3 killed in German train crash, police say
by norah on April 13, 2012
Three people died and 13 were injured when a German commuter train collided with a maintenance crane Friday morning, German police said.
The collision occurred on the track near the city of Offenbach, outside Frankfurt, police said.
The driver and two construction workers were killed. Several of the train’s 35 passengers were seriously injured and are receiving hospital treatment.
German authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, police said.
The train, a regional service, was traveling from Frankfurt to Hanau.
Spanish new low-cost airline Iberia Express launched
by norah on March 26, 2012
Spain’s Iberia has launched a new entry in Europe’s competitive market for low-cost airlines.
The new airline, Iberia Express, begins on Sunday with prices starting at 25 euros (£21) for a one-way ticket.
Iberia Express will cover Spanish cities including Madrid and the islands such as Ibiza, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.
The launch comes after Spain’s fourth-largest airline Spanair collapsed in January, stranding 20,000 passengers.
Iberia is owned by the same parent company as British Airways.
The low-cost Iberia Express has 500 staff and has a fleet of four Airbus A320 aircraft, according to Iberia Express chief executive Luis Gallego.
“The containment of costs will allow Iberia Express to grow and compete with the low-cost operators,” he said.
The airline will initially fly to the cities of Vigo, Santiago and Granada, as well as Menorca, Ibiza, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and La Palma.
Later, it will expand to the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Greece, Latvia and the Netherlands, Mr Gallego said.
Demonstration high speed freight train links Lyon and London
by norah on March 22, 2012
The vision of a network of high speed freight trains carrying express parcels and other premium consignments across Europe moved a step closer on March 21, when a demonstration train from Lyon Saint-Exupéry and Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airports arrived at London’s St Pancras International station.
The trial run was organised by members of the EuroCarex consortium, which includes SNCF, Eurotunnel, Air France, the French post office La Poste, FedEx and airport operators in Paris, Amsterdam, Liège and Lyon. The UK element was co-ordinated by Eurotunnel subsidiary GB Railfreight and High Speed 1 Ltd, which holds the concession to operate the high speed line between London and the Channel Tunnel. Loading and unloading was handled by SNCF Geodis subsidiary Geoparts Rail Solutions.
The aim is to start commercial services in 2017, with a London terminal probably located near Barking. Discussions are underway with Alstom and Siemens for a fleet of 25 trainsets.
Operations would start with premium express traffic, but the consortium envisages that it could be expanded to handle more traditional freight in future.
The original Cargo Rail Express project was launched in 2006, following a UIC-led study into the European express freight market. In 2008 the reformed EuroCarex consortium signed a memorandum of agreement aiming to start commercial services in March 2012, and opened negotiations to acquire an initial fleet of eight dedicated high speed freight trains at a cost of €625m. These were to be designed to carry modular loads similar to airfreight containers, but the project was delayed by the economic downturn.
In the absence of dedicated rolling stock, the demonstration run to London was operated by set 951, one of the three dedicated TGV trainsets which La Poste has been using to carry mail between Paris, Mâcon and Cavaillon since 1984. This has a capacity for 120 tonnes of parcels, equivalent to seven articulated lorries or seven Boeing 737 aircraft.
The train left Lyon Saint-Exupéry at 16.42 on March 20, arriving at St Pancras the next morning following a stop to load extra cargo at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle.
Greeting the arrival of the train in London, French MP and EuroCarex Chairman Yanick Paternotte said ‘I am delighted that today’s test over the European high speed rail network clearly shows the interest which strategic players in the logistics field – airports as well as rail operators – have in linking their infrastructures to key European economic centres.’
EuroCarex believes that its Express Rail network of high speed freight trains could provide next-day delivery between European hubs with a carbon footprint lower than the current mix of air and road, offering a viable alternative to rising fuel prices and the environmental constraints which limit the number of night flights.
Starbucks on swiss trains
by norah on March 6, 2012
The well known coffee chain Starbucks and the state railways of Switzerland (SBB) will join hand and introduce Starbucks on wheels.
The first Starbucks will be available on St. Gallen-Genf route Intercities from 2013.
Actually, SBB’s own cafeteria company will serve in restaurant cars on selected trains, but Starbucks will train crew as they would do it in a normal coffee shop.
SBB hopes, that business passengers as well as youngs will like the new idea, to bring the well known coffee on rail.
