IARO heads to Hong Kong for Super Terminal Expo 2026
IARO will be participating in Super Terminal Expo 2026 in Hong Kong from 3–5 November, bringing airport-rail connectivity firmly into the discussion at one of Asia-Pacific’s major events for the future of passenger terminals, transport and infrastructure.
Taking place at AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong, Super Terminal Expo will bring together airport authorities, transport operators, infrastructure specialists, technology providers and other industry stakeholders to examine the next generation of terminal development and connectivity.
IARO will have a strong presence throughout the three-day event, with its own exhibition stand providing a meeting point for members, partners and other organisations interested in improving connections between airports and their surrounding rail and public transport networks.
A particular highlight will take place on Wednesday 4 November, when IARO will organise a dedicated 90-minute Air-Rail Forum. The session will feature presentations followed by a moderated panel discussion examining the development of airport-rail links and the opportunities for better integration between aviation, rail and wider transport networks.
The Forum will provide an opportunity to showcase projects and experience from across the IARO network, while also introducing the work of the Association to the wider international airport community attending the Expo.
IARO members interested in giving a presentation or participating in the panel discussion are encouraged to get involved. Please contact Patrick at patrick@iaro.com (mailto:patrick@iaro.com) if you would like to discuss taking part.
Members attending Super Terminal Expo are also invited to visit the IARO exhibition stand during the event. It will provide an informal base for meetings, networking and discussions with colleagues from across the airport and transport sectors.
3–5 November 2026 | AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong
Find out more about Super Terminal Expo 2026 (superterminalexpo.com)
Just 3 Weeks to Go
IARO 2026 Air-Rail Conference and Networking Meeting - Brussels Airport, 7-8 October
There are now just three weeks to go until the IARO 2026 Air-Rail Conference and Networking Meeting, hosted by Brussels Airport on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 October.
The two-day programme will bring together IARO members and industry stakeholders for airport and facility visits, conference sessions, panel discussions and networking, with a strong focus on the future development of air-rail and intermodal transport.
Wednesday’s programme includes a visit to the Brussels Airport Aviation Training Centre (AHLEX), presentations from Brussels Airlines and DB Fernverkehr, a landside and airside airport tour highlighting the future Intermodal Hub, followed by the Welcome to Brussels Networking Reception and Dinner.
On Thursday, conference sessions will address high-speed and long-distance rail connectivity to airports, airport development and design, integrated air-rail systems, new technology and disruption management. Speakers will represent organisations including the European Commission, Infrabel, Brussels Airlines, DB Fernverkehr, Foster + Partners, Brussels Airport, Kuala Lumpur Express Rail Link, SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking, Airport Intelligence and AccesRail.
Participation is free of charge for IARO Members, but advance registration is essential.
Portland’s new Siemens LRVs
Late last year TriMet, Oregon’s regional public transit agency, took delivery of the final Type 6 MAX light-rail vehicle, marking a major milestone in the agency’s largest fleet modernisation in more than 20 years. The first Type 6 entered service in January 2025. With 22 trains already carrying passengers, the new vehicles now account for around 15% of the entire MAX fleet.
The Type 6 is a double-ended three-section LRV on three bogies. The 30-vehicle fleet will replace the original Type 1 vehicles, introduced in 1986 and now approaching 40 years in service. Many components for the Type 1s can no longer be sourced, forcing maintenance staff to manufacture parts in-house or salvage components from retired vehicles. Some of the units have accumulated more than 2 million miles. By contrast, the Type 6 trains incorporate modern diagnostic systems that automatically alert technicians to emerging issues, helping to prevent failures and reduce maintenance costs. Other upgrades include LED lighting, digital passenger information screens and 360º internal CCTV coverage. The trains also feature heated ice cutters fitted to their pantographs. These melt or remove ice from overhead wires during winter conditions, helping to protect operations during severe weather and reduce service disruptions.
