IN-DEPTH FOCUS

High-Speed Rail

2 Maintaining momentum
for high-speed rail in 2017
Torkel Patterson, Vice-Chairman, International High
Speed Rail Association (IHRA)

3 BB Railjet
technology that moves
Kurt Bauer, Head of High-Speed &
Long-Distance Services, BB

6 High-speed rail state

of play and vision for
European development
Violeta Bulc, European Commissioner for Transport

8 Polands modern Express

InterCity Premium trains
Marek Chraniuk, President of the Board, PKP InterCity

11 ROUNDTABLE
With industry expert participants

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HIGH-SPEED RAIL
IN-DEPTH FOCUS INTRODUCTION
Maintaining
momentum for high-
speed rail in 2017
With 2017 up and running, high-speed rail projects are promising progress on a number of fronts.
Torkel Patterson Vice-Chairman of the International High Speed Rail Association (IHRA) provides an
overview of what were likely to see this year and beyond.
The leaders of Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to move forward
with their 350km line with a unique operational structure and finance
approach and should be in a position to offer construction bids this year.
The construction of the worlds fastest high speed line the roughly
450km Chuo Shinkansen by Central Japan Railway has begun its civil
works in underground locations along the route between Tokyo and
Nagoya and has been assigned 25 billion in government loans to
expedite the civil construction between Nagoya and Osaka. In addition,
India is finalising the details of its 505km MumbaiAhmadabad route
with Japan, while China continues improvements to allow higher speeds
and more frequent travel along its ever-expanding network.
The U.S. has several projects (California, Texas, North-East Corridor)
that could be significantly energised, depending on the new Trump
Administrations implementation of promised financing for high-speed
rail and its implementation of Buy American policies. In order for the
projects to make progress, the new Administration will need to find
the right balance between federal and state or private financing and
between American expectations of Buy American against the realities
of global technological developments.
In the face of Brexit the UK continues to move ahead with HS2,
which could allow interoperable service between the continent to
Birmingham and eventually beyond. Similarly, Spain, France and
Germany continue to expand and improve their rail service and there is
discussion of new higher high-speed rail services between Moscow and
St. Petersburg.
Looking to the future, what can be done to ensure the continued
viability of high-speed rail? What are the issues that need to be tackled in
order to ensure that high-speed rail continues to flourish into the future?
Of the utmost importance must surely be the absolute, and almost
reverent, commitment to safety. The public must know that their journey
will be 100% safe. As higher speeds are sought, and the frequency of
service improves, automatic train control systems, fail-safe designs and
as much dedicated line as possible must be the norm for construction
and operation. Regular train maintenance must be at the highest
level and civil side maintenance cannot be allowed to endanger safety;
either by lack of funds or less than strict effort. This is the basis of public
faith in high-speed rail and this trust cannot be violated. Managers that
European Railway Review
2 VOLUME 23, ISSUE 1, 2017
believe that accidents will happen must change their way of thinking
to be intolerant to the slightest hint of personnel or material failure.
Persuading the public of the economic viability of high-speed rail will
become more difficult as budgets are squeezed, in the event that world
growth stagnates as predicted. In practice this means separating as much
as possible the operational viability of the operator from government
investments in high-speed rail construction. While a nominal lease fee can
be applied, repayment of the entire amount of construction should not be
required. Otherwise, the projects will perpetually be in debt. The new
projects in Japan, Singapore-Malaysia, and India follow this approach.
The cost versus economic benefit of construction and operational success
are significantly improved on all of these projects by their integration of
station oriented development from the start.
Perhaps the most difficult nut to crack will be the necessity to
globalise the high-speed rail supply chain. While most countries like
to think of their rail manufacturers as their pride and joy and rightly so
