Press releases
The First Ever Independent Scheduled Long-Distance Passenger Rail Service Departs from Belgium
A few days ago, history was made in Belgian passenger rail: European Sleeper was the first independently owned scheduled long-distance rail operator to depart from Belgium. Its new night train is commercially driven - not a Public Service Obligation (PSO) - and links Belgium, the Netherlands with Berlin in Germany.
FS Trenitalia Ha Paura Di Competere Con Deutsche Bahn (DB) In Germania?
Negli ultimi anni, l'operatore ferroviario italiano Trenitalia ha dimostrato che la concorrenza tra diversi operatori statali dell'alta velocità sugli stessi binari ha portato a una rapida crescita del numero di passeggeri. Questa è un'ottima notizia per il trasferimento modale verso la ferrovia.
Inoltre, nel prossimo futuro, Trenitalia prevede di gestire treni ad alta velocità anche per la Germania.
In questo caso, però, Trenitalia stipulerà un accordo con l'operatore storico tedesco di proprietà statale Deutsche Bahn ("DB"). Perché? Trenitalia ha troppa paura di competere in Germania?
Hat die italienische Staatsbahn Angst davor, der Deutschen Bahn (DB) Konkurrenz zu machen?
In den letzten Jahren hat Italiens Staatbahn „FS Trenitalia“ mehrfach bewiesen, dass der Wettbewerb zwischen verschiedenen Hochgeschwindigszügen im Staatsbesitz auf genau denselben Strecken zu einem schnellen Anstieg der Fahrgastzahlen geführt hat. Dies ist eine sehr gute Nachricht für die Verkehrsverlagerung auf die Schiene in der EU!
Nun plant Trenitalia in den nächsten Jahren damit zu beginnen, Hochgeschwindigkeitszüge auch nach Deutschland zu betreiben.
Doch überraschenderweise wird Trenitalia bei diesen neuen Zugdiensten mit der DB zu kollaborieren. Warum ist das so? Hat Trenitalia zu viel Angst vor dem Wettbewerb in Deutschland?
Is FS Trenitalia Afraid Of Competing With Deutsche Bahn (DB) In Germany?
In recent years, Italy's state-owned rail incumbent, FS Trenitalia, has proved that competition between different state-owned high-speed operators on the same tracks has led to fast growth in the number of rail passengers. This is great news for modal shift to rail.
Furthermore, in the near future, Trenitalia plans to operate high-speed trains to Germany as well.
But surprisingly Trenitalia's will enter into a collusion agreement with the German state-owned incumbent Deutsche Bahn (‘DB’) instead. Why is this? Is Trenitalia too afraid to compete in Germany?
Just 17 Euros Can Help Feed A Ukrainian Railway Worker’s Family In The Warzone – And 24,000 More Families Need This Help
Today, the Ukraine Global Rail Task Force continues its campaign to provide food for railway workers at the frontline of Russia’s War of Aggression.
Recently, €100,000 of donations were spent on food packages that are currently being distributed to 6,000 rail workers. Unfortunately, there are still 24,000 more railway workers on the frontline who have not received one yet. Therefore: even more financial donations are needed.
EU Train Drivers’ Directive Language Reform – We Need One Europe and One Railway
ALLRAIL very much welcomes that the EU Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport will definitively publish a proposal for the recast of the Train Drivers’ Directive (2007/59/EC) including reform of the cross-border language regime.
It is however high time that one of the major barriers to standardisation in the Single European Railway Area be removed: international train drivers need a single language.
Despite 70% Of Funding For Passenger Rail Coming From EU Citizens (via Taxes), Less Than Half Of Cross-Border Rail Options Are Easy To Buy At One Single Ticket Vendor – As In the Example of Cologne to Lille
Travelling by train between Cologne in Germany and Lille in France (or vice-versa) is a very good example of the current fragmentation in EU passenger rail ticketing.
Indeed, less than half (43%) of the cross-border connecting rail journeys that are actually operating can be booked online in a single transaction at the same 'One Stop Shop' ticket vendor.
