FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) has announced plans to triple the number of routes operated its Ouigo low-cost high-speed subsidiary next year.
BOMBARDIER announced on September 2 that its Bombardier Sifang Transportation (BST) Chinese joint venture has secured a Yuan 2.4bn ($US 381m) contract to supply 15 additional CRH380D high-speed trains to China Railway Corporation (CRC).
RAIL will remain Spain's transport priority according to the draft budget for 2016 which allocates more than half of spending to rail projects with a special focus on completing the extensive high-speed network.
CHINA is to construct a second high-speed line between Fuzhou and Zhangzhou, but with a design speed of 350km/h rather than the 250km/h design speed of the existing line which opened in 2010 and is now very busy with trains operating in excess of 100% occupancy.
CHINA launched passenger services on its most northerly high-speed line on August 17 with the start of commercial operations on the Harbin - Qiqihar line in Heilongjiang province.
JAPAN's ruling Liberal Democratic and Komeito parties began discussions on August 7 on the proposed third phase of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which would extend the line from Tsuruga to Shin-Osaka.
A new structure for Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) came into effect on July 27, when the Ministry of Transport and Communications signed two agreements with the company to terminate the original build-operate-transfer concession for the Taipei - Kaohsiung high-speed line.
CALIFORNIA High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has awarded Sener, Spain, a contract to develop engineering and environmental services for the 72.4km Palmdale - Burbank Airport section of the first phase of California's high-speed line.
SPAIN's national operator Renfe will launch a tender in September for the supply of 40 high-speed trains under a €1.1bn framework contract to be awarded during 2016, according to its president Mr Pablo Vázquez.
EUROSTAR has finally completed the refurbishment of the first train from its existing fleet of class 373 trains (dubbed e300 by Eurostar) and the train will re-enter service shortly.