BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded First Group the contract to operate the flagship InterCity West Coast franchise for 13 years and four months from December 9, ousting the Virgin/Stagecoach joint venture which has run the franchise since 1997.

GYÖR-Sopron-Ebenfurth Railway (GySEV) has announced plans to electrify two lines in a move that will close an important gap in the electrified network in western Hungary.

THE founder of Italian open access operator Arenaways Mr Giuseppe Arena has publically apologised for delays to the launch of the company's Trenohotel overnight service, citing unexpected technical and logistical problems.

DUTCH regional transport company Syntus has become a 100% subsidiary of Keolis after the French company completed the acquisition of Netherlands Railways' (NS) 50% share.

SWISS Federal Railways (SBB) has placed a €200m order with Alstom for an additional eight ETR 610 Pendolino tilting emus. The order is an option from a contract for seven trains signed in March 2004 by Alstom and Cisalpino, the now defunct joint venture between Trenitalia and SBB.

ROMANIA's Ministry of Transport has appointed a consortium of PwC, David & Baias and George Butunoiu to recruit directors general and non-executive directors for 10 state-owned transport companies, four of which are in the rail sector.

THE Argentine province of Salta has reintroduced regional services on the Belgrano Cargas metre-gauge line between the provincial capital Salta and General Güemes, 45km to the east.

CZECH Railways (CD) has begun tests with a prototype modernised coach for long-distance services.

ETIHAD Rail, the developer of the UAE's planned 1200km national rail network, has issued invitations to tender for the first three contracts for the second phase of the project.

MOLDOVAN Railways (CFM) will launch an accelerated service between the capital Chisinau and Ocnita on July 28, using the first of a fleet of modernised dmus.