Program 269
Railpool gets 100 million euros in loan from KfW
Locomotive leasing company Railpool will receive 100 million euros from KfW IPEX-Bank. The funds will be used to purchase new locomotives primarily for the German…
COMPLETE IN 2031?
Immersion of Fehmarnbelt tunnel to start this spring
The vessel tasked with transporting and submerging the large components of the future Fehmarnbelt tunnel has passed its tests and will commence operations later this…
Overhead line failure
‘German disruption causes major financial losses for rail freight’
Rail freight in Germany was severely disrupted after an overhead line failure in the evening hours of 31 March. Traffic was said to have started…
Updated
‘No trains to or from Germany’ as key overhead line fails
An emergency situation in Germany has led to a severe restriction in international traffic, reports rail freight operator METRANS. An overhead line failed on the…
Data of the Week
DB Cargo close to operational profitability, mostly thanks to subsidies
The German rail freight operator DB Cargo is one of the hot topics in the industry. Besieged by EU law, but mostly also hindered by…
Italy to follow
Laude Smart Intermodal to launch regular Duisburg-Poland connection in April
The Polish intermodal operator Laude Smart Intermodal is planning to launch a new regular connection between Duisburg, Germany and southern and central Poland. The company…
2025 figures
DB report: Cargo improves operating result by €350 mln, still at a loss
DB Cargo has improved its operating result (EBIT) by 350 million euros in 2025. A major improvement, although Deutsche Bahn’s freight department still operated at…
Infrastructure fees
Germany aims for new TAC system by 2027, way too late for rail freight sector
Last week, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled against Germany’s existing track access charge (TAC) system. Berlin finds itself forced to rethink its approach…
DIGITAL AUTOMATIC COUPLING
First commercial tests for Hybrid DAC deemed successful
The testing of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) has been going at a much faster pace over the past few months. The latest milestone is the…
Construction works
German silence leaves the Netherlands in the dark on railway planning
Germany’s “Third Track” project, vital for the Rotterdam-hinterland corridor, will not be finished within the next ten years. This poses a significant obstacle for the…
Intermodal
HHLA: rail growth outpaces the road in 2025
The German port terminal operator and logistics company HHLA has published its final figures for 2025. Despite the geopolitical storm, HHLA has recorded positive growth.…
Court strikes down German TAC rule
ECJ opens door to several hundred million euro TAC refunds in Germany
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled against the German cap on track access charges (TAC) for local passenger traffic. Since 2016, rail freight…