in many cases to advance high-speed rail globally will require that new
players be introduced and developed, especially in the large integrators
supply chains. We have seen this abundantly with Chinas entry to the
high-speed rail market and we will see a similar phenomenon as India
expands its market.
The Trump Administrations commitment to free trade, or lack of, will
determine the success of the U.S. high-speed rail market in the years to
come. A flexible policy will allow foreign manufacturers to expand
their presence in America to accommodate a growing market.
A highly restrictive Buy America policy will cause projects to be delayed
or cancelled.
Safety, operational business viability, expanded and enhanced
station oriented development and global supply chain development, are
the keys to a successful high-speed rail future. We look forward to seeing
progress on all fronts in 2017!
Torkel Patterson is also a Director of Central Japan Railway Company
(JRC) and The NorthEast Maglev (TNEM). Torkel was previously President
at Raytheon International Inc., and served in a variety of posts in the U.S.
government in three administrations, including Special Assistant to the
President for Asia. Torkel graduated from the United States Naval Academy
and was an Olmsted Scholar at the University of Tsukuba in Ibaraki, Japan.
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Copyright: Harald Eisenberger
BB Railjet
technology that moves
Railjet is the most modern high-speed train in BBs fleet and connects the whole of Austria with Germany,
Switzerland, Hungary and the Czech Republic (and from 2018 with Italy as well) at up to 230km/h on a regular
schedule. Here BBs Head of High-Speed and Long-Distance Services, Kurt Bauer, explains that passengers
travel at the highest levels of comfort and can also take advantage of a new and improved Wi-Fi system including
service and infotainment offerings on all Railjets equipped with Railnet.
The Railjet consists of short-coupled Siemens Viaggio Comfort
wagons and Siemens ES64U2 (1116) or Siemens ES64U4 (1216) loco-
motives. Thus, the Railjet ranks among the fastest trains hauled by
locomotives in the world. According to TSI, the Railjet ranks among
TSI class II high-speed trains. Furthermore, every train features up to
four country-specific train protection systems as well as ETCS.
The best from the world of locomotive-hauled
trains and traction units
Contrary to other railway companies, BB does not rely on electric
multiple units for its high-speed connections, but on locomotive-hauled
push-pull trains. That means the locomotive pushes or pulls the trainset.
Wheelchair users always travel in First Class on BB services
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HIGH-SPEED RAIL
IN-DEPTH FOCUS
They can therefore be pulled by existing locomotives. This concept
allows for the quick replacement of a traction unit in the event of failure
or required maintenance. The trainset thus remains in service and
continues to be available. A Railjet consists of several wagons
connected to one another by means of a centre rod coupling and
featuring normal screw couplings at the ends. Owing to the rigid
coupling between the wagons, the wagons could be equipped with
wider, pressure-tight gangway connections.
Railjet thus combines the characteristics of multiple units with those
of normal locomotive-hauled trains. In the workshop the trainset can be
shortened or extended by individual wagons and adapted to traffic
volumes on individual routes in a better way. However, BB relies on
the advantages of combining with conventional passenger
carriages. In times of high traffic volumes, Railjets are coupled
with ordinary passenger coaches and can therefore contrary
to motor train sets be adapted to demand. Routes with
particularly high passenger volumes are served with tandem
Railjet sets. Despite its classic push-pull train technology, their
interior offers the same comfort as motor train sets without
having gangway doors between the wagons.
Highest levels of comfort
Railjets convince by means of their premium equipment
together with a well-designed service concept with an
Copyright: BB/Deopito
Austrian flair. On journeys heading towards Austria, high-
quality catering in the restaurant car gives international
passengers an indication of the culinary delicacies that await
them in Austria. Railjet offers three classes tailored to
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HIGH-SPEED RAIL
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individual customer needs. The most luxurious is Business