Strike on Frankfurt airport
by norah on February 29, 2012
Strike put Frankfurt airport on hold. At least due to tomorrow morning. Almost 400 flight will be cancelled today.
Lufthansa and Frankfurt airport try to end of the strike on local court, but employees would like to continue.
Union workers would like to raise their wages.
For flight information, travellers should call Fraport Communication Center at +49 1805-372 4636
Futuristic new buses for Salzburg
by norah on February 21, 2012
Solaris bus, solaris photo
City transportation of Salzburg (Stadtbus), is improving its trolleybuses with new vehicles made by polish Solaris company. Stadtbus already uses 15 Solaris bus, purchased back from 2009, but now they add more futuristic looking BRT type of trolleybuses.
The long vehicles has low floor level all over the bus, airconditioning. Salzburg ordered 10 units, which can be seen from May in the austrian city.
Iris scanners go at UK airports as Border Agency plans technology updates
by norah on February 20, 2012
Iris scanners are being phased out at UK airports as the Border Agency considers new technology measures.
RIS, which stands for Iris Recognition Immigration System, has already been removed from Birmingham and Manchester Airports but is still in effect at Gatwick and Heathrow and, according to the Border Agency website, will remain there until after the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A statement from the UK Border Agency says:
“We continue to introduce new technology to protect the border while making legitimate travel easier. Electronic passport gates now operate at 15 of the country’s busiest airport terminals and are available to millions of biometric passport holders. We are phasing out iris and will be replacing it with other types of gates that non-EU passengers will be able to use.”
According to a BBC report in 2006 the Iris technology cost £2.86 million and began in June 2005 at Heathrow with plans to extend it to Gatwick, Birmingham, Stansted and Manchester.
(tnooz)
Violent protests break out in Greece
by norah on February 13, 2012
Violence broke out in Greece at the weekend as the parliament voted in favour of a controversial package of austerity measures.
Police fired tear gas and several buildings were set on fire in Athens as tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets. Violent protests also spread to other Greek towns and cities including Corfu and Crete, according to Reuters.
Prime Minister Lucas Papademos urged calm, saying violence had no place in a democracy.
The Foreign Office website urged British nationals to avoid large crowds and demonstrations and keep an eye on local media reporting.
It said: “Exercise extreme caution around public demonstrations and protests in major urban centres. Violent incidents have occurred at and in the margins of such protests. Tear gas can be used.”
The vote, which found 199 votes in favour and 74 MPs voting against, agreed the measures which had been demanded by the Eurozone in return for a £110 billion EU bailout.
The austerity measures include 15,000 public-sector job cuts, liberalisation of labour laws, lowering the minimum wage by 20% from 751 euros a month to 600 euros, negotiating a debt write-off with banks.
The violence will come as a further blow to Greek tourism as hotel prices in Greece are already reportedly dropping by as much as 20% this year, according to TripAdvisor
(travelmole)
Skiing in Cyprus
by norah on February 8, 2012
Skiing in Cyprus on Mt. Olympus
Cyprus. Yes, that’s the nice, warm island on the Mediterranean sea. But Cyprus offers fun during winter too.
Skiing is available on Mt. Olympus, lenght of ski track only a few km, only 200m differency in altitude, only a blue and red track, but the ski lifts named after mythologial heroes, like Zeus, Hermes or Aphrodite.
Skiing in Vienna
by norah on February 7, 2012
Over this winter holiday week, Vienna’s residents will once again be able to make a trip to the slopes without venturing out of the city. The capital’s very own ski slope, “High Hills”, will be open daily to the public from 4 February until 11 February.
In just 35 minutes avid winter sports fans can hit the “High Hills” slopes which, as a result of the cold weather in recent days, have gladly taken the snow put down by five canons. Thanks to the machines which have been working since Monday, youngsters can don their skis for the holiday week and ski until dark on account of the piste’s floodlights.
Viennese students up to the age of 19-years-old also have the added bonus of using public transport for free during the holidays, so will be surrounded by snow in the west of the city before they know it. Ski and snowboard courses are also on offer during the holiday.
For more than 100 years the Hohe Wand Wiese has been providing winter sports in Vienna and even provided the venue for the first ever parallel Slalom World Cup in 1986. The unique ski run is 400 metres long and 80 metres wide, providing plenty of space for Vienna’s sports fans.
The “High Hills” ski slope in Vienna’s 14th district will be open daily from 9am till 9pm.
For more information visit: http://www.highhills.at/de.html