The remaining connecting rail journeys are deliberately being hidden from passengers - despite EU taxpayers funding 70% of passenger rail.
Global Ukraine Rail Task Force Heads to Ukraine to Hand Over 1st Donation Cheque – But Even More Is Needed
6 April 2023: This week, representatives of the Global Ukraine Rail Task Force and its donors travelled to Kyiv at the invitation of Ukrainian Railways (“UZ”) to present a cheque to the value of €100,000 to the Ukrainian Trade Union of Railwaymen and -women, in order to purchase 6,000 food packages that are currently being distributed to railway workers and their families at the frontline of the war.
GERMANY: Cartel Office Must Reject Too Weak Ticketing Commitments By DB
Back in April 2022, the German Federal Cartel Office clearly identified several anti-competitive rail ticketing practices by both the market dominant operator and the market dominant ticket vendor in Germany, DB, that are designed to suppress the growth of the rail sector and prevent achieving the goals of the EU Green Deal.
It now appears that the commitments to rectify these offered by DB fall very short of fair and reasonable commercial terms and would not allow independent ‘One-Stop Shop’ Multimodal Digital Mobility Service (MDMS) platforms to create sustainable business models for impartial rail ticketing across Europe.
Polska: Podwójne Standardy Polskiego Regulatora
10 czerwca 2022 u Prezesa Urzędu Transportu Kolejowego zostało złożonych 14 powiadomień o nowych usługach komercyjnych, które mają być prowadzone przez przewoźnika świadczącego równocześnie głównie przewozy o charakterze służby publicznej (PSO).
Do połowy marca 2023, Urząd opublikował łącznie 11 decyzji wraz z najważniejszą z całego pakietu wniosków. Ostatnia decyzja dotycząca połączeń w relacji Kołobrzeg–Przemyśl Główny–Kołobrzeg jest jednak szczególna, bowiem dotyczy zawoalowanej przez przewoźnika, najbardziej lukratywnej na polskim rynku kolejowym trasy Gdynia Główna - Kraków Główny - Gdynia Główna, na której PKP Intercity uzyskało możliwość prowadzenia 16 par pociągów. Po raz kolejny państwowe pociągi komercyjne PKP Intercity nie zagrażają pociągom dotowanym, natomiast podobne, mniej liczne pociągi przewoźników komercyjnych stanowią zagrożenie wręcz niewyobrażalne.
POLAND: Once Again, The Polish Rail Regulator UTK Excels In Blatant Double Standards
On 10th June 2022, 14 applications for new commercially driven services were filed by the Polish long-distance state-owned rail incumbent PKP Intercity with the President of the Polish rail regulator UTK.
UTK always acts astonishingly fast for PKP Intercity: by mid-March 2023, UTK had already published a total of 11 decisions. However, UTK’s latest decision on the long-distance services between Kołobrzeg and Przemyśl route is unique, as it concerns the most lucrative commercially driven route in Poland, between Gdynia and Kraków, for which UTK has allowed PKP Intercity to run 16 pairs of trains.
So - yet again - we witness the double standard of the Polish rail regulator UTK. It decides that state-owned incumbent PKP Intercity's commercially driven trains pose no threat to subsidised PSO trains on the same route, whilst similar but less frequent commercially driven services applied for by independent operators allegedly pose a huge threat to PSO services.
Rather than continuing to decide against independent operators, UTK now needs to be investigated itself - for consistently biased behaviour in favour of PKP Intercity.
USA: in Land of Enterprise, it is competition between different operators that will maximize the benefits of high-speed rail
This week, the American Public Transport Association (APTA)'s High-Speed Rail Seminar event in Washington DC will be an excellent opportunity to highlight the large net positive benefit of high-speed rail for the US economy and society. However, in order to get there, the usage of the new high-speed rail infrastructure should be maximized. This can only be achieved by promoting competition between different high-speed operators from the beginning of operations.