Copyright: Harald Eisenberger

Class, which features spacious single leather seats with a
novel seat arrangement that offers a high degree of privacy.
First Class with its typical features of Central European first
class offers customers the additional option of having food
and beverages served directly to their seat. Economy Class is
the premium alternative to the conventional second class.
Both Economy and First Class offer a quiet area where talking
on the phone, for instance, is prohibited.
Railjet features two places for wheelchairs and a toilet for
passengers with impaired mobility travelling in First Class.
Wheelchair users board the train via a lift attached to the
vehicle. At BB passengers who accompany wheelchair users
Railjet is the most modern high-speed train in BBs fleet
and wheelchair users themselves always travel First Class and
thus enjoy at-seat service, which can be requested by means of a service cosy as it is safe and luxurious. Railjets design concept has been
call button. The access doors feature high-contrast labelling and tactile developed for a long product life cycle and thus exhibits a subtle and
controls as well as an acoustic door finding sound. Three folding seats clear design language.
for guide dogs in Economy Class complete the offer for passengers with
impaired mobility on Railjet trains. Railnet world class connectivity
From spring 2017 all Railjets will feature at least five bicycle parking All BB Railjet passengers benefit from Railnet a new on-board
spaces. The sets purchased most recently even allow for the carriage of entertainment portal allowing them to access information about the
seven bicycles. The family car, which is equipped with a childrens train and the journey as well as more than 120 ORF (Austrian
cinema and two pushchair parking spaces, is particularly popular with Broadcasting Corporation) on-demand shows. On-board Wi-Fi which
children and their parents. The open car features noise-insulating is free for all passengers provides a powerful connection enabling
partition walls made from glass to keep the noise level at the most passengers to watch films and TV series in premium quality. This makes
pleasant level possible. Railjet trains not just a comfortable but also an entertaining way to
travel. Together with its partners, BB, as one of the first railway
Good for the environment companies, offered live TV coverage on selected trains: 66 hours of
Railjet is one of the most environmentally-friendly means of transport in football matches were shown live during EURO 2016 on its trains.
Austria. It produces extremely low amounts of pollution and is thus as To allow for the implementation of these new services, all BB
modern and ecological as possible. Its energy efficiency improved Railjet trains needed to be equipped with new servers, routers and
further by being equipped with power-saving LED lighting, as well as antennas. Additionally, BB, in close cooperation with partners, has
passenger compartment air-conditioning controlled on the basis of developed a new technology that, on one hand allows for live event
occupation rates. coverage on the train and, on the other, provides interruption-free
Austrian Television (ORF) video on demand in breathtaking quality.
Design creates added value This technical solution enables automated synchronisation and
The Austrian high-speed trains design follows aspects of aesthetics as storage of video on demand content from the ORFs TVthek library on
well as communication: even from the outside, Railjets shape, colour a designated local buffer memory located on the respective Railjet train.
scheme and lines represent dynamism and speed. Directly on the train, content is thus transferred from this cache to the
Internally, high-quality materials such as leather, wood, glass and users devices and thus, independent of a connection to external
steel characterise the Railjet interior and create an atmosphere that is as servers, used as required. In order to allow for trouble-free access to live
streams, streaming buffers are also installed on Railjet trains.
Copyright: BB-Personenverkehr AG/ Mert Drmoglu

Although these experience a time lag of approximately five

minutes this does make it possible to compensate for route
sections with bad reception, for instance tunnels.

From a rolling stock

brand to a new train category
Railjets unique features call for the introduction of an entirely
new category of trains. On the one hand, Railjet represents
the vehicle itself, but additionally the name embodies a
category of trains positioned above the European brands
Intercity or Eurocity, instead playing in the same league
as the European high-speed trains such as the French TGV
First Class passengers can have food and drink served directly at their seats
and the German ICE. In Germany, for example, ticket

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 HIGH-SPEED RAIL
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The nine new Railjets will also offer the same three comfort classes
(Business, First and Economy Class) the new Railjets having been
upgraded with regard to certain details: for example, Economy Class
have been upgraded to offer adjustable seats and footrests. The new
trains now come with a bicycle compartment as standard and all Railjets
are equipped with an on-board restaurant.

