Europe | policy

European rail policy

where we are and where we are heading
As the European Union embarks on another five-year legislative cycle, Kevin Smith asks where the continent
stands on its journey to delivering the Single European Railway Area and achieving targets for modal shift

I
N the course of an hour-long interview commissioners to the European mandate, including nine relating to rail:
with IRJ, Mr Kristian Schmidt, director Parliament ahead of MEPs voting to • completing the core TEN-T network
of land transport at the Directorate confirm their appointment on by 2030 and optimising the use of
General for Transport (DG-Move) at the November 27, EC president, Dr Ursula Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)
European Commission (EC), discussed von der Leyen, reaffirmed the funding to do so
the rail sector issues that will guide the commission’s commitment to the • submitting a plan for an ambitious
agenda of Europe’s new sustainable European Green Deal, the continent’s high-speed rail network that connects
transport and tourism commissioner, roadmap to net zero emissions by 2050, European capitals, plus expanding the
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, over the next and one of the signature policies enacted provision of overnight trains and
five years. Ticketing, ERTMS, building during her first term. The second pillar growing rail freight
the Trans-European Transport Network of Von der Leyen’s agenda for the EC • preparing a proposal for a single
(TEN-T) and improving cross-border over the next five years is centred digital booking and ticketing regulation
connectivity, future high-speed services, specifically on decarbonisation and • working on a sustainable transport
new entrants, Europe’s industrialisation competitiveness. She has vowed to investment plan, outlining a strategic
strategy, rail freight, decarbonisation, introduce the Green Deal Industrial Plan approach to scale-up and prioritise
digitalisation and funding were all key in early 2025, which promises to enhance investment in solutions that decarbonise
talking points. the competitiveness of Europe’s net-zero transport
The desire to address each of these industry. The hope is to create a more • strengthening the social dimension of
disparate and complex issues is supportive environment for scaling up transport, including ensuring high-
interlinked by a single goal: growing rail’s the EU’s manufacturing capacity for quality jobs in the sector and addressing
market share in Europe. As Schmidt net-zero technology and the products issues relating to transport poverty,
states, the objective for Europe’s required to meet Europe’s ambitious access in rural areas, labour and skills
railways should not be to manage the targets for tackling climate change. shortages, and upholding passenger
status quo, but to grow the cake. “We This inevitably presents many protection and rights
need to entice the customers who for opportunities for rail as an intrinsically • ensuring continuing modernisation
the moment are not turning to rail green mode of transport. It also means through digitalisation, including the
because they find it difficult or that Tzitzikostas has a full in-tray of deployment of intelligent transport
unreliable,” he says. goals to meet, including supporting systems, smart mobility solutions and
Put simply, the EU likes rail and member states to implement and ERTMS
wants more of it. Driving this objective strengthen the single market for • reinforcing transport security,
first and foremost is, of course, transport, increase modal shift towards including physical links with third
decarbonisation of the transport sector, more sustainable modes, and accelerate countries while increasing security,
which remains responsible for around the rollout of trans-European including cybersecurity of key
25% of the continent’s emissions, and infrastructure. In her mission letter to infrastructure
which, in the EU’s view, is overly- Tzitzikostas, Von der Leyen goes • supporting the defence and space
reliant on more polluting modes such as further by identifying 16 objectives the commissioner to effectively move military
road and air. new sustainable transport and tourism equipment across the continent, and
In a speech introducing her college of commissioner should deliver during his • improving international transport

The European Commission believes encouraging more new entrants

to enter the European rail market is essential to achieve objectives for
modal shift and to reduce emissions from transport. Photo: David Gubler

IRJ The Railway in 2025 7

 Europe | policy

connections to regions outside of the EU for rolling stock and ERTMS trackside The revised regulation also includes
and maintaining industry competitiveness. authorisation for EU member states as targets for installing ERTMS across the
Many of these objectives align and well as safety certification. ERA is also entire TEN-T core network by 2030 and
reinforce the work required to deliver working to harmonise national standards comprehensive network by 2050, both
the targets for transport enshrined in within a European framework and is of which now include Ukraine for the
the EC’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility making good progress: more than five first time. However, Europe remains
Strategy of December 2020. They years into its expanded mandate, ERA has well short of this target. According to
include doubling high-speed rail traffic completed around 90,000 vehicle the latest available data, 10,401km or
by 2030 and tripling it by 2050, and authorisations and has reduced the number 14% of the core network is equipped
increasing rail freight traffic by 50% by of national technical rules from more with ETCS, while deployment is
2030 and doubling it by 2050. than 14,000 in 2016 to around 800 today. underway on a further 14,033km or
Pre-pandemic trends in passenger Schmidt says this is helping to reduce 19%. Framework contracts cover a
ridership and freight traffic show that the cost of crossing borders for operators, further 4166km or 6%, with no ETCS
the EU was on target to achieve and boosting the attractiveness of services. installed or planned for 43,752km, or
even exceed these objectives, as observed Further standardisation is ensured 61% of the network. The fact that more
by the eighth Rail Market Monitoring through compliance with the Technical countries outside the EU continue to
Report (RMMS) published by the EC in Specifications for Interoperability (TSI), operate ERTMS than within it is a
September 2023. But the sector is still which define the technical and bugbear for Schmidt. “Unless we get
recovering from pandemic losses. operational standards for each away from making ERTMS an added
According to the most recently available subsystem or part of the subsystem to overlay, we will not be able to reduce
data in DG Move’s Statistical Pocketbook ensure the interoperability of Europe’s the costs because we will continue to
2024, passenger rail traffic had recovered railway system. TEN-T provides the run parallel systems and national
to 402 billion passenger-km in 2022, up framework for a cross-border network solutions,” he says.
from 228 billion passenger-km in 2020, with shared standards running across There is progress, namely in the
but still short of the pre-pandemic peak nine corridors spanning the entire EU. ERTMS National Implementation Plans
of 422 billion passenger-km in 2019. The European Parliament adopted a that member states are required to
Freight traffic had also reached 413 revised TEN-T regulation in April 2024. submit to the EC. A total of 18 of the 25
billion tonne-km in 2023, just short of the This sets several mandatory targets for member states concerned have
415 billion tonne-km recorded in 2019. the network, including achieving submitted their respective plans, which
When asked whether the targets passenger train speeds of 160km/h by align with the template set out in the
should be revised, Schmidt says that he 2040, connecting high-capacity airports TSIs. “From looking at those plans it is
still believes they are achievable, to long-distance rail, increasing the clear that member states… understand
although he is more optimistic about number of transshipment terminals, that ERTMS is the system,” Schmidt
passenger traffic than freight. “The enabling the operation of 740m-long says, adding that he sees the EC’s role
demand is there,” he says. “Whenever freight trains and improving links with as ensuring that implementation follows
there is a suitable service, the market neighbouring EU countries. The the rules, including coordinating
responds, and when the price is right, regulation requires member states to deployment up to and across national
people do prefer the train to alternative complete major transport links by 2030, borders. He also believes that the
modes of transport.” cut transport infrastructure ties with industry needs to develop the capacity
Russia while strengthening those with required to meet the demand for
Ukraine, and improve military transport installing ERTMS, aligning with the
Single European Railway Area along major EU transport arteries. objectives of the industrial deal (p4).
Providing the environment in which
new services might be offered, though,

