UIC eNews

Building safer railways together: UIC's Safety Platform charts the way forward for Asia-Pacific

2026-07-23T15:07:04Z

Continuing its successful series of regional web meetings, the UIC Asia-Pacific region hosted a session on resilience, safety, and operations – the 3rd technical session of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Web Series. The meeting provided UIC Asia-Pacific Region members an in-depth look at how UIC's Safety Platform is structured and the regional projects it drives, and opened the floor for members to share their own experiences.

The session was opened by Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communications, and Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific Region at UIC, who welcomed participants from China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Azerbaijan, the Philippines, Thailand, and beyond. He recalled that during the 40th UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) held on 25 June, Kim Tae Seung, President and CEO of Korail and UIC APRA Chair, and Sri Satish Kumar, Chair of the Railway Board at Indian Railways and UIC APRA Vice-Chair , both emphasised the importance of safety management and a robust safety culture as a core strategic priority for the region.

Introducing the UIC Safety Platform
Francisco Cabrera, Deputy Head of Operations and Safety at UIC, provided details on the Safety Platform, which brings together almost 60 members worldwide, and is chaired by David Gómez-Rey Romero, Chief Safety Officer at the Spanish Railway Infrastructure Manager (ADIF), with Dr Anne Mills, Deputy Director of System Safety and Health at Britain's Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), serving as Vice-Chair. The Platform runs eight permanent working groups and 14 short-term Opt-in Projects involving around 30 active UIC members, and maintains dedicated safety cooperation links with all UIC regions, including Asia-Pacific.

He also explained that operational safety is a transversal activity at UIC, supporting the full project cycle from design through to operations and maintenance. This work is carried out in close coordination with the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).

Safety culture, and human and organisational factors
Virginie Papillault, Head of Safety Culture and Human and Organisational Factors (HOF) at UIC, and Florence Magnin-Lot, Advisor for Safety Culture and Organisational Factors at UIC, presented the Safety Culture Peer Review programme, an approach inspired by the nuclear industry and developed with ERA before UIC took over its coordination in 2024. Peer reviews are conducted by international teams of 6 to 10 volunteer experts over five days at a host company, combining interviews, observation, and focus groups across all levels of the organisation to strengthen safety culture and produce a comprehensive report of strengths and areas for improvement. Reviews have already taken place at the National French Railways (SNCF), Lisea, Eurotunnel, German Railways (DB) Cargo France, and Trenitalia France, with one planned at SNCF Réseau in December.

Also presented were UIC's HOF and Safety Culture training sessions, to be held in person in Paris this September, with online sessions available on request for members further afield, as well as Mind4Change 2, a new three-year project launched in April 2026 to build an interactive platform helping members anticipate and manage the human side of digital, technological, and societal change.

UIC safety tools, databases, and the Safety Hub
Iryna Polzikova, Head of Safety and Performance Databases at UIC, presented the UIC Safety Database, which today counts 37 contributing networks across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Africa, and Asia, feeding into the annual UIC Safety Report and benchmarking indicators for members. She also gave a live demonstration of the interactive UIC Safety Hub and its Power BI dashboards, and encouraged any Asia-Pacific networks not yet contributing to join the voluntary, free data-sharing initiative.

Resilience and climate adaptation: the RERA Hub
Konstantina Kopsalidou, Senior Advisor for Infrastructure and Asset Management at UIC, introduced Resilient Railways facing Climate Change (RERA), UIC's framework for resilience to extreme weather, earthquakes, cyberattacks and wind, and the newly created RERA Hub, a permanent working group bringing together members from Finland, France, the UK, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, the US, Korea, Spain, and Poland around six pillars: Climate Intelligence and Decision Inputs; Risk and Criticality Assessment and Prioritisation; Adaptation Pathways; Economic Appraisal & Investment Prioritisation; Governance and Performance Measurement; and a cross cutting enabler: Digital, Data & AI. She presented findings from the completed RERA-Rain project, including a harmonised methodology for assessing flooding and landslide risk drawn from real incidents such as a landslide in Italy and a bridge collapse in Germany.

Cabrera followed this with an overview of RERA-Temp, examining the impact of extreme heat on track buckling, ballast contamination and vegetation growth, drawing on examples from Spain's ADIF, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. He also introduced RERA-Quake, developed with infrastructure managers from Chile, Italy, Turkey, and Japan to address safety standards for moderate earthquakes.

He was joined by Giancarlo De Marco Telese, Deputy Head of the Safety Unit at UIC, who presented a wind-tunnel research project with the University of Birmingham and Politecnico di Milano, launched in response to the Great Belt Bridge accident, to develop characteristic wind curves for freight trains carrying semi-trailers.