Copyright: BB-Personenverkehr AG/ Mert Drmoglu

As such, the Intercity sets running at regular intervals between
Vienna and Salzburg have been gradually replaced by Railjets up until
the timetable changed on 11 December 2016.
In total, BB is investing 145 million in the new premium trains.
With this acquisition BB have invested more than 2 billion in the
modernisation of its fleet and in increased comfort for its passengers in
the last 10 years.
Economy Class of Railjet services is the premium alternative to
conventional Second Class In summary, BB have bet on the right horse in the form of the
Railjet trains. Rising customer demands and high levels of customer
category A, which is required for all ICE services, also applies to travel satisfaction, as well as the vehicles flexibility in daily service, are living
on Railjet. In all countries Railjet rank in train category RJ. The Czech proof of that.
Railways esk drhy (D) were so convinced by the overall concept
that they ordered seven sets for their premium PragueViennaGraz Copyright: BB Wegscheider
After graduating from the University of Innsbruck with a
connection. Since December 2014 this line is operated exclusively with degree in International Business in 2000, Kurt Bauer
started his career as a Consultant at Accenture in Frankfurt
Railjet trains at two-hour intervals. am Main. After being awarded a MSc in Transport from
the Imperial College in 2004, he specialised in the field of
Travel and Transportation during the course of several
Railjet Austrias answer to
consultant jobs. In 2011 he joined Deutsche Bahn. In his
international high-speed railway transport role as Senior Project Manager he was responsible for
Railjet is BBs most successful product: No matter where this train is strategic projects in passenger transport and as a Department Manager at
DB Fernverkehr AG he was in charge of the further development of the
used, it yields a significant rise in passenger numbers. This is yet another firms planning and scheduling processes. In 2015 Kurt returned to his
reason why BB have purchased nine new Railjets for its long-distance homeland and has been in charge of BB-Personenverkehr AGs high-speed
and long-distance train services since November 2015.
routes, and are in the process of extending its fleet to 60 sets.

Furrer+Frey AG
Overhead contact line engineering
Design, manufacturing, installation
Thunstrasse 35, P.O. Box 182
3000 Berne 6, Switzerland

Furrer Frey

www.furrerfrey.ch Overhead contact lines

HIGH-SPEED RAIL
IN-DEPTH FOCUS

Denis Belitsky / Shutterstock.com

High-speed rail
state of play and
vision for European
development
As European Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc shares with European Railway Review that one of her first
objectives is to help build a Single European transport area that can strengthen the European Internal Market and
facilitate the transition towards low-emission mobility. Here Violeta writes that high-speed rail has enormous
potential to make this a reality, especially following the recent adoption of the Fourth Railway Package.

High-speed rail as an instrument to decarbonise transport
The European Union has a long-standing commitment to fight climate
change, which is one of the most pressing challenges we face. Transport
has a significant impact on our climate as it currently accounts for 23%
of all European greenhouse gas emissions. With transport demand
projected to steadily increase, so too will emissions. As a result, the
sector could become the largest emitter of CO2 after 2030 if nothing is
done. As a result the European Commission adopted in July 2016 a
comprehensive strategy to decarbonise the European transport sector
and transition to low-emission mobility. Truthfully, most of the action will
necessitate focus on road transport, which represents around 70% of all
transport emissions. However, incentivising a shift towards lower
emission transport modes such as rail is an integral part of our strategy.
In this respect, the case for high-speed rail is compelling; all the more
since our electricity is increasingly generated from renewable sources.
By 2030 half of European electricity should be renewable. The share of
renewable electricity has already increased to 29%, and accounts for
over 85% of Europes generation investments.
High-speed rail in Europe today
While only 3.4% of the European rail network is high-speed, 110 billion
passenger-kilometres, equivalent to 26% of all European passenger-
kilometres, were transported on high-speed lines in 2014. With
2,871km in current operation and 1,200km under construction, Spain
has the second largest high-speed network in the world, behind China.
The European development of high-speed lines has recently been
showcased with the opening of the second phase of the LGV Est,
connecting the French high-speed network to the German one toward
Frankfurt and also to the Italian MilanBrescia high-speed line.
The ToursBordeaux high-speed stretch represents the largest public-