Maroc : tous les modes de transport sont ouverts à la concurrence, sauf le transport ferroviaire de voyageurs
Cette semaine, une conférence internationale sur le train à grande vitesse se tient à Marrakech. Cette conférence illustre les efforts déployés par le Maroc pour s'imposer comme le leader de l'Afrique et du monde arabe dans ce domaine.
Cependant, nous constatons qu'au Maroc, seul le transport ferroviaire de voyageurs demeure sous le contrôle d'un seul opérateur : l'ONCF.
Malheureusement, l'expérience d'autres pays montre que ce modèle ne permettra pas de maximiser les avantages du train à grande vitesse. Au contraire, c'est l'ouverture du marché et la concurrence entre les différents opérateurs qui permettront d'optimiser l'utilisation du train à grande vitesse pour l'ensemble de la société marocaine.
Morocco: all other forms of transport are liberalised, except for passenger rail
This week, an international conference on high-speed rail is being held in Marrakech. This conference illustrates Morocco's efforts to establish itself as the leader in Africa and the Arab world in this field.
However, we note that in Morocco, only passenger rail transport remains under the control of a single operator: the ONCF.
Unfortunately, experience in other countries shows that this model will not maximise the benefits of high-speed rail. On the contrary, it is the opening up of the market and competition between the different operators that will optimise the use of high-speed rail for the whole of Moroccan society.
[Global Ukraine Rail Task Force] 365 days since the Russian invasion: History will not forget the courage of the Ukrainian rail sector
24 February 2023: Today marks one year since the start of Russia's brutal invasion, and the Global Ukraine Rail Task Force pledges to continue its efforts to strengthen the Ukraine Rail sector. We look back with a sense of disbelief at the horrors the people of Ukraine have had to endure this past year. At the same time, we recognise with great pride the bravery courage and endurance Ukrainians have demonstrated. They have inspired the world as they continue to overcome all odds.
EU Multimodal Digital Mobility Services proposal should be targeted at the average EU citizen – and not the wealthy
Searching and buying tickets for trips combining different means of transport is difficult in the EU. That is why the upcoming proposal on Multimodal Digital Mobility Services (MDMS) must better integrate ground public transport and rail services to achieve seamless multimodal passenger transport, delivering on the CO2 reduction goals in the EU Green Deal.
Therefore, it is astonishing that the least sustainable transport mode – aviation – is not only involved, but it is driving the agenda. Not only that: the first multimodal products primarily serve The Wealthy. MDMS urgently needs to reconsider its purpose and who it is meant to serve.
Members of AERRL and ALLRAIL with new PLEDGE to finance and operate newly built or second-hand rolling stock
A meeting between lessors in AERRL and independent railway operators in ALLRAIL leads to a new PLEDGE to actively contribute to help launch new commercial rail offers for passengers through maximum availability of passenger rolling stock. At the end of the discussion, it appears that the market forces must remember the essential conditions necessary for the good development of the offer and thus of the market share of rail.
SJ använder svenska skattepengar till orättvis konkurrens mot Snälltåget
Trafikverket bör ta ansvar för den av SJ nyligen aviserade offensiven mot det privatägda järnvägsföretaget Snälltåget. Det svenska statliga järnvägsföretaget SJ, har nämligen meddelat att man kommer att kopiera Snälltågets nattåg mellan Stockholm – Berlin, genom att förlänga sin, av svenska skattebetalare subventionerade nattågstrafik Stockholm – Hamburg till Berlin. Detta utgör en olaglig korssubventionering.
Trafikverket to blame for state-owned SJ using Swedish PSO subsidy for unfair competition in EU night train market
The Swedish Transport Authority Trafikverket should take responsibility for the recently announced offensive against the privately owned operator Snälltåget by the Swedish state-owned rail incumbent SJ. Namely, SJ has announced that it will compete with Snälltåget´s commercially driven night train between Stockholm and Berlin by extending its taxpayer-funded Stockholm – Hamburg night train service to Berlin. This represents an illegal cross-subsidy.
