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Rail Articles

Sweden’s Railways: Quality, capacity and competitiveness

1 October 2015 | By Björn Westerberg, CEO of the Association of Swedish Train Operating Companies (ASTOC)

Never before has there been so much talk about the railroad in Sweden, writes Björn Westerberg, CEO of the Association of Swedish Train Operating Companies (ASTOC). Train services have been developed and adapted for a market with high standards and are an important part of society. Unfortunately, it is the…

Swedish high-speed rail – an important investment

1 October 2015 | By Crister Fritzson, CEO of Swedish passenger train operator SJ

In Sweden there is now a solid majority in the parliament in favour of building high-speed rail lines between Stockholm and Gothenburg, and Stockholm and Malmö. The government has therefore appointed a group of negotiators – the National Negotiation on Housing and Infrastructure – with the mission of enabling a…

The future of high-speed rail in Sweden

1 October 2015 | By Stefan Engdahl, Director of Market and Planning at the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket)

Within a foreseeable future, Sweden will have its first high-speed railway, writes Stefan Engdahl, Director of Market and Planning at the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket). After years of discussions and investigations, there is now wide majority support for a large investment, which also includes new housing and improved public transport.…

Foreword: Taking the Swedish rail sector into the future

1 October 2015 | By Anna Johansson, Minister for Infrastructure, Sweden

One of my top priorities as Minister for Infrastructure in the Swedish Government is to make our railways work better for commuters and goods. Being successful here is an integral part of our government’s agenda to create more jobs and increase our exports, at the same time as we cut…

Romania’s planned railway closure – not the way forward

24 September 2015 | By Artur Perchel and Mihai Bărcănescu

The Romanian General Transport Master Plan (GTMP) poses a number of threats to national passenger rail services and puts into question the EU White Paper’s mobility objectives, writes the UITP’s Artur Perchel and Mihai Bărcănescu.

Network Rail; on-track to deliver a better railway for a better Britain

18 August 2015 | By Andy Wheeler, Network Rail

Andy Wheeler, previously a Lance Corporal in the Royal Engineers, now works for Network Rail as a Technician on conductor rail engineering, bringing with him the skills and experience gained from his military career. Andy speaks to Global Railway Review about the role Network Rail plays in Britain’s rail infrastructure,…

The Semmering Base Tunnel: powerful and future-oriented

6 August 2015 | By Gerhard Gobiet, Project Manager at ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG

The Semmering Base Tunnel is one of the most important long-term large-scale infrastructure projects in the Austrian and European high-capacity route network. Through the 27.3km-long tunnel between Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag, a sustainable investment is being made in both Austrian and international rail transport. In the long-term, the Semmering Base Tunnel…

WESTbahn fights for fair open-access conditions in the Austrian rail market

6 August 2015 | By Erich Forster, Managing Director of WESTbahn

Few private rail operators have entered into open-access long-distance travel – incumbents try to keep the monopoly alive, and it seems the way to non-discriminatory integration of all railway companies is difficult. Ever since WESTbahn’s operational launch, the private railway company has been fighting against discrimination in the Austrian open-access…

Naples–Bari and Palermo–Catania–Messina high-speed/high-capacity lines

6 August 2015 | By Michele Mario Elia, CEO of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Italiane)

The Naples–Bari and Palermo–Catania–Messina high-speed/high-capacity (HS/HC) itineraries are among the main works included in the so-called ‘Unlock-Italy’ Law no. 164 of 11 November 2014. The Italian government aims to give the country a strong sign of recovery in both the economy and employment – commencing in the South – through…