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private partnership on railway worldwide, showing the attractiveness of
the European high-speed model for the business sector and its
potential to trigger investments. This attractiveness and competitive-
ness is acknowledged by several success stories: high-speed gets by far
the largest modal share in the connections between Paris, Brussels and
London as well as ParisLyon, and Madrid Barcelona. The connection
MilanRome amounts to more than 60% of the total share, leading
Ryanair to completely abandon the MilanRome route thanks to the
opening of the rail segment to competition.
A network expending with the financial help of the EU
In Denmark, Germany, France, Italy and Austria, 1,200 kilometres of
high-speed lines are under construction with new lines planned in
the United Kingdom and Sweden. In addition large sections of the
conventional rail network are, or will be, upgraded for use by high-
speed trains. By 2030 the planned high-speed network could extend to
over 30,000km. Building high-speed lines, however, requires significant
investment. The Commission is offering financial support to a number of
key cross-border projects, such as the Brenner Base Tunnel or the
LyonTurin tunnel. While the speed will be lower, Rail Baltica is certainly
worth mentioning too as it will connect the three Baltic States to Poland
and the rest of Europe. By 2020 the European Union is planning to
invest a total of 1.24 billion in the project through the EU funding
programme for Transport Infrastructure (Connecting Europe Facility).
Besides the Connecting Europe Facility, the Commission established
the Investment Plan (also known as the Juncker Plan) with the aim of
mobilising at least 315 billion in investments with maximum private
sector contributions. In September 2016 we proposed to double the
Investment Plans financial capacity and focus on those projects that
contribute to climate action and on those involving cross-border
infrastructure investments. There is therefore clear room for high-speed
rail projects.
The Fourth Railway Package: a boost to railways
2016 marked the adoption by the two EU co-legislators (the European
Parliament and the Council) of the entire Fourth Railway Package. I am
confident that both the technical and market pillars will have long-term
benefits for high-speed rail.
The overall rationale of the market pillar of the package, which was
formally adopted in December 2016, is to make European railways more
attractive, innovative and competitive by gradually opening domestic
markets to competition. More specifically, from December 2020
onwards all EU railway undertakings will as a general rule be able to
operate open-access domestic passenger services in competition with
incumbent operators. High-speed services typically fall under this
category. We expect that this competitive pressure will make railways
more responsive to market and consumer demand, and therefore more
attractive to passengers. We may see rail operators compete against
each other on their merits but also innovate with new business models
offering different levels of services to customers. Why not have more
low-cost train companies? Ouigo or Izy have already invested in this
segment. The market pillar will also encourage the railway sector to
develop a system that enables easy reservation of tickets for train
journeys across Europe. Such a system should of course be non-
discriminatory and allow tickets to be purchased for all railway operators
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that wish to participate. I am confident that the sector will seize this
opportunity and come up with user-friendly solutions very soon.
As for the technical pillar, this introduces a number of positive
changes. As of 2019, the European Union Agency for Railways will
become a one stop shop for vehicle authorisations and safety
certification of railway undertakings. This will reap important savings
(several million euros per international train) and reduce the lead time to
have a train up and running, thus increasing the return for investment
for high-speed. The technical pillar will also streamline the large number
of national rules. These rules create a risk of insufficient transparency
and disguised discrimination for new operators, which is a serious risk
for new investors. Reducing and simplifying the current rules will move
us closer to a Single European Rail area and facilitate both high-speed
and conventional cross-border traffic.
Working towards a European approach to rail security?
Following the attack perpetrated in a Thalys train in August 2015, rail
security has become a growing concern across the EU. Unlike the
aviation sector, there is currently no European framework for rail
security, even for international and high-speed trains. Terrorism is a
challenge faced by all European nations and only a coordinated
response can successfully address it. For this reason, the Commission
has been cautious of implementing unilateral rail security measures
introduced by one or the other Member State. My view is that we
should rather move towards a common European approach.
To this end, we have placed the topic on the agenda of all the latest
meetings of the 28 EU Transport Ministers (known as the Transport
Council). We have also initiated a study investigating the options
available to enhance the security of high-speed and international
railways. This study was recently completed and I was able to present it
to the Transport Council held on 1 December 2016. It concluded that
the most effective way to improve rail security is a combination of
mandatory requirements and guidance at EU level. As a follow-up, the
Commission services are currently looking into risk-based and
proportionate measures that could be proposed as part of a European
framework for railway security. Obviously, it will have to remain flexible
enough to take into account the different levels of threats in the
Member States.
In summary, I am convinced that high-speed rail has never been
more relevant than today as we are stepping up our efforts to
decarbonise the transport sector. High-speed rail is very much a
European success story and I am confident that the action of the Euro-
pean Union, both with regard to regulation and investment, will
contribute to future success. I wish the sector all the best for 2017.
Copyright: European Union, 2014/Source: EC - Audiovisual Service/Photo: Etienne Ansotte
Violeta Bulc is the EU Commissioner for Transport,
having been appointed to the office in November 2014.
Violeta brings a diverse set of expertise and professional
experiences to the role. As Commissioner she has already
placed priority on digitalisation and innovation in
transport. A noted academic, author, systems architect and
entrepreneur, Violeta has long had a high profile in her
homeland of Slovenia. In the corporate sphere she has held
various positions in the telecoms industry, including Telekom Slovenia and
Telemach. She has also been the owner and CEO of Vibacom, engaged in
work on sustainable and innovative business solutions. Immediately prior to
her appointment to the European Commission, Violeta was the Deputy
Prime Minister of Slovenia, with ministerial responsibility for development,
strategic projects and cohesion.
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Polands modern
Express InterCity
Premium trains
PKP InterCity has invested in purchasing 20 modern high-speed Pendolino trains to improve passenger services.
For European Railway Review, Marek Chraniuk, President of the Board at PKP InterCity, gives a technical
overview of the new fleet as well as their on-board features specifically designed to provide passengers with a
premium level of travelling comfort.

