TESTING has started in the Dutch province of Utrecht with the helloGo app, which will enable passengers to plan, book and purchase tickets using a single app for all modes of transport including rail, bus, taxi, bicycle and car rental.
DUTCH train and bus operator Syntus adopted the branding of its parent company on October 9, when it began operating under its new title Keolis Nederland.
THE government of the Australian state of Victoria has awarded new seven-year contracts for the operation of Melbourne’s suburban rail and tram services to incumbent franchise holders Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) and Yarra Trams.
DUTCH infrastructure manager Prorail has released details of the 2018 timetable, which starts on December 10 2017, where the country’s 40-plus train operators plan to operate an all-time high of over 160 million train-km. This compares with 125 million train-km in 2003.
THE first Flirt 3 EMU for RB61 Wiehengebirgsbahn cross-border services from Bielefeld and Bad Bentheim in Germany to Hengelo in the Netherlands was presented to Keolis Germany managing director Mr Thomas Görtzen by Mr Ulf Braker, Stadler executive vice-president for Germany, at Stadler Pankow’s Berlin Wilhelmsruh plant on August 16.
REGIONS of France, an association of regional authorities, held its first hearings on April 6 to gauge the potential for the introduction of competition in the provision of regional rail services, although this is not expected to start until 2024.
FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) says it is doubling down to “promote cost-cutting and efforts to boost productivity” as competition and market uncertainty cloud the prospects for growth in 2017.
TRANSPORT for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has awarded a joint venture of Keolis and Amey a 10-year contract to operate and maintain the city’s 92km Metrolink light rail network.
THE economy and infrastructure secretary of the Welsh government, Mr Ken Skates, has announced that four companies have been pre-qualified for the new Wales and Borders railway franchise which will start in October 2018.
KEOLIS is set to continue operating bus, light rail and metro networks in Lyon until 2023 after the board of the city’s public transport authority voted unanimously on October 7 to award the incumbent operator a new six-year contract.