Le 60ème anniversaire du Traité de l’Élysée devrait être l’occasion de célébrer l’espace ferroviaire unique européen, et non un nouveau monopole ferroviaire transfrontalier
Dimanche dernier (22 janvier) fut célébré le 60ème anniversaire du traité d'amitié entre la France et l'Allemagne. Les deux pays font partie intégrante de l'Union européenne et du marché unique européen. Il est donc surprenant que leurs deux opérateurs ferroviaires publics marquent cet évènement en créant conjointement un nouveau monopole de trains à grande vitesse.
European rail sector’s joint statement on the revised Taxonomy Delegated Acts
ALLRAIL, together with the Community of the European Railways and Infrastructure Companies (CER), the European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM), the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA), the International Union of Wagon Keepers (UIP) and the European Rail Supply Industry (UNIFE), issued recommendations to the European Commission regarding its proposal for amending the Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act and the Taxonomy Disclosures Delegated Act.
We, the European rail sector, reaffirm our readiness to work with EU Institutions to make the EU Taxonomy successful.
[Joint Statement] Multimodal Digital Mobility Services – Ambition needed to increase consumer choice and ease sustainable travel
The undersigned organisations, representing diverse interests from across the mobility sector (such as consumers, business travelers, rail new entrants, travel intermediaries) express their strong support for the EU Commission's upcoming initiative on a Regulation on Multimodal Digital Mobility Services (MDMS).
However, we voice our strong concerns regarding the presented scope of obligations for transport operators. To fully achieve its ambitious objectives, the MDMS Regulation must cover relevant players of all modes, meaning those with a certain degree of market power.
Sector statement on Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC)
On 21 September 2022 at the Innotrans trade fair in Berlin, the European railway sector (including ALLRAIL) handed over the Sector Statement on Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) to the European Commission, represented by DG MOVE's Director General Henrik Hololei.
This Sector Statement on the DAC showcases the need and the advantages to roll-out this innovative device across the European railway system in an accelerated and concerted manner, presents the commitment of the European railway sector and calls the European Commission, the Members States and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) to action.
‘Belgium’s approach to encouraging night trains should be emulated across Europe’
The Belgian measure in which night train operators will pay nothing for track access fees and energy over the next two years should be adopted across Europe, says ALLRAIL, which represents new entrants in passenger rail. The organisation celebrates the launch of European Sleeper last week, the “first ever – independently owned – scheduled long-distance rail operator to depart from Belgium”.
Interview des Generalsekretärs von ALLRAIL, Nick Brook, mit dem Tagesspiegel
Nick Brooks setzt sich in Brüssel dafür ein, den We bewerb auf der Schiene in Europa schneller einzuführen –und muss sich dort gegen die Staatsbahnlobby durchsetzen. In Sachen Liberalisierung ist für ihn nicht sein Heimatland Großbritannien das Vorbild, sondern Tschechien.
Nick Brooks: Warnung vor „Kartell”
Auf der Bahnstrecke Berlin–Paris ist man über acht Stunden unterwegs, ein- bis zweimaliges Umsteigen inbegrif- fen. Das soll sich ändern. Ende dieses Jahres, spätestens 2024, soll eine direk- te Hochgeschwindigkeitsverbindung eröffnet werden. Reisezeit: deutlich un- ter acht Stunden. Kritiker befürchten allerdings Mono- pole. Nick Brooks, Generalsekretär des Allrail-Verbands, der sich in Brüssel für mehr Wettbewerb im Schienenverkehr einsetzt, warnt vor einem „Kartell“. Er fragt: „Warum können (oder wollen) das größte Bahnunternehmen Europas (die DB) und das zweitgrößte (die SNCF) nicht miteinander konkurrieren?“ Es sei nämlich gerade der Wettbewerb, der die Schiene attraktiv mache.
France: How one European country is planning a ‘rail revolution’
ALLRAIL welcomes France's drive to expand its high-speed rail infrastructure to accelerate modal shift to rail.
