The EU’s Council of Ministers has approved the construction of a European-gauge railway to the Lithuanian port city of Klaipeda. The newly approved railway is part of the revised TEN-T regulation. According to the Lithuanian transport ministry, the European-gauge railway to Klaipėda will improve transport and logistics links in the Baltic region and Eastern Europe.…
Category: Rail freight
EIB to lend Czechia half a billion euros for rail modernisation
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will lend Czechia 13 billion crowns (526 million euros) for the modernisation of the country’s rail infrastructure. The money will be used to increase both freight and passenger capacity, as well as to strengthen the three TEN-T lines on Czech territory. Apart from a multitude of exclusively passenger-related projects, the…
ČD Cargo director: “A reverse modal shift would be imminent” with ETS-2
The EU’s Emissions Trading System 2 (ETS-2) could be a serious obstacle for the rail freight industry. It would be an additional financial burden but also hamper decarbonisation in transportation as a reverse modal shift could be “imminent”. The EU’s new emissions trading system, ETS-2, could be a serious burden on the rail freight sector.…
Ukrainian Railways receives half a billion euros in international support
Ukrainian Railways (UZ) is receiving approximately 500 million euros in international financial support. The money comes from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the form of a loan, as well as from the World Bank and Switzerland as a grant. The money is to be spent on electric locomotives and infrastructure. UZ,…
Will Switzerland fund the upgrade of the railway on the Rhine’s left bank?
The Swiss Federal Council proposed three measures to boost the modal shift from road to rail across the Alps. The main measure is the financing for the adaptation to the 4-metre profile of the railway between Basel, Strasbourg and Metz to create a viable alternative route on the left bank of the Rhine River. However,…
PKP Cargo concedes to unions as it looks to “Make Cargo Great Again”
PKP Cargo is amending the rules of the emergency ‘failure to perform work’ measure. Trade unions managed to secure a number of concessions from the company to employees, among which is a minimum wage payout at the very least. The PKP Cargo president is calling upon the remaining unions to enter into dialogue, to improve…
Rail freight misses out on German rail expansion act funding
Rail freight will not be included in the German Federal Railway Infrastructure Expansion Act (BSWAG). As a result, German rail freight will miss out on ETCS funding and compensation for the upcoming lengthy route closures. Rail freight is not being included in the BSWAG, and the German rail freight sector will therefore likely not be…
Aggregate terminal to revive Scots line?
The Kincardine Railway has been dormant for more than five years. However, a proposed aggregates terminal would bring regular rail freight traffic back to this mothballed line in Scotland. The dormant railway line in Kincardine could be revived if Tillicoultry Quarries has its plans accepted. The company intends to transform the former Longannet Power Station…
China, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan come to CKU line agreement
China, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have signed an agreement on the construction of the railway between the three countries. The document specifies financing, the route to be taken, operation and maintenance. Reportedly, construction will begin in October. The three countries took part in an online signing ceremony on Thursday, 6 June. The agreement sets in stone…
Freight to contribute little to billions of Rail Baltica-induced growth
Rail Baltica is an economically viable undertaking. While its projected cost has grown immensely in recent years, the high-speed rail line is expected to contribute up to 23,5 billion euros to the Baltic economies. Freight, however, is not likely to contribute much. An independent cost-benefit analysis (CBA) found that Rail Baltica will likely add between…