Regulation of rail infrastructure and services

Abstract

This article reviews the different regulatory scenarios that emerged in the railway industry following the restructuring process that took place worldwide since the 1980s. Two main dimensions defined this process: the vertical separation of infrastructure and services and the introduction of private participation in an industry that, until then, was dominated by vertically integrated state monopolies. This article also examines some of the most relevant regulatory issues in these new scenarios, with a particular focus on price regulation and infrastructure access rights.