The contract will start in July 2026 and may run for up to 15 years.
Further trains will enter service in stages during 2026.
The figure represents an increase of 0.9 percentage points compared with 2024, despite extensive infrastructure works and a high volume of special services.
Lithuanian passenger operator LTG Link carried 5.9 million passengers in 2025, up by around 350,000 compared with the previous year. Growth was driven mainly by domestic routes and rising international demand.
The additional frequency will strengthen links between Paris and major Grand Est cities.
At least two dozens people were killed and several others injured when two high-speed passenger trains derailed and collided on Sunday evening near Adamuz in southern Spain. The crash forced the suspension of rail traffic between Madrid and Andalucía.
The service replaces existing České dráhy rolling stock, some of which dates back several decades, and follows infrastructure upgrades on the corridor.
The reductions are attributed to operational reasons.
The network will connect 11 cities and regions across the Emirates via a series of purpose-built stations, forming the country’s first integrated national passenger rail system.
The Ontario government has confirmed the arrival of the first of three new Northlander trainsets, a step in preparations for restoring passenger rail services between Toronto and Northern Ontario.
Railway officials stated that about a dozen Vande Bharat Sleeper trains are expected to be built and introduced into service by the end of 2026, with additional trains under construction and planned for deployment on other long-haul corridors.
The service between Brussels and Paris started operations on 19 December 2024.
Series of announcements from US transport authorities illustrate differing approaches to commuter and regional rail services, ranging from record ridership growth to service restructuring and major operating contract procurement.
Tallinn–Tartu–Riga connection introduced and electric trains start running to Tapa.
VR has expanded its rail operations in Sweden following the start of new traffic contracts in both the southern and northern parts of the country.
Germany’s long-distance rail services reached a historic low in punctuality in 2025. According to figures reported by BILD, only 60.1% of Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance trains arrived on time, marking the weakest annual result on record.
Passenger rail services in the Île-de-France region will see further changes in 2026, with adjustments to service levels and continued fleet renewal on several corridors.
The latest introduction forms part of the wider Arterio rollout that is reshaping capacity on weekday peak services.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia have presented plans for a high-speed electric passenger railway connecting their two capitals, Doha and Riyadh.
The scope of the contract includes the supply of the trainsets, maintenance services for each vehicle over a period of 30 years, and the delivery of a dedicated technical maintenance facility.