Italian private high-speed rail operator Italo is planning further international expansion after Germany, with Belgium and the Netherlands emerging as potential next markets from 2030–31.
Tag: Siemens
YES TO THE NIGHT TRAIN | A plea for reclining seats and 6-berth compartments
For the first time in half a century, France will launch the construction of brand-new night train rolling stock in 2026. The collective Oui au train de nuit (Yes To The Night Train) stresses the need for multiple comfort levels, from affordable budget options to business-class cabins.
RAIL IN EUROPE | Standardisation of trains to speed up delivery and cut costs
As Europe races towards climate neutrality, rail transport is set to play a pivotal role. Yet, the sector faces a persistent challenge: trains are too expensive, and delivery times are too long, Duurzaam Mobiel writes. At the recent Bundesverband SchienenNahverkehr (BSN) industry conference in Kassel in Hesse in Germany on 5 and 6 May 2026,…
GERMANY | FlixTrain to launch Munich services from 2028 with new high-speed fleet
FlixTrain will begin serving Munich in Bavaria in Germany from 2028 with a new fleet of high-speed trains, marking the company’s return to its hometown.
GERMANY | Italo confirms €3.6 billion investment to launch high-speed trains, signs €3 billion Siemens rolling stock deal
Italian high-speed rail operator Italo Holding has signed a major contract with Siemens Mobility for 26 high-speed trains, with an option for a further 14, as part of its planned expansion into the German rail market. The agreement, signed in Munich in Bavaria, is worth around €3 billion and forms part of a total €3.6…
EUROSTAR | From Brussels to London in Eurostar Plus (2026)
In 2024, I showed Oscar from Denver, Colorado the highlights of London. It was his first time in England. In contrast, Thanh and I have been to the capital of the United Kingdom many times. During the weekend of Pentecost 2026, we went together for a weekend of museums, food, and a concert.
LITHUANIA | Railway Museum and Rail Park in Vilnius
August 2025. We’re travelling to the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and more specifically their respective capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Are they interconnected by rail? Yes, but not in the most straightforward or userfriendly way possible. The Rail Baltica project should remedy this. Unsurprisingly though, this megaproject faces political and budgetary hurdles. It…
UPDATE | NMBS / SNCB presents new rainbow-clad Siemens Desiro for IDAHOT and Pride
On Instagram, NMBS / SNCB showed of a new rainbow-clad Siemens Desiro for Brussels Pride and for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, aka IDAHOT or IDAHOBIT.
Italo plans €3.6 billion challenge to Deutsche Bahn with major expansion into Germany
Italian high-speed rail operator Italo is preparing a major expansion into Germany with a €3.6 billion investment plan aimed at challenging Deutsche Bahn’s dominance of the country’s long-distance rail market.
Sweden invests in Talgo night trains: “a sustainable, comfortable leap for northern travel”
Sweden’s national transport authority, Trafikverket, signed a landmark €756 million contract with Spanish manufacturer Talgo on 20 April 2026, securing a new fleet of modern night and daytime trains. The agreement, celebrated in Stockholm with Sweden’s minister of infrastructure and housing, Andreas Carlson, and Talgo’s president, José Antonio Jainaga, marks a major step towards revitalising…