“
is proving far from straightforward.
“You can have a beautiful map, but
what you don’t see on the map are the
practical problems you face when you You can have a
want to cross the border,” Schmidt says.
Delivery of the Single European beautiful map, but
Railway Area (Sera) is central to the
EU’s strategy. Sera aims to enable any
what you don’t see
European operator to operate services on the map are the
on any rail network in any EU country.
Legislation to help facilitate this has practical problems you
taken the form of four railway packages
introduced between 2001 and 2016. The face when you want to
latest, the Fourth Railway Package, aims
to complete the single market for rail cross the border.
services and comprises both a market Kristian Schmidt
and technical pillar. The technical pillar
seeks to eliminate technical barriers to
entering the market by elevating the
role of the European Union Agency for
Railways (ERA) to the body responsible
8 IRJ The Railway in 2025
 Improved coordination between although Schmidt says it will be guided serve as an exercise to identify specific
infrastructure managers extends to the by the TEN-T programme. “It gives us a corridors where rail market share
management and allocation of network roadmap for what needs to be done,” remains relatively low compared with
capacity. Fulfilling the potential of he says. There is also hope that the air and to determine how this can be
Europe’s cross-border rail connections revision of the Emissions Trading addressed. “There will be different
is essential to achieving the targets for Scheme (ETS) regulation planned for explanations depending on the city pair
modal shift. Unfortunately, Europe’s 2026 to generate revenue from more you are looking at,” he says, pointing to
infrastructure managers and national polluting modes of transport will enable London - Amsterdam where there is a
operators have been too insular, and are this to be funnelled into rail projects, sole rail operator and limited service.
primarily concerned with what runs to increasing the pool of available funding. “Competition is the issue here,” he says.
their borders rather than across them. However, member state budgets are Others like Copenhagen - Berlin require
The capacity allocation process is also still expected to cover a large proportion the construction of missing infrastructure,
too rigid and unable to meet changing of the required investment in the network. while with Paris - Barcelona the issue
needs and market dynamics. The As for their appetite for meeting these might be the absence of ERTMS. “The
Capacity Management Regulation, commitments, Schmidt says many see challenge of the high-speed masterplan
proposed by the EC in July 2023 and the benefits of integrating with Sera, is to guide investments where they will

“
awaiting approval by the European particularly smaller states in central
Parliament and the European Council, Europe. “It is not a coincidence that a
seeks to address this by reinforcing the country like Austria has a very ambitious Fulfilling the potential
role of the European Network of investment programme, along with the
Infrastructure Managers (Enim), Czech Republic and Poland,” he says. of Europe’s cross-
effectively consolidating the work of 25 “Increasingly, countries see that domestic
national capacity management systems rail will cost them less if it is better
border rail connections
and reducing the number of national connected to the rest of Europe, especially is essential to
rules in force. The hope is that it will for freight, which is 50% cross-border.”
make better use of available network For others, the benefits may appear to achieving the targets
capacity, particularly for cross-border be less tangible and the costs more
freight but also international passenger prohibitive. Indeed, they are vast: for modal shift.
services, including overnight trains. completion of the TEN-T core network
Schmidt expects the regulation to go by 2030 is estimated to cost €500bn,
through during the Polish presidency of while €1.5 trillion is required to deliver encourage an increased uptake of rail,”
the EU in the first half of 2025. the comprehensive network by 2050. Schmidt says. He adds that they will be
Encouragingly he reports that Europe’s However, rather than being intimidated informed by the lessons of the cross-
infrastructure managers are already by these figures, particularly in a period border pilot programme that the EC ran
laying the groundwork for its of constrained budgets and where between 2021 and 2023.
introduction, including developing the spending is likely to be prioritised in Identifying the issues is one thing, but
governance structure that will decide the other areas, notably defence, Schmidt Schmidt also believes that there needs
parameters for allocating capacity. He says it is better to focus on the number to be political pressure on incumbent
says that once the regulation is passed, of projects that are already being operators to do more, in particular “to
work will initially focus on identifying funded - 750 under CEF2 to address cross borders and interfere with the
priorities before the actual process of cross-border bottlenecks, install ERTMS markets of their neighbours.”
path allocation, placing a five-year and improve interoperability. He says Conditions also need to be enhanced for
timescale on eventual introduction. this helps to emphasise the important new entrants so they can access markets
role that rail plays in boosting the and secure the rolling stock they need
competitiveness of the European economy, to run competitive services (p17a). This
Projects and funding one of Von der Leyen’s key objectives, includes enforcement of the conditions
Rolling out ERTMS and building or along with improving military transport, of the market pillar of the Fourth
upgrading TEN-T infrastructure is not which has been widely ignored but now Railway Package, which mandates open
cheap. Indeed, many of the planned is rising to the top of the political agenda, market competition for PSO services.
network enhancements already include and may help several rail projects to “We have seen where passengers are
Europe’s most eye-catching - and gain traction. He also highlights the rail given a choice and competitors enter the
expensive - rail megaprojects, including sector’s responsibility to reduce costs market, it has been highly successful and
the Brenner Base Tunnel, Rail Baltica, and deliver better value for money, ridership has gone up,” Schmidt says.
the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel, and the Porto which in turn will help to win further Ticketing is one area where there is
- Lisbon and Lyon - Turin high-speed support to reduce transport emissions. scope to level the playing field.
lines. Delivery of these schemes is “We need to make the case for the Developing a new ticketing regulation
supported by both the first and second next budget to be conscious of the costs is a key objective for DG-Move and
rounds of CEF funding. The second that of rail and what we can do to make sure Schmidt says this work is focusing on
commenced in 2021 is worth around that every euro invested is well spent,” making it possible for passengers to
€26bn for transport, with €5.7bn of he says. plan journeys, compare fares and book
grants allocated to these projects and Schmidt advocates a similar targeted tickets in a single place. It must also be
others in 2024. approach for the proposed European possible to book journeys involving
The level of funding available beyond high-speed network masterplan. “We’re different operators and passenger rights
the existing CEF programme which will not building a high-speed network from must be preserved throughout. “Clearly
run until 2027 is currently not set, scratch,” he says. Instead, the plan will we can only achieve that through
IRJ The Railway in 2025 9
 Europe | policy

