PKP Cargo eyes “untapped” semi-trailer market for business revival

Polish state-owned rail freight operator PKP Cargo is looking for ways out of its dire financial situation. The company’s new management took the drastic step of suspending nearly a third of its workforce to save money. Now, its strategy director says that the company is looking to semi-trailer transportation for new business opportunities. PKP Cargo…

Costly Rail Baltica to cut ambitions and seek funding elsewhere

As Rail Baltica’s projected costs are mounting and continue to grow, the project’s feasibility is in question. Uncertainty surrounding EU funding is forcing Rail Baltica to look elsewhere and readjust ambitions. As Rail Baltica eagerly awaits the results of the January application round for EU funding, discussions surrounding pan-Baltic railway continue. It is uncertain how…

Green light for near-billion rail and road investment in Barcelona port

Spain will invest 816 million euros in rail and road connections for the Port of Barcelona. The Spanish government, infrastructure manager Adif and the Barcelona port have come to an agreement that will allow the port to be connected to the TEN-T Mediterranean Corridor. The near-billion euro investment will enable the expansion and upgrading of…

New TEN-T: TENtec guidelines are out, timetable is still missing

One of the aims of the new TEN-T Regulation is to harmonise communication between EU Member States and European institutions. To do this, the TENtec system is being developed. When fully functional, the system is expected to speed up the exchange of information and accelerate the compiling of reports and maps of the corridors. However,…

New TEN-T: Core focus on multimodal networks, benefits for intermodal rail

The much-awaited revision of the TEN-T regulations is here. The EU Parliament plenary voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of the revision. The legal document that will soon be adopted provides some highlights, including plans to boost intermodal transport and multimodal transport and terminal networks across the old continent. Of course, the 260-page document…

European Parliament to approve TEN-T revision today

The European Parliament (EP) is voting today on the trialogue agreement on the revision of the TEN-T Regulation. Expectations are that the EP will approve the text. After that, the policy will be translated into the 24 EU official languages, published in the Official Journal of the European Union and come into force. The initial…

METRANS launches new connection to Ukraine

METRANS has launched a new freight connection to Ukraine. The service will run between Poland and the Ukrainian town Mostyska. According to METRANS, the route connects its network to cities such as Kyiv and Odesa. European rail operator METRANS launched the new route during the Easter weekend. Trains will run between Dabrowa Gornicza in Poland…

Poland to invest over a billion euros in Silesia rail infrastructure

The Polish rail Infrastructure Manager PKP PLK will invest over a billion euros in rail infrastructure. The operator signed contracts for rail upgrades in the country’s southern region of Silesia. With the investments, Poland hopes to reduce traffic congestion and improve connectivity on TEN-T corridors. PKP PLK signed two contracts with a value of over…

ScanMed corridor sees 2024 rebound

The Scandinavian-Mediterranean corridor (ScanMed) is experiencing a rebound in volume and performance in 2024. The infrastructure managers (IMs) of the involved countries attribute the rebound primarily to completion of works along the corridor. ScanMed saw route sales along the corridor grow until 2021. By 2023, sales had more than halved. The IMs’ annual report now…

Projects for standard gauge in Spain get going north and south

The Spanish Ministry of Transport (MITMA) recently assigned contracts for the implementation of the standard gauge (1435mm) in key rail freight locations. The projects concern the area of Valladolid in the north and the Bobadilla-Algeciras railway in the south. The Bobadilla-Algeciras line is a starting point for both the TEN-T Atlantic and Mediterranean corridors. Algeciras…