However, like we stressed in the article, the only way to take full advantage of this is to make SNCF face more competition.
Podwójne standardy UTK przy przyznawaniu otwartego dostępu?
Stowarzyszenie ALLRAIL przeanalizowało ostatnie decyzje Prezesa Urzędu Transportu Kolejowego dotyczące przyznania otwartego dostępu do infrastruktury. Zdaniem Stowarzyszenia, decyzje te dostarczają dalszych dowodów na potwierdzenie tezy o podwójnych standardach stosowanych w stosunku do przewoźników.
ALLRAIL: Podwójne standardy UTK w kwestii otwartego dostępu
Po raz kolejny państwowe pociągi komercyjne PKP Intercity nie zagrażają pociągom dotowanym, natomiast podobne, mniej liczne pociągi przewoźników komercyjnych stanowią zagrożenie wręcz niewyobrażalne - komentuje decyzje Urzędu Transportu Kolejowego europejskie stowarzyszenie prywatnych przewoźników kolejowych ALLRAIL.
Wettbewerber kritisieren Staatsbahn-Expansionen
Der europäische Perso- nenverkehr-Wettbewerberverband Allrail sieht die Verlängerung der Nachtzuglinie Stockholm – Hamburg der schwedischen SJ bis Berlin skeptisch.
Développer le leasing pour soutenir les projets des nouveaux entrants
L’Association des loueurs européens de matériel roulant ferroviaire AERRL et l’association des opérateurs indépendants ALLRAIL se sont concertés au sujet de la problématique de fourniture de véhicules pour faciliter le lancement de nouveaux services de transport de passagers. Cela ne concerne que les projets en open access, et non les contrats de service publics, pour lesquels on opte pratiquement toujours pour du matériel neuf.
Klart att SJ börjar köra nattåg till Berlin – konkurrenten kritisk
SJ har nu släppt de första biljetterna till nattåget som den 31 mars börjar gå till Berlin från Stockholm.
Samtidigt anser Snälltåget, som kör samma sträcka, att villkoren är orättvisa.
– SJ får statliga pengar för samma sträcka som vi kör, säger marknadschefen Marco Andersson.
ALLRAIL: Sweden’s night train subsidy for Stockholm – Berlin is unfair competition
ALLRAIL says plans by Swedish state-owned operator SJ to extend its night train Stockholm-Hamburg to Berlin will cause unfair competition, as operator Snälltåget runs night trains on that same route on a commercial basis. This while SJ is receiving PSO funding from the state, “Illegal cross-subsidy”, says ALLRAIL.
Pociągi są za drogie, bo PKP boi się konkurencji
Wnioski zagranicznych przewoźników o dostęp do polskich torów są albo odrzucane przez UTK, albo rozpatrywane tak długo, aż potencjalni rywale PKP InterCity sami je wycofają.
Study proposes massive expansion of Europe’s high speed rail network
A master plan for massive expansion of the high speed rail network has been proposed by the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking in co-operation with the Community of European Railways, supply industry association UNIFE and the AllRail association of new entrants to the passenger market.
ALLRAIL odpowiada UTK. „Urząd kreuje pozory otwarcia rynku kolejowego”
Europejskie stowarzyszenie reprezentujące niezależnych przewoźników pasażerskich odniosło się do odpowiedzi prezesa UTK na zarzuty dotyczące blokowania otwarcia rynku kolejowego w Polsce. – Stanowisko Prezesa UTK jest doskonałym odzwierciedleniem fasadowości działań urzędu – pisze ALLRAIL i przedstawia zebrane przez siebie statystyki.
ALLRAIL: Podwyżki cen biletów IC to wina braku konkurencji
Polski rynek jest zamknięty na cztery spusty, nie istnieje żadna przeciwwaga dla tego, do czego może doprowadzić protekcjonizm państwowy. Zalicza się do tego również wzrost cen biletów – pisze w dzisiejszym komentarzu do podwyżki cen biletów PKP Intercity międzynarodowe stowarzyszenie prywatnych operatorów kolejowych ALLRAIL.