Current market conditions are jeopardising

progress with achieving the EU’s objectives
to get more freight transport off Europe’s
roads and onto rail. Photo: Quintus Vosman

regulation and legally-binding sector’s control, notably the decline of DAC Delivery Programme will begin
objectives,” Schmidt says. bulk freight transport due to falling work this year on the DAC Pioneer
However, he adds that the default demand for coal as well as the general Trains project. Europe’s Rail issued a
option for this system is not necessarily decline of manufacturing industry in Request for Proposals (RFP) for the
the Open Sales and Distribution Model Europe. The end of rail freight services project in mid-2024 and received
(OSDM). Developed by the International to and from Russia has also had a major responses from 48 companies in 17
Union of Railways (UIC) and supported impact on flows in eastern Europe. countries. They suggested possible
by the Community of European Railways Nevertheless, the importance of some corridors spanning the entire European
and Infrastructure Companies (CER), industries to Europe’s industrial continent, using many different
OSDM is an update to the Price and Fare sovereignty and economic resilience, locomotive and wagon types. A request
Information Storage (PRIFIS) international notably chemicals and steel, that are to fund the project is being made in the
tariff distribution tool, a shared fares reliant on rail reinforces the need for a latest CEF funding call which closes this
database, and promises to simplify the resilient rail freight system in which month, when further details of the
booking process for passengers. single wagonload freight can survive specific corridors will be made public.
Nevertheless, there has been some and even thrive. A decision on whether to partially fund
pushback from new entrants on the Among the technical solutions to the programme is expected by mid-2025
potential for OSDM to favour some boost rail freight efficiency - and one of and for the Pioneer Trains to run
operators over others and to not display all the signature achievements of the between 2027 and 2029.
possible service and ticketing combinations Shift2Rail joint research initiative and Schmidt says he estimates that
for a multi-stage rail journey. its successor, Europe’s Rail - is the around 4000 couplers will be required
Schmidt says that rather than OSDM Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC). This for the programme over the next four
dictating how the chosen system will automatic coupler promises to primarily years, which he thinks will make DAC a
operate, it must demonstrate that it can speed up and reduce labour requirements viable commercial proposition.
deliver the openness and accessibility for shunting. It will also enable energy “We need to give the manufacturers
requirements that the regulation demands. supply for telematics solutions and data of the couplers a price signal, we need
“We are very much aware that the transmission throughout the train, to give them certainty that this is no
historic operators have made investments paving the way for intelligent freight longer about building a few prototypes,”
into the system and clearly our objective trains, a prospect which Schmidt says is Schmidt says. “They need to go
is not to impose unnecessary additional a potential gamechanger for the industry. industrial and by doing so, decrease the
costs,” Schmidt says. “But adjustments The technical feasibility of DAC is cost of the couplers.”
might be necessary.” largely proven following the successful As always for the European rail
completion of extensive testing across sector, progress on finally delivering
Europe in recent years. Getting to the Sera appears to be slow but steady. The
Freight rollout stage, though, is proving range of issues being addressed at
Establishing a level playing field is challenging. The estimated €13bn cost of policy level in the EU emphasises the
equally crucial to growing rail freight. a “big bang” rollout is proving especially challenges that the sector faces in
As Schmidt points out, 50% of this problematic for Europe’s rail freight delivering the ambitious targets for
business is cross-border, emphasising operators and fleet owners, given that modal shift. They also show the strong
the importance of passing the Capacity around 50% are private companies and political goodwill that the sector
Management Regulation. Finally securing many operate within limited profit currently enjoys. As always, it is up to
approval for the Combined Transport margins. Some sectors of the rail freight the constituent parts of the rail sector to
Directive as well as enhancing industry have even pushed back against see the bigger picture and grasp the
intermodal terminal connectivity are suggestions that adopting DAC should opportunities now seemingly within
other actions that need to be accelerated be mandatory. Schmidt understands reach. As Schmidt puts it, “the
to achieve targets for modal shift. their concerns. “They don’t have the commission is not lowering the level of
Meeting these targets is already made money to put into DAC,” he says. ambition, but we have to accelerate the
more difficult by factors beyond the To ease the transition, the European actions that will take us there.” IRJ

10 IRJ The Railway in 2025

 Europe | Britain

Britain’s path to renationalisation emerges

The biggest shake-up to Britain’s railway sector since privatisation in the 1990s is underway and will take
significant strides forward in 2025, as Kevin Smith explains.

S
OUTH Western Railway (SWR)

Photo: RIA
will be the first British passenger
operator to return to public
ownership, the Department for
Transport (DfT) announced on
December 4. The change will take place
in May and is further evidence of the
growing momentum behind the new
Labour government’s plan to
reintegrate and reform Britain’s railway.
The transfer of SWR is made possible
by new legislation approved in October
that ends the policy of awarding
operating contracts to the private sector.
The change will occur at the end of the
core term of the current National Rail
Contract (NRC) awarded by DfT to
FirstGroup and MTR. Two other
contracts are set to follow by the end of
this year: c2c in July, and Greater
Anglia in September, followed by the Rail minister, Lord Peter Hendy, is leading the long-promised reform of Britain’s railway sector.
remaining former franchise contracts as
they expire over the next three years (GBR), which will be responsible for Instead, it favours largely publicly-run
(see panel p14). operations as well as infrastructure operations, while retaining existing
Operations will initially be the management, maintenance and renewal, open-access passenger services, and,
responsibility of DfT Operator (DO). assuming the functions of Network Rail under certain conditions, actively
Previously known as DfT Operator of (NR) as well as some from DfT to encouraging expansion (see panel p14).
Last Resort (DOHL), it already manages become the new “directing mind” for The government says bringing passenger
four former franchise contracts in the national rail network. operations back into public ownership
England and will ultimately be The establishment of GBR to more will save the taxpayer £150m in fees
integrated into Great British Railways closely align infrastructure and alone, adding that its “number one
operations was announced as long ago priority” is to boost economic growth
as May 2021, around three years after by encouraging more people to use rail,
the timetable crisis of May 2018 vowing to “move fast and fix things.”
prompted a wide-reaching review of

“
Britain’s railway.
The results of the review, led by The government says
Sir Keith Williams, a former British
Airways chief executive, were long- bringing passenger
awaited. Enactment of their conclusions
has been even more elusive. While the operations back into
then transport secretary Mr Grant
Shapps leant his name to the plan, his public ownership will
government and successors at DfT
failed to bring a bill to Parliament save the taxpayer
before they were ousted from office in
July’s general election.
£150m in fees alone.
Labour shares the Conservative’s
appetite for rail reform, and plans to
retain GBR, but with an enhanced role Speaking at the Rail Industry
in reintegrating operations and Association (RIA) annual conference in
infrastructure. Additionally, it is London on November 6 and during a
doubling down on nationalisation. It session with Parliament’s Transport
has ditched the previous administration’s Select Committee on December 10, rail
plans to introduce concession-based minister, Lord Peter Hendy, added
contracts for private companies to some meat to the bones of these plans.
operate passenger services, with Hendy, previously chair of NR and
timetables and fares specified by GBR. commissioner of Transport for London
IRJ The Railway in 2025 11
 Europe | Britain

