Railway infrastructure management issues of importance to Lithuania were discussed with the EU Transport Commissioner

Minister of Transport and Communications Rokas Masiulis and Violeta Bulc, Transport Commissioner of the European Union (EU), currently visiting Vilnius, discussed the issues of importance to Lithuania related to the international transport infrastructure and mobility. The European Commissioner introduced the provisions of Lithuania aimed at the implementation of solutions in the transport sector initiated by the EU by harmonising them with the interests of the country as much as possible.

Shift2Rail funds 155,3€ million for railway research and innovation

Shift2Rail is the first European rail Public Private Partnership tasked with developing strategically focused research and innovation (R&I) and market - driven solutions, integrating these to create the railway system of the future. Shift2Rail is promoting the competitiveness of the European rail industry and ensuring the attractiveness of rail as a safe and sustainable low carbon transport mode. This in order to meet the changing transport/mobility needs of EU citizens and the economy.

Czech Railway Infrastructure Administration plans to repair almost 400 railway stations in the next five years for CZK 8.4 billion

More than one hundred railway stations undergo construction works each year, the Czech Railway Infrastructure Administration (SŽDC) will spend approximately CZK 8.4 billion in total for repairs between 2017 and 2022. "In the coming years, the amount for larger construction projects will continue to increase. Modernization of the Prague Central Station, the České Budějovice and the main railway station in Plzeň or Pardubice are being prepared", SŽDC CEO Pavel Surý says. Overall, in five years SŽDC plans to repair nearly 400 railway stations and 160 completely revitalize, spending about CZK 8.4 billion.

Suburban Railway of Athens: First studies on the extensions to the city of Lavrio and Rafina

By a letter from the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Infrastructure to OSE, ERGOSE and EYDE / KESP PE & BE, ​​a committee of nine members was asked to complete the rigorous procedures for the extension of the Suburban Railway to Lavrio (Koropi-Lavrion) and Rafina (Airport-Rafina).

From the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport document, which appears to be definitively blocked, is that Rafina will be connected by rail to the airport and is an easier technical project with fewer expropriations and will cover the areas of Spata, Porto-Rafti, reaching the harbor of Rafina, which this year is expected to exceed 2 million passengers.

But we are talking about projects that take time in front of them to mature, and at best, even if they find funding sources, they are unlikely to start before 2020.

For more information click here.

Train services to resume in Northern Peloponnese

After more than a decade Greece is about to see a part of the never-ending railway works in Peloponnese finishing. Infrastructure Minister, Christos Spirtzis and ERGOSE (Services for Hellenic Railways Organisation) administration addressed a press conference where the Minister confirmed that in the summer 2017, it will be fully ready and operational, while TRAINOSE Chairman, Filippos Tsalidis, also confirmed that train services will resume in the area by next summer.

The electrification of this section will take place while the railway line will be in operation. For the duration of the upgrade, trains will be starting from Athens with electric engines and switch to diesel engines in Kiato station. This will mean a slight delay for the passengers.

The distance between Athens and Rododafni will be covered in just 2 hours, on a fully upgraded, double track, high speed line that has nothing to do with the pre-2005 state. The electrification of Kiato-Rododafni section is expected to be completed in 2019.

Apart from the line electrification in Kiato-Rododafni section, a contract for the superstructure, electrification and signaling between Rododafni and Psathopyrgos is also expected to commence in 2017. Finally, in the next months we expect the railway infrastructure works in Psathopyrgos-Rio section to begin, while the contract for superstructure, electrification and signaling will start in 2018 and be completed roughly in 2021.

For more information: click here.

EU invests for faster, smoother connections on key transport networks

The Commission has approved three "major projects", together worth €161 million from the Cohesion Fund, for upgrading works along road and railway networks in the Czech Republic.

Almost 40% of them have been allocated to the first project that will focus on the modernization of railway sections, aiming at reducing commuting time for passengers and at ensuring a smoother connection between Prague and the German border. The project should be completed by the summer of 2017.

35% of the Fund will be allocated to the second project that will focus on the improvement of an important expressway located at the Padubice region.

Finally, 25% of the Fund will be allocated to the third project in order to upgrade the road section in the Moravian-Silesian region. The project aims at increasing the traffic capacity and ensuring better connection with Slovakia.

For more information: click here.

GYM makes Intercity Transportation more efficient!

Passengers who want to take an intercity journey via public transport in Greece, should use either the Railway Network (TRAINOSE) or the Intercity Bus network (KTEL). 

However, neither one of those networks cover all the possible transitions from each city to another throughout the country. Thus, some journeys involve changing modes— from say a bus to a train or vice versa (co-modal travelling or co-modality). That can only happen in stations that are part of both TRAINOSE and KTEL (intermediate nodes).

TRAINOSE restarts international routes

Are you afraid of airplanes? Do you hate buses? And why lots of people prefer trains even if in most cases airplanes are cheaper and faster?

First of all trains are cheaper for short distance travelling. Secondly railways have stable fares. Trains have the same ticket prices even if there are holidays, weekends etc. With train passengers can handle much more baggage than airplanes. Also most of the times train stations located in the centre of capitals. This saves passengers for taking a TAXI.

World biggest tunnel inaugurated in Switzerland

A new tunnel inaugurated in Alps. This new 57km long tunnel disappears Alps from railway maps. From now on movement of people and goods from North to South will be easier. Angela Merkel, Francois Hollande and Matteo Renci travelled together with 1000 passengers in this new trip. In the attached image, the first train, that comes out of Gotthard tunnel is shown.

British Government is to spend £4.2 billion for greening UK railway

Greener railway is going to happen through high capacity electrification line from Yorkshire and West Midlands to South Coast ports. Electric trains enabling faster and cheaper trips for the railway operators. Minister believes that electrification will allow more freight tonnage in railways and they will reduce carbon emissions.

Alstom testing hybrid trains on Romanian Railways

 

In Greece almost 50% of the main route Athens - Thessaloniki is electrified. In the middle of the route locomotive changes from Diesel to Electric so to finish the route. One solution for that problem is the hybrid train. Hybrid trains can operate with diesel and with electricity. Hybrid could run over electrified networks and in non-electrified sided networks in villages.

Rail industry associations presented the new Roadmap for digital railways

A future roadmap for digital railways was presented from UIC, CER, EIM and CIT on April 26, 2016. The aim of digital railways is to promote the use of digital technology so to increase rails performance and attractiveness.

EIM Executive Director Monika Heiming declared that "the challenge will be to develop collaboratively joint visions for the future versus silo thinking in the past".

New Railway Traffic Control Centre started operation in Prague

The Czech Railway Infrastructure Administration festively completed the construction of technological premises for a new Traffic Control Centre in Prague. This project creates prerequisites for gradually introducing centralised remote traffic control within the whole Czech railway network.

SHIFT²RAIL Joint Undertaking Initiative

What is SHIFT²RAIL Joint Undertaking Initiative?

SHIFT²RAIL will be the first European rail initiative to seek focused research and innovation (R&I) and market-driven solutions by accelerating the integration of new and advanced technologies into innovative rail product solutions.  SHIFT²RAIL will promote the competitiveness of the European Rail Industry and will meet the changing EU transport needs. Through the R&I carried out within this Horizon2020 initiative, the necessary technology will be created to complete the Single European Railway Area (SERA).