be integrated with the planned Moscow Central Diameter (MCD) Line D3.

• Rail toolkit to streamline delivery of transit projects in UK

  August 16, 2021
  The Government of the UK has introduced the Better Value Rail (BVR) Toolkit to streamline the delivery of transit projects.

• Skoda Transportation acquirers Ekova Electric

  August 16, 2021
  Škoda Transportation has acquired Ekova Electric, a tram, trolleybus, and bus manufacturer.

• Regional council supports two light train projects in Occitanie, France

  August 13, 2021
  The Regional Council of Occitanie has announced that it is supporting two projects, Ecotrain and Ferromobile, under the Government of France’s plans to develop light rail passenger trains.