The collaborative efforts were showcased at the inaugural France-Vietnam Forum on Railways and Urban Mobility, organized by Business France on 8th May 2026 in Hanoi under the France–Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework. The forum assembled Vietnamese government officials, transport sector authorities, investment representatives, and leading French companies with specialized expertise in rail infrastructure, signalling systems, rolling stock, operations, and project financing.

The gathering included prominent French firms specializing in rail technology and infrastructure development. Represented companies brought comprehensive capabilities spanning multiple aspects of railway project implementation, from initial design and planning through operational deployment and ongoing maintenance support.

According to Vietnam Railway Authority Deputy General Director Dương Hồng Anh, Vietnam is pursuing substantial expansion of its transport network. The country is simultaneously developing urban metro projects across major cities while preparing implementation of a planned high-speed railway connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. These ambitious infrastructure undertakings will demand considerable financial investment, technological expertise, established technical standards, professional workforce development, and coordinated international partnerships.

Anh highlighted that French companies’ involvement in Vietnam’s railway market reflects substantial interest in long-term cooperation opportunities within the country’s transport sector. He emphasized that France Vietnam railway cooperation extends beyond simple equipment supply relationships. The partnership encompasses comprehensive technology transfer, collaborative planning processes, professional training programs, and sustained support enabling Vietnam to progressively develop independent railway operation capabilities and expand integration within supply chain networks.

French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet underscored that railway transport has emerged as a priority domain within bilateral cooperation frameworks. He referenced the reaffirmation of this commitment during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Vietnam in May of the previous year, when both nations formalized agreements emphasizing enhanced cooperation in railway project management training and broader transport sector development.

“Placing rail transport at the heart of our bilateral cooperation is a natural choice, given the longstanding ties between France and Việt Nam in this field, the ongoing joint projects, notably Hà Nội Metro Line 3, and the recognised French expertise in both long-distance rail and urban transport systems,” Brochet stated.

France Vietnam railway cooperation benefits from the country’s extensive operational experience managing a 2,700-kilometer high-speed rail network and developing the Grand Paris Express initiative, which represents Europe’s largest metro construction undertaking. The Grand Paris Express features more than 200 kilometers of newly constructed automated transit lines, demonstrating advanced technical capabilities applicable to Vietnamese projects.

During a meeting with the French business delegation on 7th May 2026, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyễn Tường Văn affirmed that railway development occupies a central position within Vietnam’s national infrastructure strategy. The country’s railway development plan spanning 2021–2030 prioritizes the North–South high-speed railway project, urban railway systems in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and critical regional connections including the Hanoi–Lao Cai–Hai Phong corridor.

Vietnam seeks to learn from countries demonstrating advanced railway industry capabilities, particularly France, as it proceeds with substantial rail sector investments. These large-scale undertakings require major financial resources, specialized policy frameworks, established technical standards, professional workforce training programs, and comprehensive technology transfer mechanisms.

The North-South high-speed railway initiative garnered significant attention among French participants. This 1,540-kilometer project connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with trains capable of operating at speeds reaching 350 kilometers per hour, would fulfill a strategic function within Vietnam’s transport infrastructure development. SNCF International’s leadership expressed confidence that the project would emerge as a substantial socio-economic growth catalyst extending across multiple decades.

The initiative offers potential benefits including strengthened regional connectivity, reduced development disparities across different areas, and provision of transportation options that are environmentally sustainable and safer compared to alternative transport methods. These advantages gain particular significance amid escalating climate-related concerns affecting transportation planning globally.

French railway sector participants confirmed readiness to contribute technical expertise and support Vietnam’s implementation of its comprehensive railway modernization strategy and urban mobility advancement plans.

The construction effort reflects a broad domestic push, with thousands of Egyptian engineers and workers engaged in delivering the network as part of a wider plan to modernize infrastructure and improve efficiency. The route stretches from the Fayoum/Beni Suef region to Abu Simbel in southern Egypt, tracking west of the Western Desert Road. Designed with 36 stations, the line will feature 10 high-speed stations linking major urban centers and 26 regional stations that cater to smaller towns and local communities. This configuration is intended to enhance daily travel while reinforcing connectivity across regions through the high-speed electric rail system.