The Type 1 vehicle at the airport in 2004
TriMet (railwaypro.com) expects each Type 6 train to remain in service for approximately 30 years. Their introduction coincides with a broader programme of infrastructure improvements across the network. In 2024, TriMet completed the multi-year Better Red MAX Red Line Extension and Improvements project, alongside upgrades to older parts of the system, including new tensioning systems for overhead wires and a full renovation of the NE 82nd Avenue MAX Station platform. IARO Express 562 reported briefly on this.
TriMet will continue operating the ageing Type 1s until all Type 6 vehicles are in service. Most of the retired units will be recycled, although car 101 has been donated to the Oregon Electric Railway Museum in Brooks, Oregon.
The Red Line of Portland’s Tri-Met light rail system opened to the airport 25 years ago on 10 September 2001: almost its first task was to bring travellers back from the airport following closure of US airspace after 9/11.
Sources Railwaypro (railwaypro.com ), Tramways and Urban Transit and the IARO database
New Brussels – CDG - Basel rail link planned
A new high-speed rail connection linking Belgium, France and Switzerland is to be tested from summer 2027.
SNCB, SNCF Voyageurs and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) will extend the existing TGV INOUI service between Brussels and Strasbourg to Basel. The trial service, scheduled to launch in July 2027, aims to strengthen rail connectivity between three of Europe's most important travel markets while offering passengers a more sustainable alternative to short-haul flights.
If successful, the initiative could further enhance cross-border rail travel (euronews.com) between Belgium, France and Switzerland, while creating new onward connections to destinations including London and the Netherlands.
The extension will build on the existing Brussels-France TGV INOUI route, which is jointly operated by Belgian (euronews.com) and French rail operators SNCB and SNCF Voyageurs. SBB has now joined the partnership to test demand for a direct connection between Brussels, Strasbourg and Basel.
Under the plans, the service will operate with one return journey every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Departing Brussels-Midi at around 7:00, the train will call at Lille-Europe, Charles de Gaulle Airport (euronews.com) , Champagne-Ardenne TGV, Meuse TGV, Lorraine TGV and Strasbourg-Ville before arriving at Basel SBB at approximately 12:30. The return service will leave Basel at around 14:00 and arrive back in Brussels shortly before 19:00. The route will create a new direct rail service between Belgium and Switzerland, eliminating the need for multiple connections and making weekend leisure breaks and business travel easier between the two countries. The trial is also expected to strengthen links between major destinations across eastern France, including Strasbourg, which is home to several European institutions and attracts millions of visitors each year.
One of the most significant benefits will be the improved international connectivity beyond the three countries themselves. Swiss travellers will be able to connect at Lille-Europe onto Eurostar services to London, providing an attractive rail alternative to flying between Switzerland and the UK. The value of the CDG connection is low because of the limited number of days the train will operate.
Passengers travelling from Switzerland will also be able to continue from Brussels to destinations across the Netherlands using Belgium's extensive rail network. However, the current timetable does not allow passengers travelling from London to make a same-day connection to Basel. Tickets for the trial service are expected to go on sale in spring next year ahead of the launch in July 2027.
IARO Express 685 reported on plans for direct Eurostar services between London and Switzerland.
TGV INOUI train
Sources MSN (msn.com ) and the IARO database
Mumbai Metro Line 8
IARO Express 694 reported on problems with the Mumbai Metro Line 7a extension to the current airport. Line 8, the Gold Line, is intended to connect this airport with the new one at Navi Mumbai.
The new line is expected to be ready by 2029. It has been planned to improve the connectivity between the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport in Santacruz and the future airport in Navi Mumbai. It will be 40 km long, with approximately seven stations.
Trains will run every 15 minutes at approximately 90 km/hr. It will reduce the travel time between the two airports by 75%. Currently, by road, it takes around 120 minutes to travel between the two airports: the Gold Line will take 30 minutes from one end to another.
