Tag: Berlin (Page 2 of 4)

SBB and ÖBB Plan Further Expansion of Night Train Services

September 20, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

SBB and ÖBB are stepping up their long-standing cooperation in international passenger services. The two railway companies are seeking to scale up the existing night train services from six to ten lines. Planning is underway for new night trains from Switzerland to Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona. Last week, SBB and ÖBB signed a corresponding Letter of Intent. The planned expansion of services can only be guaranteed with financial support from the Swiss climate fund.

Demand for international night train services significantly increased in 2019 and at the start of 2020 until the coronavirus crisis struck. The number of passengers using night train services from Switzerland grew by over 25 per cent with respect to the previous year. The two partner railways consider this a sustainable trend given the significant rise in customer demand for environmentally friendly and resource-efficient travel. There is clear evidence to show that night trains have a positive effect on overall emissions, as they generate modal shift from other modes of transport to rail. ÖBB and SBB share the goal of shifting more travel to rail and thus contributing to a reduction in CO₂ emissions from the travel sector. This commitment reflects the aims of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the political and public will to develop an attractive night train network as an important component of environmentally friendly and sustainable mobility in Europe.

With its 19 Nightjet lines and eight further services provided in cooperation with partner railways, ÖBB already runs Europe’s largest night train network. This includes the network from Switzerland run in cooperation with SBB, comprising six lines and one additional service. SBB and ÖBB want to build on this success and expand night train services in Europe together. Over the last few months, the companies have thoroughly tested and evaluated various options for expanding the service. By cooperating, the railway companies will be able to make use of synergies in production and marketing of the service offer and save on costs. In the Letter of Intent signed last week, the two railway companies presented their strategy for expanding services as outlined in “2024 Nightjet Network for Switzerland”. The plans involve expanding the Nightjet network from Switzerland to incorporate a total of ten lines and 25 destinations.

Cornerstones of the expansion plan:

– From 2022 timetable onwards: new Nightjet connection to Amsterdam.
As a first step in the expansion process, the two railway companies want to launch a new daily Nightjet service running Zurich–Basel–Frankfurt–Cologne–Amsterdam in December 2021. However, the very limited availability of rolling stock suitable for night train services restricts short-term service expansion. SBB therefore intends to lease suitable rolling stock from German leasing company RDC Asset GmbH.

– Increasing capacity on services to Berlin, Hamburg and Prague and new connection to Leipzig and Dresden.
The services currently provided from Zurich via Basel to Berlin and Hamburg are increasingly popular. Capacity on this route will therefore be expanded significantly. SBB and ÖBB wish to serve both destinations with two separate trains covering the whole route, if possible from the 2023 timetable change. This will enable a significant capacity increase. They also plan to run the service to Prague via Germany as a portion of the Berlin Nightjet with sleeping cars and couchettes. The new route would also provide a direct connection to Leipzig and Dresden.

– Plans for new connections to Rome and Barcelona.
There are plans for a new line connecting Zurich via Bern, Brig, Domodossola to Rome. A daily connection from Zurich via Bern, Lausanne, Geneva to Barcelona is also planned. This would also integrate French-speaking Switzerland directly into the night train network. It is not yet clear whether it will be possible to run these two lines, as agreements with other partner railways are yet to be reached.

To ensure that night train services can be expanded in the medium to long term, ÖBB is also investing in new rolling stock. The new night train sets are to come into service gradually over a period of time.

SBB and ÖBB are campaigning for greater political support for night trains.

Alongside the planned service expansion, SBB, ÖBB and other partner railways are campaigning for transport policies which facilitate night train operations in Europe. In Switzerland, the total revision of the CO₂ Act after 2020 is being debated in the autumn session of the Federal Parliament. The Act provides for support for cross-border rail services from the climate fund. Last week, the Swiss Parliament voted in favour of supporting international passenger services, including night trains. While subject to a final vote and a possible referendum, financial support from the climate fund would compensate for the losses SBB would sustain given the high operating costs night train services involve.

ÖBB is the largest provider of night train services in Europe and has contributed significantly to maintaining night trains services from Switzerland in its existing partnership with SBB. Andreas Matthä, ÖBB CEO, said: “We have no doubts about the Nightjet’s success. With SBB as a committed and effective partner, we can continue to expand the Nightjet network even further. We are investing in new trains: 13 latest generation Nightjet sets will be in operation from the end of 2022. With additional services and modern rolling stock, taking the night train will become an even more attractive option.”