Express InterCity Premium trains (EIP), also called Pendolino trains, offer
a totally new dimension and standard of travel in Poland. These new
Pendolinos manufactured by Alstom in the Italian city of Savigliano are
the fastest and most comfortable trains among PKPs (Polish Railways)
InterCity rolling stock fleet. Every day 20 trains connect the north to the
south of Poland. EIP trains link Warsaw with Gdask, Gdynia, Krakw,
Katowice, Gliwice, Bielsko-Biaa, Wrocaw and Rzeszw. In spring 2016
the service was extended: the train that previously travelled to
Wrocaw now continues to Jelenia Gra; as of 29 April 2016 the train
to Gdynia now goes to Koobrzeg; and since mid-December 2016
EIP services have been running to Bochnia.
The introduction of modern trains has resulted in shorter journey
times between major cities of the country. Thanks to the arrival of
Pendolino trains, it is now possible to offer passengers attractive travel
Milosz Maslanka / Shutterstock.com
times. Today the journey time from the capital to Wrocaw is
approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, whereas, prior to December
2014 before Pendolino trains were put into service the journey took
more than five hours.
The journey from Warsaw to Katowice takes 2 hours and 13 minutes,
reaches Krakw in 2 hours and 14 minutes, and Gdask in 2 hours and
39 minutes. The journey from the south to the north of Poland takes
approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes. Owing to further modernisation
being carried out by the railway infrastructure manager, these times are
set to be reduced even more.
The seven-carriage Pendolino trains have been fitted with their own
deployed drive mechanisms. The length of these trains is 187.4m, with
the maximum body width of 2.8m and the maximum height (above rail
head) of 4.1m. Under normal operating conditions the weight of the
train is approximately 395.5 tonnes. The power

of such trains is 5,500kW, and they can reach

maximum speeds of 250km/h. PKP InterCity
was the first passenger rail operator in Central
Europe whose trains could reach speeds of
200km/h. PKPs InterCity Pendolino also holds
the speed record on Polish tracks. During tests
conducted in the autumn of 2013, a Pendolino
achieved the speed of 293km/h.
The introduction of Pendolino modern trains
has resulted in a positive change to the quality of
travel not only improved journey times, but
greater passenger comfort too. Pendolino uses
technologically advanced solutions that make
travel by train comfortable and safe. New
Exterior of the PKP InterCity (ED250 Pendolino)
solutions such as bogie sound insulation and

