ITALY: French national passenger operator SNCF Voyageurs has announced plans to launch open access high speed train services within Italy from 2026, with the target of obtaining a 15% market share by 2030.

ASIA: A trilateral intergovernmental agreement has been signed setting out the legal basis for building the planned China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan railway.

News from the world rail freight market.

UK: A virtual reality tool designed to provide hazard awareness training for people who will be working on or near tram tracks has been developed by the Light Rail Safety & Standards Board in partnership with tram simulator specialist Avansim and industry association UKTram.

BANGLADESH: Indian Railways’ engineering consultancy RITES has been awarded a contract to supply 200 coaches to Bangladesh Railway.

USA: Advanced Polymer Coatings has launched TriFLEX, a direct-to-metal exterior coating system for wagons which it has developed in collaboration with the chemical sector and ‘major rail rolling stock operators’ to offer chemical resistance, mechanical toughness, UV stability and weather resistance.

UK: Alstom has signed a contract to supply and maintain a further 10 nine-car Class 345 Aventra electric multiple-units for London’s Elizabeth Line.

Divested by SNCF and SBB more than two years ago, distribution and ticketing business Rail Europe is focusing on its core remit of facilitating international rail bookings, with 80% of its revenue coming from non-European travellers. CEO Björn Bender sets out his strategy to Nick Kingsley.

MALAYSIA: The first of 10 ETS3 long-distance trainsets for national railway KTMB’s electrified west coast corridor was rolled at CRRC Zhuzhou’s factory in China on June 7.

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

GERMANY: Environmental association BUND has called for Deutsche Bahn to ensure people can access all products including reduced fares, BahnCard discounts and seat reservations without creating an online account.

Dakar’s TER suburban service kickstarted a rail revival in Sénégal, but further progress hinges on the direction of transport policy chosen following the presidential election in March. Murray Hughes reports.

ITALY: Arenaways is to use Fairtiq’s mobile pay-as-you-go ticketing system on the Cuneo – Savigliano and Ceva – Ormea routes which it is to operate from January 2025 under a 10-year PSO contract awarded by the Piemonte region.

BRAZIL: As part of an expansion of its range, rolling stock supplier Marcopolo Rail has increased the production capacity at its Caxias do Sul plant with the addition of a 2 600 m² hall, the manufacturer announced on June 5.

UK: Independent testing has been undertaken to measure the reduction in emissions which can obtained by fitting a diesel shunting locomotive with Advanced Hydrogen Technologies Group’s Engine Carbon Clean & Capture technology.

SWITZERLAND: BLS has returned to service the first of its RABe535 Lötschberger electric multiple-units to undergo mid-life refurbishment at its Bönigen works.

HUNGARY: Alstom and the University of Miskolc are to co-operate to bring practical training and theoretical knowledge closer together, support talent development and undertake R&D to support the production of steel structures in Hungary.

SWITZERLAND: More than 300 guests from the rail industry, politics, business and tourism attended opening celebrations held at both ends of Rhätische Bahn’s replacement Albula tunnel on June 8, ahead of the start of regular services on June 12.

SWITZERLAND: More than 300 guests from the rail industry, politics, business and tourism attended opening celebrations held at both ends of Rhätishe Bahn’s replacement Albula tunnel on June 8, ahead of the start of regular services on June 12.

UK: A Class 60 diesel locomotive is to be converted to a modern form of steam power as a potential alternative to electrification for zero-emission heavy freight operations.