SBB CEO Vincent Ducrot has no doubt that demand for fast daytime services and night trains will continue to grow. “This is a sustainable trend and the demand for environmentally friendly and resource-efficient mobility will continue to increase.”

SBB and ÖBB consider night train services as an important element of the overall service offer and see great potential for creating synergies with daytime services. An attractive rail offer helps to achieve the goal of modal shift from short-haul flights to rail.

German Carmakers to Resume Production as Lockdowns Ease

April 16, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

FILE PHOTO: VW hosts photo workshop at Zwickau plant

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – German carmakers including Volkswagen <VOW.DE> and Mercedes-Benz <DAI.DE> will restart production at some German factories next week after the country eased restrictions designed to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said that Germany has achieved a “fragile intermediate success” in its the fight against the coronavirus and that its emergence from lockdown would begin with the partial reopening of shops next week and schools from May 4.

Unlike Italy and Spain, Germany never banned car production, though factories came to a standstill after authorities restricted the movement of people and ordered the closure of car dealerships, hitting demand.

Volkswagen said it will start producing cars for its core brand in Zwickau, Germany, and in Bratislava, Slovakia, on April 20.

Plants in Russia, Spain, Portugal and the United States will ramp up production from April 27 onwards, joined by factories in South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico in May.

“With the decisions by the federal and state governments in Germany and the loosening of restrictions in other European states, conditions have been established for the gradual resumption of production,” Ralf Brandstaetter, Chief Operating Officer of the Volkswagen brand, said in a statement.

The carmaker has retooled production to ensure that workers keep 1.5 metres apart. Other measures include the staggering of shifts and lunch breaks, plus steps to change worker interaction in VW’s supply chain.

Bernd Osterloh, Chairman of the company’s Works Council, said: “In the light of the pandemic, we need to adapt our routines. One answer is our new agreement on health protection. With about 100 measures, we are keeping the risk of infection at Volkswagen as low as possible.”

In China, where a Volkswagen has already implemented health measures, 32 of the 33 plants have resumed production and no coronavirus infections among employees have been reported.

Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler said that its plants in Hamburg, Berlin and Untertuerkheim will resume production next week. Its Berlin plant makes engine-management systems for vehicles sold in China.

Production will initially start in a one-shift system, Daimler said, with plants in Sindelfingen and Bremen also making preparations to ramp up production.

(Reporting by Edward Taylor and Jan Schwartz; Editing by David Goodman)

SWISS to Switch Berlin Service to New Brandenburg Airport

March 10, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

SWISS will operate all its Berlin services to and from the city’s new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) from 8 November 2020. The SWISS reservation system has already been reconfigured.

From 31 October 2020 onwards, flight operations in Berlin will relocate from the present Tegel Airport to the city’s new Brandenburg Airport (BER). The migration should be completed within the following week. Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will commence its new operations to and from Berlin Brandenburg on 8 November. The first SWISS arrival at the new airport will be flight LX974 at 08:45, and the first SWISS Berlin Brandenburg departure will be flight LX975 to Zurich at 09:30.

The SWISS reservation system has already been reconfigured to reflect the planned move. Customers who book a flight to Berlin for travel on or after 8 November will be shown not Tegel (TXL) as their destination but the new Berlin Brandenburg (BER). Customers who have already booked such flights will be notified and rebooked. According to current plans, the arrival and departure times of the SWISS flights concerned will remain unchanged, as will the number of frequencies on the route.

Access to new lounge for SWISS travellers, too

Business Class travellers on Lufthansa Group airlines, Frequent Travellers, Senators, Star Alliance Gold Status Members and HON Circle Members can look forward to a particular highlight at the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport: the Lufthansa Lounge. The 1,600-square-metre facility, which is located in the Main Pier North of Terminal 1, offers separate senator and business sections in which visitors can relax, freshen up or work in calm surrounds. The new lounge also features a panoramic windowfront giving exclusive views out over the apron area and of the Berlin skyline beyond.

