The Swiss Federal Council recently announced that it will transfer some money destined for the Railway Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to boost single wagonload (SWL) traffic in the country. The funds are coming from the so-called heavy vehicle fee (HVF). Contacted by RailFreight.com, the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) highlighted that “there are no signs that […]
Author: Marco Raimondi
Port of Genoa: Terzo Valico’s first section is finally inaugurated
The first piece of the Terzo Valico (also known as Genoa Junction), a new railway connecting the port of Genoa to the rest of the TEN-T Rhine-Alpine Corridor, is now up and running. The 8.5 kilometre-line between Rivalta Scrivia and Tortona, which is Terzo Valico’s northernmost section, has been inaugurated on Friday 12 January. There […]
The 2024 German federal budget could cut 252 million from rail freight
The German rail association Allianz pro-Schiene expressed its worries about the significant cuts expected in the rail freight sector from the 2024 federal budget. “All in all it is about 252 million euros less for rail freight in 2024, if plans won’t change”, a spokesperson from the association told RailFreight.com. The cuts will concern support […]
Ukrainian Railways to start building variable gauge grain hoppers
Ukrainian Railways (UZ) built an in-house hopper wagon with variable gauge. “It is intended for the transportation of grain and other loose food cargo”, the company said. This is the first time UZ ventured into such an initiative. “Next, we plan to put such wagons (the new hoppers) into serial production” said Yevhen Lyashchenko, chairman […]
‘Intermodality is the key to modern effective logistics’
Intermodality is one of the pillars of the future of transportation and logistics, also when it comes to Eurasian transport. However, some challenges are there, and adjusting quickly and effectively remains vital for companies providing these types of services. ADAMPOL SA, which specialises in car transport, shared its perspective on the above questions and more […]
The Swiss Federal Council wants to pour millions into single wagonload
The Swiss Federal Council wants to make funds available to improve the country’s rail freight sector and keep single wagonload transport financially viable. If approved by the Swiss Parliament, the initiative will see hundreds of millions of euros deployed. The money would come from a portion of the tax on Heavy Good Vehicles, “which would […]
Switzerland and Italy to fund upgrade of key Rhine-Alpine section
The Italian infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) launched a tender for 117 million euros, co-financed by Switzerland, to boost intermodality in northeastern Italy. More specifically, the railway between Arona and Verbania, along the southeastern shore of Lake Maggiore, will be modified to handle freight trains with a 4-metre profile (P400). The initiative entails lowering […]
GDL strike confirmed as valid, what will it mean for rail freight?
The transport sector in Germany is currently facing disruptions as locomotive drivers affiliated with the GDL union are on strike between 9-12 January. Deutsche Bahn (DB) has appealed against this decision without any luck, as the Hessian State Labour Court confirmed that the union’s actions are not prohibited. RailFreight.com reached out to various companies in […]
The rail freight industry in Portugal is unsatisfied, says study
The rail freight sector in Portugal is somewhat of a unicum in the European Union. Just like in Spain, the railway network is equipped with the Iberian gauge (1,668mm). Moreover, there is no state-owned rail freight operator in the country, unlike most of the other EU Member States. The Portuguese Mobility and Transport Authority (AMT), […]
The Italian government wants to privatise FS Group
The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently opened to the privatisation of the national railway holding Ferrovie dello Stato (FS Group). The initiative was brought forward because the government needs to find funds to finance the budget law for 2024. Currently, FS Group and all its subsidiaries are fully owned by the Italian government through […]