EUROPE: The European Commission has announced a timeline for the completion of a high speed mixed-traffic railway linking Madrid and Lisboa.

AUSTRIA: Following a long approval process, four double-deck electric multiple units supplied by China’s CRRC are to enter passenger service with Westbahn in the coming weeks.

DENMARK: The first of the Talgo 230 trainsets ordered for DSB’s long-distance and international routes enters passenger service between København and Hamburg.

USA: The Kansas City Streetcar Main Street Extension to the University of Missouri Kansas City has opened with celebrations including a song by local rap musician Kemet Coleman.

INDIA: Titagarh Rail Systems is to design, supply and maintain 132 metro cars, communication-based train control, telecoms, platform screen doors and depot equipment for Mumbai metro Line 5.

UK: Translink has hosted the 34th Global Level Crossing Network Meeting, with delegates from countries including the UK, Ireland, Croatia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and France discussing best practices and advances in technology.

IRELAND: National planning body An Coimisiún Pleanála has granted a Railway Order approving the Finglas extension of the Luas tram network in Dublin, which will now progress towards procurement and construction.

NETHERLANDS: A one-year trial of automatic train operation has started on the Betuwe Route freight corridor.

INDIA: Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has launched the Mumbai ONE App, integrating public transport services provided by 11 metro, bus, monorail and suburban rail operators to remove the need for multiple apps, bookings and paper tickets.

News from the world rail freight market.

UK: Commuter train operator c2c Railway is to make GoodMaps’ digital wayfinding technology available to improve accessibility at all 26 stations on its London to Shoeburyness route.

ASIA: An inter-governmental memorandum of understanding for the construction of two cross-border rail links between India and the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan was signed during a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries.

While Rail Baltica moves slowly towards its planned opening in 2030, the national railways in the three Baltic States are continuing to invest in modernising their broad gauge networks and integrating their domestic and international operations into the wider European network, as Vladimir Waldin explains.

FRANCE: The first of up to 410 next-generation trainsets worth €3bn has entered service on Paris metro Line 10. Jérémie Anne reports.

UK: Rolling stock engineering company DB ESG has opened a Rail Technology Hub close to its existing offices on the RTC Business Park in Derby.

SWITZERLAND: Federal transport office BAV has issued a further amendment to the safety rules governing wagons using the Swiss main line network. Rail freight associations are demanding the changes be dropped entirely to avert risk of what UIP terms a ‘supply chain crisis’.

This week’s news from the global railway supply chain.

UK: A Learning & Development Centre at Great Western Railway’s head office in Swindon has been officially opened by Secretary of State for Transport and local MP Heidi Alexander.

EUROPE: Gemini Trains still has ambitions to launch train services between the UK and continental Europe, despite the rejection of its application for depot access rights needed to enable it to launch services from London to Paris, Brussels and eventually Köln.

FRANCE: Former Prime Minister and RATP Chief Executive Jean Castex promised to ‘fix the foundations’ of SNCF as he was confirmed in the role of President of the national railway holding group.