Tesla Ordered by German Court to Stop Cutting Down Trees for Gigafactory

February 16, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

BERLIN (Reuters) – A German court on Sunday ordered Tesla Inc to stop clearing forest land near the capital Berlin to build its first European car and battery factory, a victory for local environmental activists.

The U.S. electric carmaker announced plans last November to build a Gigafactory in Gruenheide in the eastern state of Brandenburg.

The court ruling, by the higher administrative court of the states of Berlin and Brandenburg, comes after the state environmental office gave a green light to clear 92 hectares of forest for the plant.

Planning permission has not yet been granted to build the Gigafactory, however, meaning U.S. entrepreneur Elon Musk’s company is preparing the ground at its own risk.

In a statement, the court said it had issued the order to stop the tree-felling because it would have only taken three more days to complete the work.

Otherwise the clearance would have been completed before judges made a final decision on the complaint brought by a local environmentalist group called the Gruene Liga Brandenburg (Green League of Brandenburg).

“It should not be assumed that the motion seeking legal protection brought by the Green League lacks any chance of succeeding,” the court statement added.

Lawmakers from the pro-business Christian Democrat and Free Democrat parties have warned that the legal battle waged against the Gigafactory would inflict serious and long-lasting damage on Germany’s image as a place to do business.

Local and national lawmakers have been caught out by the strength of opposition to the Gigafactory, with hundreds of demonstrators protesting over what they say is the threat it poses to local wildlife and water supplies.

Tesla currently has two Gigafactories in the United States and one in Shanghai, China.

Tesla shares have surged 340% since early June as more investors bet on Musk’s vision.

(Reporting by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

Alstom to Equip Another 19 ICE High-Speed Trains with ETCS

February 12, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom has obtained an order by Deutsche Bahn AG (DB) to retrofit 19 additional ICE1 high-speed trains with the newest ETCS signalling standard. The retrofitting work, worth more than €10 million, is scheduled to be completed by September 2021.

The project is a follow-up contract for the ICE 1, of which Alstom had already retrofitted 39 trains for the commissioning of the VDE 8 high-speed line connecting Berlin and Munich. Since the opening of the high-speed line passenger numbers have more than doubled.

‘We are delighted that Deutsche Bahn has again passed a vote of confidence in Alstom for this complex retrofit. This is a further step towards making Germany fit for digital rail guarantees Deutsche Bahn a uniform and flexibly deployable ICE fleet’, says Dr. Joerg Nikutta, Alstom Managing Director Germany & Austria.

The contract includes development, design and manufacture of the digital signalling system ETCS Level 2 Baseline 3 as well as its installation, connection to existing train control systems and commissioning. The new system will ensure a continuous communication between the vehicle and the track.

The retrofitting work will be implemented in cooperation with several Alstom sites: Berlin, Braunschweig (installation design and project management), Charleroi, Belgium (product development, validation and assembly for ETCS) and Lyon/Villeurbanne, France (manufacture of components). The conversion and recommissioning of the vehicles will be carried out at the ICE-plant in Hamburg-Eidelstedt.

With 15 years of experience putting into service ERTMS Level 2 digital signalling solutions, Alstom is a global pioneer in its development and implementation. With projects in 30 countries, Alstom has installed nearly 40% of the Trackside ERTMS Level 2 equipment in service in Europe and equipped over 8,000 trains of 200 different types with its Atlas On-board ERTMS solution. Atlas is a scalable solution that can be adapted to all types of traffic and operational needs: passengers and freight, high-speed or suburban.

Alstom at ElekBu 2020

January 29, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom presents its improved Aptis e-bus at ElekBu

28 January 2020 – Alstom will present its Aptis electric bus at ElekBu 2020, being held in Berlin from 4 to 5 February. After extensive testing in many French and European cities for the past two years, the serial design of Alstom’s innovative 100% electric mobility solution incorporates feedback from passengers and transport operators. Following test drives in major German cities such as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, the serial 12 meters Aptis e-bus is to be shown at a roadshow in Germany this year.

The serial vehicles are based on an optimized global architecture requiring fewer spare parts references and considerably facilitating maintenance operations. Thanks to a wheel steering angle of more than 40°, its ease of insertion increases significantly. The 15% reduction in the total weight of the vehicle, combined with the use of new, more efficient and state of the art batteries, substantially increases range. Aptis now accommodates more passengers, with a capacity of 100 persons, while still offering them more fluidity thanks to large sliding doors.

