From patchwork to true European high-speed rail network: the costs and benefits
Current high-speed rail (HSR) lines in Europe are like islands, scattered across the continent. But what would a fully interconnected European high-speed network look like? What would it cost, and what benefits would it bring?...Read more
AllRail warns Belgian government for sustaining SNCB monopoly
AllRail, the European interest group for independent passenger rail companies, is threatening to file a complaint against the Belgian government with the European Commission. It warns that the plans to give a direct award for...Read more
France seems to welcome competition on the rails, yet new services keep getting postponed
AnalysisOnly one competitor to the state-owned railways SNCF currently runs trains on the French network. This is Italy’s Trenitalia, which has been running on the Paris-Lyon-Milan axis since 2020. Although there are quite some plans...Read more
ALLRAIL blasts Eurostar’s reasoning for strategy change
The Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants in Europe (ALLRAIL) has highlighted Eurostar’s recent change in strategy as one of the reasons why policymakers need to act swiftly to ensure competition through the Channel Tunnel.Read more
AllRail warns Dutch parliament of NS concession violating EU market regulation
In an urgent letter, the European interest group ALLRAIL has sounded the alarm about “extreme tunnel vision” at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure regarding a new private concession to Dutch Railways (NS). In doing so,...Read more
Rail associations to analyse requirements for new affordable high-speed services across Europe
The European Rail Supply Industry Association (UNIFE), ALLRAIL and the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EU Body Europe’s Rail on Wednesday for a new study...Read more
Rail operators want to run more international trains, but where to get them?
With the European market increasingly opening up to private operators and with the comeback of night trains well underway, the availability of rolling stock has become a large obstacle, especially for open-access train operators. What...Read more
‘ÖBB and ČD breached EU rules by blocking RegioJet from access to rolling stock’
Czech Railways ČD and the Austrian ÖBB boycotted RegioJet to keep the operator from access to used rolling stock between 2012 and 2016, the European Commission says in a preliminary statement to the companies.Read more
Nightjet concession to NS was ‘not unlawful’, Dutch appeals tribunal concludes
The previous Dutch cabinet spent millions in 2019 in subsidies for Dutch Railways (NS) to do its part in the Nightjet from Amsterdam to Vienna. It even changed the rules of the concession, which now...Read more
RegioJet lands operating licence in Austria
Czech train and bus operator RegioJet has been awarded an operating licence in Austria, meaning it can now run its own trains in the neighbouring country. This eliminates the need to change staff and risk...Read more
Trenitalia brings the Frecciarossa to France
The first ride of the Frecciarossa high-speed train will depart from Milano Central station towards Paris on Saturday 18 December. It will compete with the French railways SNCF on the route between France and Italy.Read more
New Belgian public service contract for NMBS criticised
AllRail, the alliance of newcomers to passenger rail transport in Europe, has strongly criticised plans by the Belgian government to once again award a public service contract to NMBS/SNCB for ten years. This would leave...Read more
Norway stops further competitive tendering of passenger rail
The new Norwegian government is making radical changes to the railway policy. They say no to tendering, splitting and privatisation of the railway, and plan to stop the ongoing tendering of railway sections in Norway. Read more