South Western Railway is the first of the privately-run passenger networks that will return to state control. Photo: Shutterstock/Ian Dewar Photography
(TfL), said simply the vision for rail Labour makes similar observations in empowered to make long-term
reform is to improve reliability, increase its plan for rail announced prior to the decisions that will increase patronage
revenue and reduce costs. He confirmed election. It describes the existing system and deliver improvements for
that the legislation to establish GBR has as one beset by continuing fragmentation, passengers and freight customers. It
been drafted and that consultation will inefficiency and waste. However, unlike says performance will be measured in
begin “shortly,” including on future the Williams-Shapps Plan on which it noticeable improvements that
access and charging, “so that all interested says it has built its own agenda for passengers can see and feel, notably
parties will understand how the railway reform, the new government attributes improved service reliability, along with
will work in the future.” The bill was blame to an ongoing conflict in public more integrated timetables and
included in the King’s Speech and the service provision between passenger ticketing; introduction of best-price
expectation is that it will be heard by needs and private commercial interest. ticket guarantees and digital season
Parliament during the current legislative Labour adds that “meddling and tickets; better onboard mobile
session that will run until the summer. interference on operational and connectivity, including moving towards
Hendy also highlighted the appointment industrial relations matters” by the 5G; and improved integration with
of Ms Laura Shoaf, chief executive of government and civil servants at DfT is other modes of transport. GBR will also
the West Midlands Combined hindering innovation and the ability to

“
Authority, as the chair of Shadow GBR, improve service quality. For example,
which was established in September to by preventing the delivery of more
design GBR, which will be based in effective timetables that will maximise GBR will be run
Derby. Shadow GBR is bringing capacity, increase reliability and
together senior industry leaders from improve services for passengers. It also on the basis of
NR, DO and the DfT Rail Services says that many network enhancement routes integrating
Group to collaborate and identify ways programmes undertaken by NR -
that the reformed railway can offer upgrades to the Thameslink core, and infrastructure
improved services to customers. the construction of the Ordsall Chord in
Manchester to name but two - have management and
been delivered without an accompanying
Time for reform plan for service improvement managed passenger operations.
The desire to reform Britain’s railway by operators and the regulator, the
reflects the failure of the current Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The
network and structure to adequately result is a failure to realise the promised offer clearer communication to
serve its customers as demand has capacity improvements, effectively passengers on its performance at
soared since privatisation (see panel wasting taxpayers’ money. stations and insight on what, where and
p11). This is emphasised in ever- Hendy, who was appointed rail how it is working to improve.
declining reliability, punctuality and minister following the election, described Critically, as Hendy pointed out, GBR
customer satisfaction, which reached a the current structure as “the balkanisation” will be run on the basis of routes
10-year low in 2018. In the foreword to of infrastructure from operations, which integrating infrastructure management
the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, the he said is “really unhelpful.” Labour’s and passenger operations. GBR, acting
authors state that the railways lack a vision is for GBR to have operational as a single entity, will be in charge of
guiding focus on customers, coherent independence, to be accountable to operations, the rolling stock and
leadership, and strategic direction. government but not micromanaged by infrastructure for each regional network
“They are too fragmented, too complicated, it. It will be led by rail professionals and while also employing the staff. Hendy
and too expensive to run,” they wrote. industry experts who will be wants one overall chief executive of
12 IRJ The Railway in 2025
GBR who will oversee the entire system
along with its personnel, mirroring the National Rail Contracts
set-up he had at TfL with London
Operator Owner Core term expires NRC end date
Underground. He is also hopeful that this
structure will breed a new generation of South Western FirstGroup (70%), Expired May 28 2025
railway managers who understand the Railway MTR (30%)
complete business of the railway. However, c2c Trenitalia Expired July 20 2025
he was keen to make a distinction between
how GBR will work and British Rail (BR),
which was disbanded at privatisation, Greater Anglia Transport UK (60%) Expired September 20 2026
Mitsui (40%)
and the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA),
which sat between government and the West Midlands Trains Transport UK (85%), Expired September 20 2026
privatised sector until it was abolished Mitsui (15%)
in 2006. GBR’s performance will also be Chiltern Arriva April 1 2025 December 12 2027
scrutinised by a new passenger watchdog,
the Passenger Standards Authority. Thameslink, Southern Govia April 1 2025 April 1 2028
“It is a perfectly logical way of running & Great Northern
a railway,” Hendy said, adding that the Great Western FirstGroup June 22 2025 June 25 2028
new model will help to resolve internal Railway
conflicts within the management chain
rather than through contracts with East Midlands Transport UK October 18 2026 October 13 2030
different entities. “People can work on Railway
fixing yesterday’s problems so they don’t Avanti West Coast FirstGroup (70%), October 18 2026 October 17 2032
happen tomorrow, rather than Trenitalia (30%)
attributing blame and without large
CrossCountry Arriva October 17 2027 October 12 2031
amounts of money sloshing around the
system.” TransPennine Express (TPE), London North Eastern Railway (LNER), Northern, and Southeastern are
all operated by the government through DO. Transport for Wales is run by the Welsh government,
and Scotrail and Caledonian Sleeper by the Scottish government.
Capital improvements The government is free to terminate the NRC without compensation to the operator after the expiry
The government’s commitment to of its core term. It is required to provide the operator with 12 weeks’ notice of the termination.
network improvement was underlined
in its support for several big-ticket London terminus at Euston. work for British suppliers” and will
capital projects in the October 30 budget More widely, Hendy says the support wider economic growth by
announcement. This includes funding outcome of a Treasury-led review of “injecting billions into the economy.”
for all three phases of the East West Rail capital projects and the publication of a Among the potential projects is the
project to restore direct services 10-year national infrastructure strategy, revival in some form of the second
between Oxford and Cambridge; the which is expected this spring, will offer phase of HS2. The project to extend the
ongoing Transpennine Route Upgrade a framework for future rail investment. under-construction London -
project in northern England; and a GBR will also be tasked with Birmingham - Handsacre Junction high-
commitment to complete the 13km developing a long-term rolling stock speed line to Manchester was scrapped
tunnel section of High Speed 2 (HS2) strategy, which Hendy said “will be key by the Conservative prime minister, Mr
from Old Oak Common to the central for creating a dependable pipeline of Rishi Sunak, in October 2023. Labour

