Mallorca will slash 18,000 tourist beds from its accommodation offer
The island is dead set on doing something about the problem of overtourism
The train should increase the track’s capacity by around 30% without any major works
Today, Germany's first semi-autonomous digital train rolled into service on the S-Bahn in Hamburg. The train was developed through a joint project by city authorities, Deutsche Bahn and Siemens Mobility. What makes this train unique and 'digital', as transport authorities put it, is that it can perform a range of functions through software that does not require human input.
Furthermore, the innovative train concept brings with it promises of increasing capacity by around 30% without upgrading the rail infrastructure itself. Instead, because of the innovations in the control section, S-Bahn Hamburg can run more trains safely.
The digital train in Hamburg will run on the S1/S2 line, which is a track of around 23 kilometres between the stations Berliner Tor and Bergedorf/Aumühle. Importantly, although the digital train represents the next step for trains, it does not require major redevelopment of the lines, meaning that it can be launched everywhere.
Also, the train is not completely autonomous. Although it can accelerate, stop, open and close doors by itself, a trained driver will be monitoring the situation on board and also assist with turning.
Nevertheless, according to a statement by S-Bahn Hamburg, this should still be enough to increase the line’s capacity. Because the trains operate much of their functions like clockwork and are much more energy efficient, the rail operator can run more of them on the same infrastructure.
As NDR reports, Kay Arnecke, a spokesman for S-Bahn Hamburg, explained that they can increase capacity by about 30%.
The agreement between the three parties was signed in 2017 and the digital train’s development has cost around 60 million euros. The model made its debut during the Intelligent Transport Systems Congress in October of 2021. There, local and national companies presented their prototypes of mobility options for the future.
Now, developers are looking to the future of digital rail in Germany. S-Bahn Hamburg, for instance, states that the next step would involve fully automated trains that do not need human drivers. At the same time, a core idea behind their planned expansion is to keep the existing rail infrastructure and digitalise the network through minimal intervention.
The island is dead set on doing something about the problem of overtourism
The event, officially called Krakow Equality March, will be held next week
However, this option will not yet be available for the upcoming European Parliament elections in June
You can find it in the capital Sofia, where it was installed upon the initiative of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
People in both cities got to sit together both in person and virtually
However, this option will not yet be available for the upcoming European Parliament elections in June
You can find it in the capital Sofia, where it was installed upon the initiative of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
In case they have a patch of unoccupied land that they don’t know what to do with
The scheme is primarily aimed at daily commuters
The island is dead set on doing something about the problem of overtourism
The event, officially called Krakow Equality March, will be held next week
The scheme is primarily aimed at daily commuters
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team