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Second Class interior on the PKP InterCity (ED250 Pendolino)
shock absorbers have helped reduce noise levels inside the train.
In addition, the special design of the roof has reduced the level of sound
reaching the interior through the ceiling. Each carriage is equipped with
two modules for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, providing
passengers with thermal comfort during their journey. To ensure a high
level of operating safety, the train has an innovative streamlined front
design that features an aerodynamic nose equipped with special
components that absorb impact energy in the event of a collision.
To ensure the personal safety of passengers, the train also features
a monitoring system. Each carriage has a number of cameras that
digitally records images and the train managers carriage features a
screen for viewing the recordings. Each section of the train includes
at least two alarm intercoms that can be reached quickly and are visible
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from anywhere within the train for utilisation in emergency situations to
notify train attendants and call for assistance.
All Pendolino trains have been equipped with first aid equipment
and defibrillators. Since July 2016 these modern devices can be found
in specially marked boxes on-board carriage number two of all
Pendolinos. The defibrillator is simple to use and supports and instructs
the person giving first aid during the entire rescue operation.
Express InterCity Premium trains have a total of 402 seats 45 in
First Class and 357 in Second Class. Passengers can enjoy ergonomic,
reclining seats, side tables, excellent lighting and electrical outlets at
every seat. The trains also feature special luggage racks in the corridors
and at the end of each compartment, as well as places for four bikes.
Conventional information boards have been replaced with electronic
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For all major railways and rolling stock manufacturers
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HIGH-SPEED RAIL
IN-DEPTH FOCUS
displays that post messages including information about the journey
and, in addition, feature a modern passenger information system.
The new trains offer a high level of comfort for those with reduced
mobility and families with small children. Facilities for wheelchair users
are located in the third carriage and entry to this section of the train is
via exterior doors that are equipped with lifts for easy entry and exit.
On-board there are two wheelchair spaces and a specially adapted
toilet; emergency/safety buttons can be found in both areas for alerting
train staff if needed. The same section of carriage is also where
passengers can find the buffet area and the train staff room.
Additionally, trains in the InterCity Premium Express category include
special facilities for the blind and visually impaired. Seats in the
carriages are marked in Braille and information about the next stations
is announced over a PA system.
Pendolinos are also convenient for families travelling with small
children; the second carriage of each train features three dedicated
compartments each with four seats. Next to these are spaces to house
large luggage and a pram, and amenities for changing nappies can be
found in the largest toilet (in carriage number three).
The trains include a buffet car served by WARS the company
responsible for catering on-board Polish trains since 1948. Every
Express InterCity Premium passenger receives refreshments, which are
included in the price of their ticket. In First Class this includes two
beverages (a choice of hot or cold) and a snack. This package also
includes a daily newspaper and a freshen-up tissue. Second Class
passengers receive one (hot or cold) beverage.
In April 2016 PKP InterCity launched Quiet Section. This new
facility found in the seventh carriage of the Pendolino trains is an
Vibration Isolation for
Your Superstructure.
Reduction in Life Cycle Costs
Demonstrated long-term effects
Accommodating differences in bedding
www.getzner.com
area for those who want to relax or work while travelling. PKP InterCity
is the first train operator in Poland to test such a facility.
PKP InterCitys acquisition of 20 modern Pendolino trains was
accompanied by a project to build the necessary technical
infrastructure. Its High-Speed Train Service Centre, which services
Pendolino trains, consists of a large workshop; railway infrastructure and
an overhead contact system; offices and staff welfare facilities; as well
as an automatic washing station for carriages. These facilities, covering
over 12,000m2 are located on Kozia Grka Street adjacent to the
operators largest train station in Warsaws Grochw district. Currently,
the Pendolinos manufacturer is responsible for providing a full range of
maintenance services including warranty repairs, inspections and the
cleaning and washing of carriages.
So far over seven million passengers have travelled on-board
Pendolino trains, which together have travelled more than 10 million
kilometres. That equates to more than 21,000 trips or the equivalent
of one Pendolino circling the Earth 250 times!
Marek Chraniuk has worked for Polish State Railways
for 24 years and since 2006 as part of PKP Intercity. Over
the years Marek has been employed at almost every level
within the companys hierarchy, starting from a Train
Dispatcher then onto more managerial positions. His area
of expertise is the development of transport and price plan
offers. Among other things he has cooperated with
the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development in the
implementation of contracts on organisation and funding passenger rail
transportation including international transport. He is a graduate from the
Faculty of Transportation at Radom Technical University. He also completed
postgraduate studies in Management and Marketing at the University of
Szczecin and postgraduate studies in Project Management at the Leon
Komiski University.
Sifer 2017
21.-23. March
Lille, France
Stand 2/433