2024-12-10_ad_181x84mm_IRJ.indd 1 11.12.2024 18:01:38

 Europe | Britain

has not committed to reinstating the sense of unease, especially among difficulties that have hindered NR and
project and is focused on reviewing the SMEs, at the apparent slow pace of the wider sector in recent times, which
first phase in an effort to bring costs spending on maintenance and renewals he says will help to rebuild trust among
down. But influential northern leaders by NR under its latest five-year funding users. “Simplification, clarity of direction
are lobbying for it to be revived to settlement for Control Period 7 (CP7), and being able to cut through the
address capacity constraints on the which commenced in April. bureaucracy is fundamental,” he said.
northern section of the West Coast Main NR’s chief executive, Mr Andrew Hendy was similarly realistic about
Line that HS2 is intended to relieve. Sir Haines, conceded this is symptomatic of the significant challenge posed by the
Jon Thompson, the outgoing chair of the infrastructure manager navigating fiscal environment that the government
project delivery company HS2 Ltd, told an “enhanced cost base” due to recent is working in. Yet its faith in the railway
the RIA conference that it still possesses inflationary challenges. And while he as a driver of future economic
the land for the project and has not sought to reassure the conference that prosperity is unabated.
reversed any of the early works, stating the money will flow, he was also The determined tone of Hendy’s
that it is waiting on a decision from realistic about NR’s current fiscal address, coupled with his track record
government on how to proceed. It is constraints - the CP7 real-terms of past delivery, offers reassurance that
one to watch in 2025. settlement of £42.8bn is slightly less the government will see its bold agenda
These are welcome signs for the than the £43bn secured for CP6. There through. Indeed, the underlying feeling
British rail industry, which is suffering is also a great deal less funding for at the conference was of the need for
from a lack of rolling stock orders and enhancements than was hoped, patience to allow the new government
is still reeling from the decision not to emphasising what Haines describes as time to deliver. Yet the surprise
complete HS2 in full. A poll of 250 rail the need for NR to work smarter. resignation on November 29 of transport
industry leaders published by RIA The impact of three major storms secretary, Ms Louise Haigh, the self-
found that 48% believe the industry will earlier this winter underlined the daily proclaimed “passenger-in-chief” who has
contract over the next year. challenges that NR faces to keep Britain’s been leading from the front on rail reform,
The survey was conducted before the aging railway running. Longer term, was a stark reminder that, as ever, there
budget announcement, which may have Haines is a firm believer in the promise are likely to be bumps in the road to the
placated some. However, there is a of GBR to overcome many of the delivery of Britain’s reformed railway. IRJ

14 IRJ The Railway in 2025

 Technology | telecoms

Preparations underway for FRMCS

Version 2 of the FRMCS specification was on schedule to be completed by the end of last year, paving the
way for field testing on five pilot lines in Europe, as David Briginshaw discovered at the UIC’s third FRMCS
conference held in Paris in November.

R
APID progress is being achieved of FRMCS is that it will be flexible so and IP networks will be based on
with the International Union of that it can be expanded from 5G to 6G hardened infrastructure controlled via
Railways’ (UIC) project to and beyond in the future, and it will be an automated management system.
develop the Future Railway Mobile able to use satellite communications. Once the first trials have been
Communication System (FRMCS) to Time is of the essence as GSM-R is completed, DB InfraGO plans to install
replace GSM-R as the telecommunications rapidly approaching the end of its life FRMCS on five different types of
element of ERTMS. and is expected to become obsolete railway, covering up to 900km. These
But FRMCS has greater potential than between 2030 and 2035. “2G and 3G is comprise:
simply as a replacement for GSM-R. being phased out in the public sphere, • a regional line with analogue radio
“FRMCS will be a global system,” although it will last a bit longer for and trains from different operators,
Mr François Davenne, director general rail,” Fitch pointed out. aimed at optimising planning,
of the UIC, told delegates at UIC The urgency to find a replacement for construction and operation of FRMCS
headquarters in Paris. “FRMCS is a GSM-R was echoed by Mr Achim • a regional line with GSM-R to assess
critical enabler for a digital railway.” Vrielink, head of telecoms platform operation of FRMCS and GSM-R in
“FRMCS matters because we need a development with Germany’s parallel
deeper digitalisation of the railway, a infrastructure manager, DB InfraGO. • a long-distance high-traffic line with
more reliable railway, a cheaper railway “Deutsche Telekom will switch off GSM GSM-R, involving several operators and
and greater bandwidth,” said Mr Keir 900 in 2028, so we will have to cope some high-speed operation
Fitch, head of rail safety and with that, and Vodafone will probably • a cross-border line with GSM-R to assess
interoperability at the European switch off its system in 2030,” he said. international roaming and interworking
Commission’s (EC) Directorate-General “We are one of the few countries with other European infrastructure
for Mobility and Transport (DG Move). which uses GSM-R for shunting. Germany managers and operators, and
“We can only bare down on costs if we is in the centre of Europe with nine • a big hub (Stuttgart) with GSM-R and
develop modern global systems. neighbouring countries, and more than 60 international traffic, as well as
Harmonisation is also very important.” rail border crossings with international introducing the first ATO application at
However, Fitch acknowledged that roaming and inter-working with other GoA2 using FRMCS.
the deployment of ETCS in Europe network operators and railways.” DB InfraGO wants to start rolling out
must accelerate and be aligned with FRMCS in 2028 at the latest and to
FRMCS deployment otherwise work equip around 30,300km of railway and
will be duplicated. Rollout plans 16,000 rail vehicles by 2035.
Fitch emphasised that FRMCS must DB InfraGO is preparing for FRMCS, Decommissioning of GSM-R line by line
be compatible with other digital as Vrielink revealed. “We have a rollout will start at the end of 2032. “There will
technologies such as absolute safe train programme covering 22,000km of fibre be big challenges with operators to
positioning, automatic train operation optic cables, and we have just started a determine when trains are available to
(ATO) from Grade of Automation 2 national programme to renovate our fit FRMCS equipment and to get it
(GoA2) through to GoA4, remote train equipment rooms to meet the new approved,” Vrielink said. “We have to
operation and the Digital Automatic standards.” manage around 450 different operators
Coupler (DAC). Fitch said a big benefit Vrielink says DB InfraGO’s FRMCS and we are strictly controlled by the
regulator.”
Switzerland no longer has GSM and

“
the country is using 4G for its
telecommunications needs instead.
We cannot maintain “This was quite a challenge for us
because it is forcing us to change
two systems twice,” says Mr Daniel Grunig, who is
responsible for railway communications
simultaneously as the at Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).
The Swiss national railway network still
maintenance cost for uses GSM-R, with 80% of coverage using
GSM-R is very high. GSM-R native to SBB and 20% GSM-R
roaming over mobile network operators.
Eric Giraud-Desjuzeur, However, GSM-R roaming is only
SNCF Network allowed for railway voice communication.
SBB has made great progress with the
installation of ETCS, with 12% of the
network controlled by ETCS Level 2 and

IRJ The Railway in 2025 15

 Technology | telecoms

the rest using ETCS Limited Supervision. passenger communication. Additional without lineside signals by 2026,” Ms
Grunig says SBB prefers cab signalling for test tracks purely for FRMCS testing Camille Dierick, Infrabel’s head of
the entire interoperable rail network but should be available by the end of 2027. GSM-R and FRMCS, told delegates.
only deployed in line with ETCS Level 2 Grunig said long-term planning was “Our signalling challenge will decrease
projects. necessary in Switzerland because by 2028, so we can then start to focus on
“We have approval to carry out testing statutory project approval is required FRMCS. The entire railway will have to
with FRMCS on the 31km Brig - Thun for each radio site. SBB expects to start adapt to new standards and be GSM-R
line,” Grunig revealed. “A passenger rollout of FRMCS in 2028 with and FRMCS-compatible. Good
train will be made available for the completion by 2035. coordination and planning will be vital.
tests.” These will start at the end of 2026. Belgium’s infrastructure manager We are building a partnership with
SBB will test FRMCS trackside radio Infrabel is in the process of equipping SNCF Network.
equipment for tender verification. It will the entire network with ETCS Level 2. “We face the obsolescence of GSM-R
test the interference risks and mitigation Infrabel has already installed 1140km every day,” Dierick continued. “We
between GSM-R 900MHz, FRMCS and plans to equip 3000km by 2027-28. need to migrate from GSM-R to limit
1.9GHz and commercial bands for “We want to equip two pilot lines operational risks and maintain critical