Integration lies at the core of the network’s design, enabling seamless connections with other national lines. The second line will intersect with the first line at Hadayek October station and connect with the third line at Qena, creating a unified transport grid that allows passengers to move efficiently from north to south and east to west. This interconnected high-speed electric rail network is expected to improve mobility for residents and visitors alike. Beyond passenger transport, the project will also support economic activity by linking major industrial hubs such as Helwan, 15 May City, 6th of October, New Minya, and New Assiut, alongside agricultural development zones including the New Delta, Mostaqbal Misr, Toshka, and East Oweinat.

In addition, the railway is set to strengthen logistics by facilitating the movement of goods between production areas, domestic markets, and export gateways. It is also positioned to enhance tourism by connecting key cultural destinations in Upper Egypt, such as Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel, with Red Sea coastal locations, enabling more efficient travel between diverse attractions. The broader impact of the high-speed electric rail initiative includes job creation across direct and indirect sectors, as well as environmental benefits through reduced reliance on conventional transport. Altogether, the project represents a transformative investment in Egypt’s infrastructure, reinforcing its ambitions to become a regional center for modern transportation and logistics while supporting long-term economic growth.

• Budimex
• the consortium of ZUE, Duna Polska, and POLAQUA
• the consortium of TORPOL, MIRBUD, and KOBYLARNIA
• the consortium of Trakcja and PORR
• the consortium of Mostostal Warszawa, NDI, NDI Sopot, and INTERCOR
• the consortium of Gülermak, Track Tec Construction, UNIBEP, and Pomorskie Przedsiębiorstwo Mechaniczno-Torowe

The tender marks a significant milestone in the development of Poland’s first high-speed rail line section and is expected to attract strong interest from both domestic and international contractors.

“This is the first tender for the construction of a high-speed line in Poland with international impact across all of Central and Eastern Europe. In future railway tenders, we expect strong participation from domestic firms, which will provide a significant boost to the Polish economy,” said Maciej Lasek, the Polish government’s representative for the CPK project.

CPK will proceed with the evaluation of submitted applications, with all six consortia potentially advancing to the dialogue phase. Selection criteria at this stage include prior experience in completed construction projects, particularly those undertaken in Poland, as well as the Polish language proficiency of key personnel. Final evaluation will be based on price and the length of the extended warranty period, with the contract award expected in the fourth quarter of 2027.

The Kotowice-Airport section forms part of the broader “Y” railway line, which is designed to connect Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań, and Wrocław. Trains operating on Poland’s first high-speed rail line are expected to reach speeds of up to 350 km/h, supported by technical specifications such as gradients, curve radii, switches, and a 25 kV AC power supply system.

Looking ahead, CPK plans to initiate additional procedures covering multiple sections, including 18 km between Warsaw West and Kotowice, 15 km between the airport and the Bolimowski junction, 12 km within the Bolimowski junction, 37 km between the Bolimowski junction and Brzeziny and 11 km between Brzeziny and Łódź. Separate tenders will also address rail traffic control systems, telecommunications, and the power supply network for the entire line, while archaeological survey procedures are currently under review. For the Warsaw-Łódź route, all 12 applications required for location decisions have already been submitted, with the first approval secured near Warsaw West station last November. The Warsaw-Łódź segment of the first high-speed rail line is scheduled to open in 2032, coinciding with the launch of the new airport, while the extension to Poznań and Wrocław via the “Y” line is expected to be operational by 2035.

British Steel will give the rails to ERG International Group, which is building the high-speed project for the Turkish government. Once the line is finished, the Turkish State Railways will run it. The material will be used to build a 599-kilometer line between Ankara and İzmir. This line is projected to greatly reduce carbon emissions by shortening the time it takes to travel between the Turkish capital and the port city. 