‘Train Over Plane’: ALLRAIL’s Campaign to Decarbonise the Transport Sector. Here’s All You Need to Know
ALLRAIL and the online travel comparison and booking portal Omio are partners in a new campaign to replace short-haul flights with rail to decarbonise the transport sector. SilverRail Technologies spearheaded the campaign, and ten other organisations are partnering with it as well.
Spain’s new high-speed trains make it Europe’s rail capital
Yesterday was the launch of iryo, first privately owned high-speed rail operator in Spain
MADRID, Spain - Yesterday morning, at 10.25 am Central European Time (CET), the inaugural service of iryo departed from Madrid to Valencia. iryo is the first privately owned high-speed rail operator in Spain.
Spanish Iryo takes off with inaugural journey
The 21st of November was a major milestone for the Spanish high-speed rail competition, as the inaugural train of operator Iryo took off. Secretary General Nick Brooks was on the inaugural service of the operator, saying: “It is great to see how commercially driven Open Access services – such as Iryo – are making long-distance rail more attractive and winning travellers away from less sustainable transport modes, namely airlines and cars.”
Open access should replace inter-city franchising, says independent operators’ association
A fully-commercial open-access model should replace government contracts for the provision of long-distance services in Great Britain, according to the Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants.
Online Press Event: Smart and Affordable High-Speed Services in the European Union
Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking - in collaboration with ALLRAIL, CER and UNIFE - is kicking-off 2023 with a dedicated online joint press event exploring the main findings coming from the ‘Smart and Affordable High-Speed Services in the European Union’ study. The event will take place on 23 January at 11:00 CET, online.
ALLRAIL Secretary General speaks at RailTech Live event on EU rail ticketing system
On 14th December, ALLRAIL Secretary General Nick Brooks participated in RailTech's event "A seamless European rail ticketing system" in Rotterdam.
ALLRAIL’s State of Market Opening reception was a success
On the 1st December 2022, ALLRAIL held the first event in its new office: the State of Market Opening reception.
ALLRAIL presentation on international passenger rail transport: How to stimulate international passenger rail?
Arthur Kamminga presented ALLRAIL vision on the topic of "How to stimulate international passenger rail?" at the Hearing on European support for international passenger rail transport at the Commission for Mobility of the Belgian House of Representatives, taking place on 17th December 2019 at the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium.
ALLRAIL Podcast Series | #1 Introduction
ALLRAIL's Secretary General Nick Brooks introduces to our new ALLRAIL podcast series, in which we will discuss the latest policy developments in passenger rail transport in Europe.
ALLRAIL online press conference (23rd September) – Passenger rail facing the second wave of COVID-19
Fair competition in the rail sector is crucial to securing EU climate change goals and sustainable recovery
Panelists: Erich Forster, President ALLRAIL & CEO WESTbahn
Christian Schreyer, Vice-President ALLRAIL & Transdev CEO for North & Central Europe
Nick Brooks, Secretary General ALLRAIL
Podcast: ALLRAIL members on The Comeback of Night Trains in Europe
• Aleš Ondrůj, Senior Director Communications, RegioJet
• Carl Adam Holmberg, Head of Snälltåget
• Nick Brooks, Secretary General ALLRAIL
• Barbora Mičková, Policy Officer ALLRAIL
-> Recorded 17th June 2020
Links:
• YouTube
• Podcast (Spotify)
Podcast: Passenger rail after COVID-19: Update from the Member States, YouTube & Podcast discussion
After COVID-19 webinar in April 2020 ALLRAIL issued a discussion on YouTube and Podcast channels.
First episode on the impact of COVID-19 on our members:
• YouTube - Key points (10min.)
• YouTube Full version (50min.)
• Podcast (Spotify)
• Podcast (Apple)
• Podcast (Google)