16 IRJ The Railway in 2025

operations, but also to unleash new on the busy cross-border line “We have an idea what the
possibilities in terms of connectivity.” connecting Metz with Luxembourg. cybersecurity solutions are, but it is a
The benefits of FRMCS were outlined SNCF Network envisages switching choice between us specifying them and
by Mr Steve Parsons, head of business from GSM-R to FRMCS area by area the industry coming up with solutions,”
development, mobile communications, from mid-2032 to the end of 2035, with Evanghelou said. “We have to put
at Siemens Mobility. “FRMCS will GSM-R decommissioned right after solutions inside products, but what is
deliver better security CCTV, better each switchover. “We cannot maintain the best way to implement them?
advertising on trains, better Wi-Fi, ATO, two systems simultaneously as the Cybersecurity is moving very fast, so
remote cab management, post-incident maintenance cost for GSM-R is very we need to be careful that our solutions
analysis, trainborne condition high,” Giraud-Desjuzeur said. are not out of date.”
monitoring and predictive maintenance As several railways envisage using
data.” public mobile networks to complete
SNCF Network has identified their FRMCS coverage, the challenge Next phase
different types of line and the critical will be to persuade network operators “We are upgrading from GSM-R to
services which FRMCS will need to to allow this to happen. FRMCS and from G2 to G5 mission-
provide, with voice communication and “There is no business case for mobile critical,” Mandoc told delegates.
shunting ability required in all network operators to use FRMCS,” “Everything is moving at an incredible
scenarios. The line types are: Vrielink observed. “So, we are having a speed. By the end of this year [2024],
• high-speed/high-traffic and freight lot of discussions with them to try to we will have finalised the specifications
corridors: ETCS Level 2 with option for convince them.” for Version 2 of FRMCS.”
ATO Dierick says Infrabel is already This will allow the next phase of
• medium-traffic lines working with mobile network FRMCS called Morane 2 to begin, with
• main commuter networks totalling operators, but only for non-critical field testing on five pilot lines in
around 600km: ETCS Level 2 with applications, while Giraud-Desjuzeur Europe: a conventional line and a high-
option for ATO thinks SNCF Network can interest some speed line in Spain; a test line in
• regional lines with light traffic operators where there is high traffic. Germany; a cross-border line
covering around 12,000km with FRMCS “We have a plan to work with mobile connecting the Netherlands and
using public mobile networks, and network operators,” says Mr Jean- Germany; and a line in Sweden (see
• main stations and shunting yards: Michel Evanghelou, the UIC’s director panel).
ETCS Level 2 with option for ATO. of telecoms, signalling and digital “In 2019, we didn’t have any funding
“The idea is to start installing FRMCS applications, “but it is not at the centre for testing FRMCS, but today the
from the borders and head towards of the game.” project is fully funded, and we are on
Paris, where a lot of traffic converges,” One area of concern is cybersecurity, time - not even one week late,”
Mr Eric Giraud-Desjuzeur, SNCF as Mr Dan Mandoc, head of FRMCS Davenne told IRJ. “We have been
Network’s FRMCS programme director, with the UIC, explained. “GSM-R is not following a carefully planned roadmap
said. “We want to have the same time interesting to attackers but 5G is, so since 2019.”
schedule as our neighbours. We are cybersecurity is very important for “We are about to start field testing, so
now studying pilot lines.” FRMCS. We need to understand the we are keeping our commitment,”
“We want to ensure that we can run railway cybersecurity needs.” Mandoc said. “There has been a huge
at 300km/h with FRMCS,” Giraud- “There is much more to do on commitment to FRMCS from the
Desjuzeur explained. The plan is to cybersecurity,” Mr Michael Kloecker, railways and suppliers.”
conduct a trial on a 60km section of the head of railway solution management “Morane was the name of the project
Paris - Brussels high-speed line.” SNCF with Nokia, acknowledged. “We are which created GSM-R, so to
Network also wants to conduct a trial now using AI to help detect threats.” commemorate that we have chosen the
name Morane 2 for the field-testing
phase of FRMCS,” Evanghelou said.
“Morane 2 will provide a future-proof
end-to-end architecture,” Mandoc said.
This should pave the way for the

“
development and completion of Version 3
Our signalling in 2027, so that FRMCS can be included
in the next Control Command and
challenge will decrease Signalling (CCS) Technical Specification
by 2028, so we can for Interoperability (TSI), which is
scheduled to be published by the
then start to focus on European Union Agency for Railways
(ERA) later that year.
FRMCS. This will give FRMCS legal status and
allow manufacturers to start producing
Camille Dierick, Infrabel
FRMCS products.
“The timetable is very tight, and
every project has its risks, but there is
quite a fair chance of success,” Mandoc
told delegates. “But we must meet the
TSI deadline in 2027.” IRJ
IRJ The Railway in 2025 17
 Europe | the Channel Tunnel

Depot access proves tricky for cross-Channel new entrants

Evolyn and Virgin have turned to Britain’s rail regulator as they seek access to the rolling stock maintenance
facility in London that is owned by incumbent high-speed operator Eurostar. Robert Preston reports.

T
HE future of rail services between
Britain and continental Europe
via the Channel Tunnel was the
subject of a meeting organised by the
All-Party Parliamentary Rail Group
(APPRG) at the Houses of Parliament in
London on November 19. Senior
executives from Evolyn and Virgin
Photo: Shutterstock/Jessica Girvan

outlined the progress they have been

making with their respective projects to
enter the high-speed passenger market
that were announced in 2023 as both seek
to challenge the monopoly enjoyed by
Eurostar since it began operations in 1994.
“We have made a lot of progress,
[although] probably slower than we
would have liked,” said Evolyn CEO,
Mr Jorge Cosmen, reporting that the New entramts are seeking to challenge Eurostar’s monopoly on cross-channel services.
start-up had been at work on plans to “Temple Mills depot is the crunch but that it has received no guarantee of
enter the London - Paris market for over point here,” said Mr John Larkinson, chief accessing the depot in terms of capacity.
two years. The company is investing executive of Britain’s rail regulator, the On July 4 this year, Evolyn wrote to
over £1bn in the project, including new Office of Rail and Road (ORR). “If you Eurostar requesting the capacity that it
high-speed trains from Alstom, and want to put your train somewhere estimates it will need at Temple Mills,
although obtaining approval to operate overnight or to maintain the trains, expecting to stable eight trains overnight
them is taking longer than expected, Temple Mills depot becomes quite a crucial in London and require two workshop
this was not the key issue for Cosmen. facility,” he said. “Your first port of call tracks for daily maintenance. Evolyn says
“At the end of the day it’s about is to go and talk to Eurostar. If you can’t that for daily stabling it will need four
capacity,” he said, not only in the reach agreement, you can appeal to ORR.” 200m-long tracks or two 400m tracks.
Channel Tunnel itself but also at stations Both Evolyn and Virgin have applied In its response, Eurostar said it found
and rolling stock maintenance facilities. to ORR for a direction under Section 17 it difficult to see that there is sufficient
“The depot is critical to any new of the Railways Act 1993. Under Section capacity available for it to permanently
operation because it’s as important as 17, those seeking the right to use a allocate two tracks, “even assuming
the stations.” railway facility that have failed to reach there is technical compatibility and even
Mr Phil Whittingham, project lead at agreement with the facility owner can assuming you are the only person
Virgin, was in agreement. “Getting apply to ORR for a direction requiring making such an application.” While this
access to the depot is really important,” the owner to provide access. In its is not a definitive answer, Evolyn says
he said, and in London the facility in application, Evolyn says that it sent “it is of no use to the project as it gives
question is the Temple Mills Eurostar an initial formal request for no assurance of any maintenance
International Depot owned by Eurostar. access to Temple Mills on July 27 2023, facilities being made available in
London.” Its application to ORR says it
is seeking a 10-year depot access
contract with an anticipated start date
of April 1 2026. “We will of course be
able to be more precise when we know
what access will be available and what
physical amendments will need to be
made inside the depot to accommodate
our rolling stock,” Evolyn says.
The Section 17 application made by
VTE Holdings, signed by Whittingham
as a consultant to the company, says
that an application for depot access was
submitted to Eurostar on June 26. VTE
Holdings intends to use Temple Mills
for maintenance under a full train
services agreement with the
manufacturer of its new high-speed
fleet. VTE Holdings received Eurostar’s
assessment of capacity utilisation for