The size of the  high-speed rail contract has led to the establishment of 23 new jobs and the initiation of 24-7 rail production activities at Scunthorpe for the first time in more than ten years. The Ankara–İzmir high-speed rail line is meant to change transportation in Türkiye by lowering train travel time by more than 10 hours and giving passengers and freight operators a faster, more efficient, and less polluting option.

Craig Harvey, British Steel’s Commercial Director for Rail stated, “We have a distinguished record of supplying into high-speed rail projects across the world and have previously delivered rail into Türkiye through ERG for earlier phases of the Ankara to Izmir line.”

He also said, “This contract has been the catalyst to us starting 24-7 rail manufacturing operations in Scunthorpe. We are also optimistic we can supply other steel products into this project and are working with ERG to support its future needs.”

Mohamed Ibrahim, Chief Commercial Officer of ERG International UK said, “This contract not only strengthens our technical delivery, but also reinforces the strategic cooperation between ERG, British Steel, UKEF and DBT across major international infrastructure projects.”

The agreement was announced in Paris on 29 December 2025 and offers the creation of a joint venture in addition to a targeted investment in Trenitalia France.

This collaboration is intended to make the FS Group’s international high-speed rail activities more robust, with an initial focus on Trenitalia France. It also looks forward to supporting the commercial distribution of rail services and also underpinning an investment programme of almost 1 billion EUR throughout France and the UK.

It is well to be noted that Trenitalia France, which is going to host the regional headquarters of the joint venture in Paris, at present operates high-speed passenger services on the Paris–Lyon as well as the Paris–Marseille routes, and also a cross-border Paris–Milan service. Since the launch of its operations, the company has gone ahead and carried over 4.7 million passengers. It plans to broaden its network further, which includes the proposed entry on the Paris–London corridor and also more cross-border routes.

As per the terms of the partnership, Trenitalia France looks forward to using the new investment in order to support growth across France and the UK as well as other European markets. Planned measures include expanding its fleet to a minimum of 19 trainsets, creating a new maintenance facility situated near Paris on a recently awarded site as well as increasing the service frequencies on the present routes, which includes up to 28 daily services on the Paris–Lyon line.

The programme also goes on to have the creation of many hundred new roles along with continued investment within tech, branding, and also marketing. Entry onto the Paris–London route is aimed for 2029.

Notably, the partnership meant for uplifting high-speed rail services in Europe is crafted in such a way so as to support broader adoption in terms of rail travel for both business and leisure journeys, taking benefits out of the ongoing liberalization of the European rail market. Trenitalia France is most likely to work along with the portfolio companies of Certares in order to support the corporate customers who are increasingly considering high-speed rail as an option to air travel. The partners also plan to come up with rail-inclusive travel products in terms of leisure markets, which includes integrated booking along with packaging tools.

The partnership also supports the FS Group 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, which goes on to stress global growth via collaboration with financial as well as industrial partners.

Following a pre-bid conference as well as a workshop for small businesses, which is going to be held in Sacramento on December 19, the proposals are due to be submitted on March 2, 2026.

The Track and Systems Construction Contract – TSCC goes on to include the supply of rail systems, which includes the likes of traction power supply, overhead electrification, signalling as well as train control, and also communications, including radio, fibre optic along with CCTV systems.

According to CHSRA, the contract is going to cover the 190.4 km, which is at present under construction, in addition to the extensions to Merced and Bakersfield, which will complete the Central Valley Section – CVS. The contract is going to comprise nine separate packages having phased notices in order to proceed, helping with Track-Laying and Supply Railway Systems in order to move forward section by section as the civil engineering work gets completed.

The preferred bidder is going to be responsible for the detailed design, with an exception in terms of the track and the overhead electrification system, wherein the CHSRA has gone on to award a separate contract for this task. The contract also goes on to have all integration testing as well as commissioning.

Track-laying materials, including the likes of rail, sleepers as well as ballast, are going to be supplied by CHSRA, in addition to masts as well as other electrification components such as contact wire. Fibre optic cable is also going to be supplied.