In addition to the technical improvements, Aptis can also boast significant improvements to passenger comfort. A new air-conditioning system that (fully electrical heat-pump) maximises thermal comfort and the panoramic rear lounge has been enhanced to give a feeling of increased space. The new hydraulic suspension allows superior comfort and sound insulation, making Aptis one of the quietest and most innovative buses on the market. The high level of comfort is also reflected in the many very positive passenger surveys.

“Alstom is pleased to present the Aptis at ElekBu, which is so important for the German market. In the last two years, we have gained important experiences in trial operation. This 100% electric mobility solution offers a new experience to passengers and drivers while meeting the new mobility challenges of urban areas,” underlines Guillaume Legoupil, Sales Director Aptis.

Aptis is particularly popular in France, where it is also built. It has already been chosen by Paris in the context of Europe’s largest call for tender for electric buses, as well as by the cities of Strasbourg, Grenoble, La Rochelle and Toulon. From February, the first series buses will be in regular service in Strasbourg.

Germans Protest Against Tesla Gigafactory

January 19, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

BERLIN (Reuters) – Around 250 Germans on Saturday protested in the outskirts of Berlin where electric car startup Tesla is planning to build a gigafactory, saying its construction will endanger water supply and wildlife in the area.

The U.S. carmaker announced plans last November to build its first European car factory in Gruenheide, in the eastern state of Brandenburg.

Politicians, unions and industry groups have welcomed the move, saying it will bring jobs to the region, but environmental concerns drove hundreds of locals to the streets on Saturday.

“We are here, we are loud, because Tesla is stealing our water,” protesters called.

Saturday’s protest came after a Brandenburg water association on Thursday warned against “extensive and serious problems with the drinking water supply and wastewater disposal” for the proposed factory.

Anne Bach, a 27-year-old environmental activist, said Tesla’s plans published earlier this month showed it would need more than 300 cubic meters of water per hour which would drain the area’s declining reserves.

“I am not against Tesla … But it’s about the site; in a forest area that is a protected wildlife zone. Is this necessary?” Bach said.

“In such an ecological system like the one here and with the background that climate is changing, I cannot understand why another location was not selected from the beginning,” said Frank Gersdorf, a member of “Citizens’ Initiative Gruenheide against Gigafactory”, a local group that organised Saturday’s protest.

Environmentalist protests in Germany have previously halted and delayed major companies’ plans such RWE’s lignite mining at the Hambach forest, near Cologne, which has become a symbol of the anti-coal protests.

Saturday’s protest, which Gersdorf and Bach said developed spontaneously from a 50-people forest walk demonstration, highlighted the deforestation of around 300 hectares to build the factory and its impact on wildlife, including birds, insects and bats.

People were also protesting against an expected “enormous” increase in traffic on a nearby highway and through the villages.

Next to the protest, on the other side of the street, around 20 people carried banners welcoming Tesla in their village, with children chanting, “We are here, we are loud, because Tesla is building our future.”

Bernd Kutz, a Gruenheide local, said Tesla would bring improvement to the area, create jobs and give chances to young people.

“I am here because I don’t understand those demonstrators who shout and show us the finger,” Kutz said. “Why has it always to be negative?”

(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; editing by Christina Fincher)

‘You’re stealing our water’: Germans protest against Tesla gigafactory
Demonstrators hold anti-Tesla posters during a protest against plans by U.S. electric vehicle pioneer Tesla to build its first European factory and design center near Berlin

Boeing Responds to Germany Heavy Lift Helicopter Invitation

January 14, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

The H-47 Chinook offers the German Armed Forces a highly modern, proven and capable multi-mission helicopter
German industry will benefit from opportunities to work on the Chinook as well as opportunities across the Boeing enterprise

BERLIN, Germany, 14 January 2019 – Boeing [NYSA: BA] has submitted its response to the STH invitation to tender for Germany’s New Heavy Lift Helicopter program, also known as Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH). The response was submitted yesterday, 13 January.