17a IRJ The Railway in 2025

the service facility on August 23, and into the market, clearly the incumbent them very closely, and they have
says it had been involved in constructive has some vested interest in making the already standardised all the regulations
discussions with the depot owner. process complicated,” Larkinson said. and all the technical requirements so
However, when another party “I’m not saying that Eurostar is doing everything is clear,” Cosmen said.
submitted a Section 17 application for this, but the incumbent always has a “They have also provided certainty
access to Temple Mills, Eurostar vested interest in doing that, and we about the capacity that can be used.”
indicated that the resources required to need to make sure that we get the Getlink CEO, Mr Yann Leriche, was
progress the VTE Holdings application information we need from Eurostar.” clear that launching new services had
will not be made available until a “There’s certainly no intention of previously been too complex and time-
decision has been reached. “We are making this a cumbersome process. consuming, particularly for new
therefore left with no alternative other But it needs to be a fair process, and it entrants backed by private capital. “You
than to progress our own Section 17 needs to be an evidence-led process have to mobilise €1bn, you wait 10
application to secure access to Temple and, bluntly, it needs to be in a sense years and then there is the ramp-up
Mills depot,” VTE Holdings says. robust against any challenge to it,” period and so you need still to wait
To maintain its new fleet, VTE Larkinson said. “And that’s the process two, three more years to start to make
Holdings requires capacity to stable we aim to deliver and we will be money,” he said. “It’s much too long.
seven 200m trains overnight, five in working at pace on that.” We did our homework. We simplified
sidings and two inside the shed at what was complicated.”
Temple Mills. Two tracks will be With the time to market cut from 10
required inside the shed for 16 hours of Standardised regulations to five years, Leriche was clear on the
daytime maintenance and eight hours While Evolyn seeks access to Temple size of the market that was waiting to
overnight. “We have received no Mills, its CEO acknowledged the work be tapped, noting that for journeys of 4
assurances from Eurostar that our needs that Channel Tunnel owner Getlink has hours in length modal share was split
can be met, although we do believe that done to encourage new entrants and equally between rail and air. “If it’s
capacity exists,” VTE Holdings says in simplify the process of obtaining access shorter than 4 hours, rail will win,” he
its Section 17 application to ORR. to its rail infrastructure. Getlink says it said. Leriche highlighted the potential
“We understand the position here has halved the time required to launch 4-hour journey time between London
that effectively, whenever you get a new services between Britian and and Cologne. “Rail is going to capture
market where you have the incumbent continental Europe. “I’d like to thank 50% of that market. It’s huge. It’s going
and you have people who want to break Getlink, because we have worked with to happen.” IRJ
 South America | Brazil

São Paulo boosts rail investment

The state government has launched the tender process for the transfer of three metro lines in São Paulo under
a PPP agreement, with the second phase of the InterCity Train (TIC) programme likely to follow suit in 2025.
Many other projects are also underway to serve the largest city in Brazil, as Renata Passos reports.

T
HE signing at the end of May of The Secretariat of Investment demand is 50,000 passengers per day.
the public-private partnership Partnerships (SPI), created in 2023 with Currently, the journey takes 1h 50min
(PPP) contract for the North Axis a focus on attracting private investment, minutes by car and 2h 10min by coach.
of the InterCity Train (TIC) project, to has prioritised the projects listed in the The establishment of a public-private
introduce inter-city services between São Paulo on the rails programme. The partnership (PPP), based on CPTM’s
São Paulo and Campinas, heralded the projects they believe should be route guidelines, is proposed. The scope
resumption of plans to build and delivered first include the other TIC of the current project includes feasibility
reopen to passenger services many projects radiating from São Paulo, and financial structuring reports. These
more rail lines in the state of São Paulo. which are the West Axis to Sorocaba, are being carried out by the International
The state is fortunate in having a the East Axis to São José dos Campos, Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the
government that intends to boost and the South Axis to Santos, as well as World Bank.
investment in rail through a wide extensions to and new construction of “We held the first tender this year, for
variety of projects. These are set out in a São Paulo Metropolitan Trains (CPTM) the TIC North Axis, and it showed the
formal programme - São Paulo on the commuter lines 10 and 14 (ABC Leste) market’s confidence in São Paulo’s rail
rails - which promises a total spend of and 11, 12 and 13 (Alto Tietê). projects,” says SPI secretary, Mr Rafael
Reais 194bn ($US 32.5bn) on over 40 Construction of four metro routes - Line Benini. “Our pipeline has attracted
projects, adding an additional 1000 km 16-Violet, Line 19-Sky Blue, Line 20-Pink interest from several players, who are
to the state’s rail network. and Line 22-Brown - are also listed as studying these projects diligently. I
“The state of São Paulo has grown and priorities, as well as light rail systems in believe we will be successful in the next
its large cities were born along the tracks,” Campinas and Sorocaba. The programme tenders we hold.”
says state governor Mr Tarcísio de Freitas. also includes projects that are still under One of these is likely to be the TIC
“The state government is making a major consideration, such as the São José dos East Axis, which will connect the cities
effort to resume investing in rail transport, Campos - Taubaté, Sorocaba - Campinas of São Paulo and São José dos Campos,
which is urgent and important. The - Ribeirão Preto and Campinas - with a project cost estimated at around
highways are increasingly congested, and Araraquara TICs, and further phases of Reais 10bn. Technical feasibility and
we need a sustainable solution that is in the Baixada Santista light rail project. financial structuring reports are already
line with what the world is doing. If we With an estimated investment value of underway. The total length of the line
are going to start resuming investing in Reais 8.5bn, the TIC West Axis will provide will be between 80km and 130km, with
passenger rail transport in Brazil, it has a rail connection between the state capital an estimated journey time of 1h 15min.
to happen in São Paulo. We have a and the city of Sorocaba. The 100km The TIC South Axis project, which
railway future that is being reborn, and journey will be completed in 1 hour and will connect the state capital with
that is going to happen in the state of there will be four stations, two in Santos, is estimated to cost around
São Paulo so that we can get the people Sorocaba, one in the city of São Roque Reais 15bn and has entered the project
of São Paulo back on the train.” and the other in São Paulo. Projected feasibility and business modelling
reports stage. The total length of the
Photo: Shuuterstock/Mattheus Obst