As per CHSRA, this hybrid delivery model is going to incorporate the management of cost as well as schedule and also collaboration, partnering, motivation for innovation, in-depth communication, as well as progressive project development pertaining to construction packages.

With the track-laying completed at the construction base in Kern County located at the southern end of the CVS, CHSRA remarks that the new facility is soon going to be ready to get track as well as other materials by rail. This will help the project to move with pace into systems installation once the contract gets awarded.

As per Ian Choudri, the CEO of CHSRA, getting this contract to market today should be seen as a major landmark of their new delivery strategy, which is building faster, smarter, and, of course, more economically.

Centered on competitiveness and sustainability, the EU transport package aims to make the EU’s transport system cleaner, better connected and more resilient. The measures announced cover two major domains: rail, where Europe already stands as a global sustainability leader and fuels, where increased investment is seen as crucial for advancing the continent’s energy transition.

The newly unveiled High-Speed Rail Action Plan outlines concrete steps to create a more interconnected and interoperable European network by 2040. Its goal is to cut travel times, strengthen regional links, and make rail a preferred choice over short-haul air routes, ultimately supporting passenger growth, tourism, and regional development.

Building on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), the plan envisions connecting major cities at speeds of 200 km/h or higher. Travel time from Berlin to Copenhagen would fall to four hours from seven, while Sofia to Athens would drop to six hours from nearly fourteen. New cross-border corridors, such as Paris–Lisbon via Madrid, and improved links among the Baltic capitals are also planned.

To realise this network, the Commission proposes four key action pillars:

• Removing cross-border bottlenecks by 2027, with feasibility studies for higher-speed routes exceeding 250 km/h where viable.
• Developing a coordinated investment strategy involving governments, financiers, and industry through a High-Speed Rail Deal.
• Improving the business environment for rail operators by upgrading ticketing systems, developing a second-hand market for rolling stock, advancing digital rail management, and promoting R&D and partnerships.
• Strengthening EU-level governance by requiring infrastructure managers to coordinate on capacity and standardisation for long-distance services.

These steps are expected not only to shorten journeys but also to relieve congestion on traditional lines, creating more space for freight and night trains while enhancing Europe’s industrial and tourism competitiveness.

The second part of the  EU transport package, the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP), focuses on driving more funding toward renewable and low-carbon fuels for the aviation and maritime sectors. To meet the RefuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime goals, about 20 million tonnes of sustainable fuels will be needed by 2035, supported by roughly €100 billion in investments.

Through STIP, the Commission wants to give investors confidence that the EU remains committed to its climate-neutral goals by boosting homegrown fuel production and cutting dependence on imported fossil energy. Among its investment measures are:

• At least €2 billion for sustainable alternative fuels through InvestEU.
• €300 million via the European Hydrogen Bank for hydrogen-based fuels in aviation and shipping.
• €446 million for synthetic fuel initiatives through the Innovation Fund.
• €133.5 million for fuel-related research and development under Horizon Europe.

Additionally, the Commission and Member States plan to launch an eSAF Early Movers Coalition by the end of 2025 to mobilise at least €500 million for synthetic aviation fuel projects. The Commission also plans to set up a system that connects fuel producers with buyers, helping to cut investment risks and give the market more stability.

In the longer run, the EU aims to build stronger international partnerships to grow global fuel supply chains that meet its sustainability standards, ensuring fair competition for European industries while pushing the clean-energy transition worldwide.

Farzaneh Sadegh announced that the Chinese investor is expected to formalize the Tehran-Mashhad high-speed rail contract during President Masoud Pezeshkian’s upcoming visit to Beijing. 

The government aims to cut the travel time on the 900-kilometer stretch between Tehran and Mashhad. It is one of the most busiest railway lines in West Asia, transporting tens of millions of passengers annually, most of whom are pilgrims. 

Mashhad, with a population of 3.5 million, contains Imam Reza (AS) shrine, who is the eighth Imam of the Shia school of thought. Its location along the Sarakhs-Razi corridor reinforces its position as an east-west cargo transit hub, promoting the increasing flow of cargo through Iran to and from Central Asia.