ROUNDTABLE
Jrgen Rainalter Jakub Weimann
CEO, Getzner Managing Director,
Werkstoffe BONATRANS
GROUP a.s.
European Railway Review asks: What challenges/obstacles must the industry conquer for high-speed rail to
capture a higher percentage of transport modal share from the air travel industry?
Jrgen Rainalter: On long-distance and high-
speed lines in particular, the railways compete
directly with air travel. Experience shows that
travellers tend to opt for rail if in addition
to short journey times, punctuality and no
luggage weight restrictions an appropriately
high level of comfort is provided. So if the level
of comfort in rail cars is improved, more people
will travel by train in the future.
Jakub Weimann: The rail industry must
meet customer expectations, such as reliability,
safety, price and duration. A rail journey
doesnt start and end at the train station.
Rail has the significant natural advantage over
air travel that people live and work closer to
train stations than airports. Lengthy airport
security procedures also make rail travel more
attractive. The rail industry must focus on
promoting this benefit and increasing its
perception to customers. Thanks to high-
speed networks, rail is already stealing pass-
engers from air travel for trips between cities
up to 600km. It is therefore clear where new
high-speed tracks should be laid in future, and
very-high-speed rail has the potential to make
these distances even longer.
Kurt Bauer: The fundamental prerequisite
for competitive high-speed services is an
appropriate rail infrastructure that can reduce
travel time to 3.5 hours or less. In those cases
high-speed rail offers competitive end-to-end
travel times compared to aviation. This
advantage can be further strengthened by
smooth sales and boarding processes.
Furthermore, the possibility of linking high-
speed rail to other rail services and modes of
public transport by coordinated timetables,
S U B S C R I B E O N L I N E A T:
www.europeanrailwayreview.com
Copyright: BB Wegscheider
Kurt Bauer Salvatore
Head of High-Speed Vetruccio
and Long-Distance Assessor CCS
Services, BB On-Board Department,
Italcertifer
ticketing and real-time information are clear
advantages. Additional competitiveness can
be gained by innovative interior concepts;
customer oriented catering; state-of-the-art
on-board entertainment; connectivity; and
competent and efficient staff.
Salvatore Vetruccio: It must conquer the
time factor; cheap fares; ease of luggage
transport; and respect the environment. Rail
and air travel, fortunately, have very different
strengths, which is why the high-speed rail
industry should focus its efforts and invest-
ments toward modernising and optimising
routes under 900km. Air travel requires so
much time to complete the necessary actions
for safe travel that high-speed rail is often
faster, less stressful and more ecological.
The Italian experience demonstrates that the
design and realisation of a so-called national
subway service is possible: thanks to most
modern rolling stock, power infrastructure, and
ERTMS technology, the preference for rail
travel within national Italian borders is the
obvious choice.
Stefan Jugelt: The main success factor for
rail not just high-speed rail is to be more
visible as an alternative to air travel and to
promote the advantage of rail as an open
system. This starts with the integration and
availability of travel information such as
timetables, fares and ticketing via the usual
booking mechanisms and continues to
emphasise rail advantages over air: buy a
ticket; hop on the next train; and travel
smoothly. All of this can be enjoyed, without
excessive security checks, luggage restrictions
and time-consuming check-in procedures.
HIGH-SPEED RAIL
IN-DEPTH FOCUS
Stefan Jugelt Jean-Pierre
Project Officer Audoux
Interoperability Unit, Director General,
European Union French Railway Industry
Agency for Railways Association (FIF)
Jean-Pierre Audoux: The introduction of
high-speed trains in Japan (Shinkansen) and
France (TGV) at the end of the 1970s and early
1980s has been, without a doubt, the most
disruptive event in the history of railways
during the 20th century.
Furthermore, the future of high-speed
systems in the face of competition with other
modes of transport especially air transporta-
tion is uncertain.
Of course the advantages of high-speed
over other transport modes are well known,
but only for journeys ranging between
200-800km and that connect mid-town to mid-
town at a very high speed (min 300km/h).
This major asset is the key to the success of,
among many examples, the Eurostar and the
Thalys trains in Western Europe.
However, the disadvantages of high-speed
are equally well known. They include often very
complex projects; long completion time for
high-speed lines; competition with low-cost air
fares; and, overall, a very high cost of construc-
tion for the dedicated new lines between
20-80 million per kilometre.
Thus, only rich countries (currently Japan,
China, Western Europe and Middle-Eastern
countries tomorrow the USA, Russia and
Brazil) can actually afford to invest in high-
speed, making the prospect for high-speed
markets largely dependent on the decisions of
very few countries.
However, there remains a real market for
high-speed systems and in the last R. Berger
World Market Study for UNIFE, the expecta-
tions for the coming years remain positive
(10%/CAGR) until at least 2021.
European Railway Review
VOLUME 23, ISSUE 1, 2017
11