new line will be between 80km and

115km. The project, the most complex
due to its location in a mountainous
region, will relieve pressure on the
Anchieta - Imigrantes motorway
network, which is the main connection
between the city of São Paulo and
Baixada Santista metropolitan region
around the port of Santos and is subject
to increasingly heavy traffic.
Plans to add a new line to the São
Paulo metro network, Line 16-Violet,
are currently at the planning stage. The
32km line will have 25 stations and
connect the eastern part the capital,
Cidade Tiradentes, with the western
part at Oscar Freire station. The project
has gained momentum since August,
when the Spanish construction
company Acciona declared that it was
interested in taking on the construction
The government of São Paulo is committed to expanding the reach of rail to outer regions. and operation of the line.
20 IRJ The Railway in 2025
 The construction cost is estimated at São Paulo published the tender notice The São Paulo state government is
Reais 38.4bn, with a concession period that will transfer the administration and also conducting feasibility studies for a
of 30 years, including eight years for operation of CPTM lines 11-Coral, light rail line in Sorocaba, with a 25km
construction and 22 for operation. 12-Sapphire, 13-Jade and the Airport extension to the municipality of Iperó
The line is expected to serve more than Express to the private sector for the next and planned integration with the TIC
226.8 million passengers per year. 25 years. West Axis to São Paulo. The project is
Line 16 will have eight interchanges By establishing a PPP, the government expected to require investment of
with other metro lines: Line 1-Blue at wants the private sector to be responsible Reais 2.5bn and is forecast to create up
Ana Rosa, Line 2-Green at Ana Rosa for improving services on these lines. to 2000 new jobs.
and Anália Franco, Line 4-Yellow at The document foresees Reais 13.9bn in Phases 2 and 3 of the Baixada Santista
Oscar Freire, Line 10-Turquoise at São investment over the concession period. light rail network are also included in
Carlos, Line 14-Onyx at Santa This sum will be used to extend the the São Paulo on the rails priority list.
Marcelina, Line 15- Silver in Cidade lines, improve infrastructure such as With a total estimated cost of around
Tiradentes and the future Line 19-Sky overhead catenary, track and signalling, Reais 1bn, the new lines will be 15km
Blue at Jardim Paulista station. and build new stations and renovate long in total, connecting the
existing facilities. municipalities of Santos and São Vicente.

“
Proposals from interested parties will In early November 2024, the state
be opened at an auction on March 28 at government, through the Department of
the headquarters of the B3 stock Tourism and Travel, announced
exchange in São Paulo. The company or programmes to encourage tourism in
By establishing a PPP, consortium that offers the largest the state. One programme covers tourist
the government wants discount to the state will win the bid. trains, which will involve partnerships
At present, lines 11, 12 and 13 total with several other state government
the private sector to 102km with 29 stations. Under the PPP, departments and is likely to involve 23
the winning concessionaire will be different routes that will be integrated
be responsible for expected to add 22.6 km and eight new with other transport modes.
stations, bringing the total network to According to the Tourism Economy
improving services on 124.6km and 37 stations. According to Intelligence Centre, tourist trains in the
Benini, the transition to private state currently generate approximately
these lines. operation is expected to take two years, Reais 150m every year. If the new
during which time training and programmes are fully implemented, the
operations will be undertaken by CPTM. centre estimates that tourist trains could
Concessions for existing Line 10-Turquoise generate Reais 1.8bn over the next 10 years.
and the future Line 14-Onyx are in the “Tourist trains transform urban and rural
Also known as the Park Line, Line 16 final stages of preparation. Both are landscapes, benefiting the municipalities
will have stations close to the Ibirapuera, intended to provide better transport through which they pass,” says Mr
Aclimação and Independência parks, connections in the eastern part of São Roberto de Lucena, secretary of the
strengthening cultural activities and Paulo. Line 10, which is around 35km State Secretariat of Tourism and Travel.
leisure in São Paulo. long with 14 stations, will have a radial Tourist trains already operating in the
Further expansion of the metro connection with new Line 14, which state of São Paulo include the São Paulo
network includes the implementation of will extend to 32km with 22 stations, - Paranapiacaba express train, in the
lines 19-Sky Blue, 20-Pink and 22-Brown. linking the eastern municipalities of district of Santo André, the Republic
The São Paulo metro network currently Santo André and Guarulhos. Investment train, connecting Salto to Itu, and the
extends to 101.1km, with 35.8km of in both lines is estimated to total Guararema train. One of the routes to
extensions considered to be priorities. Reais 18bn and the concession is be opened up under the new programme
Like several other proposed rail expected to last 30 years. The approximate is the Mantiqueira Express, connecting
projects, PPPs are being considered as a demand for both lines is projected to be the municipality of Cruzeiro with the
way of delivering the new metro lines. 940,000 passengers per day. Preliminary Passa Quatro tourist train, in Minas
Line 19 will connect Line 3-Red to the studies were carried out by IFC. Gerais, via the 1932 Revolution Tunnel.
city of Guarulhos and will be 15.8km Another new route at the planning
long with 15 stations. Line 20 will stage is Santos - Cajati, that will run for
connect the Lapa region and Santo Light rail 198km through the Ribeira Valley, an
André and will be 30km long with 24 The Campinas light rail project will area of preserved Atlantic forest and a
stations. Line 22 will have 19 stations connect the city centre to Viracopos tropical rainforest biome. The new
distributed between the cities of São International Airport and also to the service has the potential to meet the needs
Paulo, Osasco and Cotia, with a length municipalities of Hortolândia and of both tourists and local residents,
of 29km. Preparatory studies are being Sumaré. It will be 44km long with 18 connecting municipalities along the
carried out by IFC. stops, requiring investment estimated at route and providing a unique
“We will package the extensions of Reais 4.5bn. The new line, which is experience of the natural world. The
Line 2 in the capital, Line 4 to Taboão currently at the feasibility study stage, route would begin in Santos and follow
da Serra, Line 5 to Jardim Ângela, Line will connect with the TIC North Axis the former Santos - Cajati railway,
6 to Mooca, and Line 9 to Água Branca, and the InterMetropolitan Train (TIM) passing through towns on the southern
in addition to the concessions of lines between Campinas and Jundiaí that is coast such as Praia Grande, Mongaguá,
10, 11, 12, 13 and 14,” Benini says. to be introduced under the PPP contract Itanhaém and Peruíbe, before entering
On December 3, the government of for the North Axis. the Ribeira Valley. IRJ
IRJ The Railway in 2025 21