In July, Iran’s railway authority confirmed plans to electrify almost 1,000 kilometers of track from Sarakhs to the Razi border crossing with Iraq. The initiative, supported by a Chinese company, also includes sections of double-tracking. According to Jabbar Ali Zakeri, the project is designed to expand rail freight capacity on the corridor to 15 million metric tons annually.

Iran’s broader plan to modernise its railroads with the high-speed railway comes at a timely moment with the effort to expand east-west transport links. These efforts are part of the nation’s bid to capture more revenues from transit cargoes, particularly in the framework of China’s One Belt, One Road initiative, which is redrawing transport infrastructure across Asia, Europe, and Africa.

The mtu Series 4000 engines are renowned for their reliability in most demanding conditions. Since 2012, more than 70 of the 12V 4000 engines have been successfully deployed in trains operated by Saudi Arabia Railways. 

“They ensure smooth operation despite extreme ambient conditions with temperatures above 50° c and the influence of desert dust,” said Christopher Weckbecker, Director Global Rail at Rolls-Royce. “Under these conditions, reliable air conditioning alone is essential for the survival of train passengers and personnel. We are delighted that all diesel-powered passenger trains on the Arabian Peninsula are powered by mtu Series 4000 engines – this is a strong vote of confidence in our outstanding products. At the same time, this order supports our strategy by expanding further into regional growth markets, enlarging Rolls-Royce’s global footprint in rail application.”

Under the agreement, 50 12V 4000 R64 mtu engines will be supplied, each delivering an output of 1,500 kW. 10 more engines are also intended for reserve power cars and as spare units so that continuous passenger service can be ensured even during maintenance work. The contract also provides an option for another 40 engines that could support a further ten trains.

The introduction of these new trains will significantly strengthen economic connectivity between Dammam and Riyadh. “For us, mtu propulsion technology from Rolls-Royce is a central component in this project. It not only enables high speeds, but also meets the highest standards of environmental compatibility, energy efficiency and operational safety,” said Tobias Arnold, commercial project lead at Stadler.

A Rapid Expansion Unmatched in History

Since the first high-speed line between Beijing and Tianjin was launched in 2008, China’s rail network has grown exponentially. Today, it stretches over 45,000 kilometers, covering more ground than all other countries combined. This ambitious expansion has made high-speed rail a practical and preferred choice for millions of domestic travelers.

Driving Innovation Through Engineering Excellence

The success of China high-speed rail stems from cutting-edge technologies, including smart scheduling systems, maglev trains, and proprietary track design adapted to complex terrains. Chinese engineers have overcome logistical challenges like seismic zones and extreme weather conditions, setting new global benchmarks for railway construction.

Regional Integration and Economic Upliftment

High-speed rail is not just a transportation project—it’s a nation-building strategy. By connecting megacities with smaller inland towns, China has stimulated regional economies, encouraged tourism, and reduced rural-urban disparity. Cities like Zhengzhou, Wuhan, and Guiyang have become vibrant economic hubs thanks to improved rail connectivity.

Global Ambitions and Export Potential

As demand for modern infrastructure grows globally, China is actively exporting its expertise. From Indonesia’s Jakarta-Bandung project to proposals in Africa and Europe, China high-speed rail is becoming a symbol of innovation and efficiency beyond national borders. These international ventures also serve China’s broader Belt and Road Initiative, promoting infrastructure-led diplomacy.

Environmental Sustainability

High-speed rail supports China’s climate commitments by offering a low-carbon alternative to air and car travel. Powered increasingly by renewable electricity, these trains drastically reduce CO₂ emissions and support sustainable urban development.

Conclusion

The rise of China high-speed rail has reshaped both the domestic and global transportation landscape. With continued investment in smart mobility, green energy, and international partnerships, China is not just building railways—it’s building the future of transit. As other countries look to modernize their infrastructure, China’s model provides a clear and compelling roadmap for progress.