One part of the line is the 9.25 km underground link between Terminal 2 of the existing airport and Ghatkopar East: the other is the 25.09 km elevated track to Navi Mumbai.
The specifications mandate the use of lightweight stainless-steel coaches equipped with dedicated luggage racks, catering specifically to long-distance air travelers.
A critical technical milestone is the Mankhurd-Vashi bridge (magicbricks.com) , where the metro will run parallel to the existing Sion-Panvel Highway. This segment requires specialised long span girders to cross the Thane Creek without disrupting maritime traffic. The line is going to use automated signaling to keep trains running every four minutes during the morning and evening rush. By connecting with Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), the Gold Line is basically a massive relief for the city’s overcrowded suburban trains. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has confirmed that the CBTC (Communication Based Train Control) system is being tuned specifically to handle the massive passenger surge expected at the LTT (Kurla) interchange during the summer holiday rush.
The Maharashtra government approved the project in January 2025 under a Public-Private Partnership. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been completed, and planning and review are with the City & Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). Construction was planned to start in mid-2026. The line will be partially on stream late 2028 or early 2029, with full operations aligning with the full-scale rollout of the Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The metro line will be developed jointly by MMRDA and CIDCO. MMRDA will undertake the metro line construction work in the Mumbai Region, and CIDCO will take up the work in the Navi Mumbai region. The final two stops will be inside the new Navi Mumbai airport campus.
Sources Magic Bricks (magicbricks.com )
More on Airportr and friends
Edinburgh and Budapest airports, both of which joined the Vinci Airports network in 2024, have introduced Airportr services which allow passengers to check in luggage before reaching the terminal.
Through a service operated by Airportr at Edinburgh Airport (edinburghairport.com) , Lufthansa and easyJet passengers can have their bags collected from home, an office or a hotel and checked in before their flight, allowing them to head straight to security on arrival. The service can be booked through the Airportr (airportr.com) website. easyJet passengers can use a similar collection, delivery and door-to-flight service with Airportr at London Gatwick, also part of the Vinci Airports network.
At Budapest Airport (bud.hu) , passengers can check in baggage for a fee at a downtown store through the Universal AirportHUB (universalairporthub.com) Bag Free Hub service. Passengers with a valid boarding pass with a barcode or QR code can drop off luggage in the city centre then go to the airport and proceed directly to security screening. The service is available for flights departing between noon and midnight, with baggage (passengerterminaltoday.com) required to be checked in at least four hours before departure. Passengers must also complete online check-in (passengerterminaltoday.com) . The process mirrors the self-service (passengerterminaltoday.com) baggage drop found at airports: passengers print their bag tags at the store, attach them to their luggage and hand the bags to staff: an instructional video and AirportHUB personnel are available to assist.
At Budapest, checked baggage is transported to the airport by a contracted partner in a locked vehicle with a secure cargo compartment under continuous supervision. Bags are then screened at the terminal and handled in the same way as other hold baggage. The service is currently available to Wizz Air passengers with a boarding pass with a barcode or QR code. Budapest Airport and its partners said they are working to expand the service to other airlines.
IARO Express 692 had an earlier report on the service.
Source Passenger Terminal Today (passengerterminaltoday.com )
Bromma Airport metro
Bromma is Stockholm’s downtown airport, served by the Tvärbanan light rail line since May 2021 (see IARO Express 430). The land is owned by the City of Stockholm, and leased to Swedavia, the airport operator, until 2038.
Much of the city’s air traffic uses Arlanda airport, and Bromma’s traffic has been steadily declining – from 2.5m passengers in 2018 to 80,000 in the 12 months to August 2026.
The city wants to use the site for housing and commercial development, and is consulting on an extension of the metro (Tunnelbana) system to the area. Various routes are being studied – most of them extensions to existing lines.
So – yet another example of a rail connection to an airport – but only after it will close.
Source Nya tunnelbanan (nyatunnelbanan.se ) and the IARO database