The STH invitation to tender was issued on 24 June 2019 by the German procurement authority, specifically, the Federal Office of Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support of the Bundeswehr (BAAINBw). A contract award is expected in 2021 for the acquisition of 44 to 60 aircraft, including sustainment and training.

“We’re pleased to have submitted our response and look forward to working with the BAAINBw and German industry to bring the best value proposition to the German Bundeswehr,” said Michael Hostetter, vice president of Boeing Defense, Space & Security in Germany. “The H-47 Chinook is a one of a kind platform capable of performing missions that other helicopters cannot. It is a proven multi-mission heavy lift helicopter with advanced technology that meets the German requirements.”

Today, there are more than 950 Chinook aircraft operating in 20 countries, including eight NATO member countries (the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Spain, Turkey, UK, Canada, and the United States). The Chinook will provide immediate interoperability to Germany while meeting a wide range of mission needs. As the world’s most proven heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook has a track record of on-time delivery and first time quality, with the lowest operating and acquisition costs and a technology roadmap that will keep it relevant for decades to come.

“We are committed to having the sustainment and training as well as parts of the production done in Germany,” said Dr. Michael Haidinger, president of Boeing Germany. “We will continue to build on and expand our Germany Industry Team for the H-47 Chinook Schwerer Transporthubschrauber competition. In addition, we are committed to bringing high end engineering and production opportunities from across the Boeing enterprise to German industry.”

Daimler, Volvo Mull Combustion Engine Cooperation

January 5, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

BERLIN (Reuters) – Luxury German carmaker Daimler <DDAIF> and Volvo Cars, owned by China’s Geely, are considering cooperating to cut the costs of developing combustion engines, a magazine reported on Sunday, citing unnamed company sources.

The Automobilwoche weekly cited a Volvo manager as saying there were initial talks with Daimler, but no concrete plans, while a company spokesman said it was too early to talk about firm projects, although it was not excluding anybody.

A Daimler spokesman said the company’s cooperation with Geely, which owns a 10% stake in the German carmaker, was developing in a positive way, but declined to comment further.

Global tariffs, accelerated by a trade war between China and the United States, as well as higher investment requirements for electric and autonomous vehicles, are forcing carmakers to seek new ways to cut and share costs.

In October, Volvo said it would merge its engine development and manufacturing assets with those of Geely, creating a division to supply in-house brands and also potentially others with next-generation combustion and hybrid engines.

The Automobilwoche said this new division would start operating by the end of March, which could be a possible starting point for cooperation with Daimler, while a further step could be a partnership to develop electric power trains.

Geely and Daimler have said they plan to build the next generation of Smart electric cars in China through a joint venture and the two companies are also cooperating on a premium ride-hailing service in China.

Geely bought Volvo Cars in 2010 from Ford Motor Co <F.N>, allowing the Swedish brand to operate on an arms-length basis. But in recent years, it has deepened cooperation between the two brands.

Volvo already supplies engines to some Geely-branded vehicles, sharing technology through Geely’s Lynk brand. Both companies share and develop common vehicle platforms.

(Reporting by Emma Thomasson and Georg Merziger; editing by Jason Neely)

Ryanair’s O’Leary Prepared for More 737 MAX Delays

January 3, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

FILE PHOTO: Michael O’Leary of Ryanair at the Four Courts in Dublin

BERLIN (Reuters) – Ryanair <RYAAY> is prepared for further delays to the delivery of its Boeing <BA> 737 MAX airliners, its chief executive Michael O’Leary told German magazine Wirtschaftswoche, adding that he would only discuss compensation after the aircraft had been delivered.

The 737 MAX airliner has been grounded since March following two crashes which claimed 346 lives.

One of the world’s largest airlines, Ryanair has ordered 135 of the jets.

“We were meant to have 58 planes by the summer,” O’Leary said in the interview, extracts from which were published on Friday. “That went down to 30, then 20, then 10 and the latest is maybe only five. It’s possible we’ll only get the first jets in October 2020.”

In contrast to other airlines, including Turkish, Southwest Airlines <LUV> and Germany’s TUI <TUIFY>, which have already agreed compensation with Boeing, O’Leary added that he would only discuss compensation after the planes were delivered.

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; editing by Thomas Seythal)

Cornerstones of the expansion plan:

SBB and ÖBB are campaigning for greater political support for night trains.

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