Global safety awareness campaigns: ILCAD and TRESPAD
Isabelle Fonverne, Senior Advisor, Safety and Interoperability at UIC, presented UIC's two global awareness campaigns: International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD), tackling level crossing safety through the 60-member Global Level Crossing Network, and Trespass Awareness Day (TRESPAD), addressing trespass and suicide prevention, which together respond to incidents that account for the vast majority of railway accidents caused by third parties. Fonverne then shared campaign videos and this year's slogan, “Alert Today, Safe Tomorrow” alongside examples of member activities from Mongolian Ulaanbaatar Railways (UBTZ) and Indian Railways, and looked back at the first joint ILCAD and TRESPAD Launch Conference held in Paris from 9 to 10 June, which brought together 160 delegates, 44 speakers, and 29 countries.

Hearing from Asia-Pacific members
In the session's interactive segment, SunHee (Caitlin) Kim, Principal Researcher at the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI), shared her institute's experience building an Operational Technology (OT) cybersecurity certification process for Korea's railways as the country's government-designated safety certification body, and raised detailed questions on risk matrix methodology, certification levels, and threat scenarios as Korea contributes to UIC's RERA Cyber project. Cabrera then confirmed that cybersecurity is tackled at UIC across three complementary strands: IT systems through the Cybersecurity Solutions Platform (CSSP) run by the Telecom and Signalling Unit, passenger and staff impact through the Security Unit, and operational technology through RERA Cyber. He also welcomed KRRI's continued contribution given the value of insights from beyond Europe.

Looking forward
Cabrera outlined key upcoming milestones for Asia-Pacific members:

The International Railway Safety Council, to be held in Lisbon in 2026 after last year's edition in Hong Kong
The Suicide Prevention webinar on 3 November 2026
The Safety Platform Plenary Session at UIC Headquarters in Paris on 4 November 2026, open to online participation
The 2027 ILCAD and TRESPAD Launch Conferences in Porto, Portugal, from 2 to 4 June

Finally, he invited members to reach out to the Safety Unit, and reiterated that any Asia-Pacific member is welcome to join the Safety Platform's working groups, opt-in projects, or the Platform itself. Closing the session, Yuke Li, UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Advisor, then thanked members across the Asia-Pacific time zones for their commitment, and encouraged attendees to share the information within their organisations.

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Empowering Asia-Pacific railways: Inside UIC's Security Platform and the path to smarter and more secure networks

2026-07-16T07:35:51Z

Continuing its successful series of region specific webinars, on 9 July 2026 the UIC Asia-Pacific region hosted a session dedicated to the work, initiatives, and cooperation tools of the UIC Security Department. The session brought together representatives from railway companies across the Asia-Pacific region, including China Railway, Indian Railways, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI), the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia (PTA), and East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

In his opening remarks, Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communication and Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific region at UIC, welcomed participants to the 4th session of the year's web series. He then handed over to Sarvapriya Mayank, Additional Director General of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Indian Railways, who addressed the members in his capacity as Chair of the UIC Security Platform. Mayank stated that the platform's greatest asset is the shared experience it draws from operators, police forces, technology partners, and governments across continents, and stressed the need for practical, low-cost, and solution-oriented cooperation to face increasingly fast-moving and unpredictable threats, from crowd management and infrastructure gaps to the rising volume of cyber-attacks and insider threats.

Introducing the UIC Security Department and Security Platform

Focusing on the UIC Security Department, and headed by Grigore Havarneanu, Director of the UIC Security Department, the webinar set out the similarities and differences between safety and security, the key security challenges in an open rail environment, and the importance of prevention, layered protection, and crisis management, developed in close cooperation with public authorities.

The UIC Security team – including Laura Petersen, Kamil Szafranski, Paula Fernandez Diaz, and Timothée Cozon – introduced the five working groups of the Security Platform, namely New Technologies; Human Factors; Strategy, Procedures and Regulations; Sabotage, Intrusions and Attacks; and Crisis Management. Attendees were also invited to nominate experts for the working groups most relevant to their organisation.

Tools, research projects, and the Rail Security Hub

Along with the 5 working groups, two practical tools were presented for member participation and operational solution exchange:

The Network of Quick Responders
The UIC Rail Security Hub

The session also addressed priority topics such as the protection of vulnerable groups (including women) and combatting human trafficking, cybersecurity as a cross-cutting subject handled jointly with UIC's Safety and Telecom & Signalling units, ongoing research and innovation projects such as IMProving Railway sEcurity through awareneSS and training (IMPRESS) and CYbeR-security skills across indUstrial Sectors (CYRUS), and upcoming events including the 21st UIC World Security Congress, to be held from 3 to 5 November 2026 in Dublin, Ireland.

Hearing from Asia-Pacific members

Asia-Pacific members were invited to come to the floor to share their own experiences via a dedicated interactive segment created by Yuke Li, Asia-Pacific Region Advisor. Rachel Smart, Principal Human Factors Advisor at the Public Transport Authority (PTA) of Western Australia, presented the PTA's transit police, extensive CCTV network, and a “drone-in-a-box” trial used to counter train tagging, which has already led to arrests and a marked drop in incidents at one of the network's most vulnerable stations.

SunHee (Caitlin) Kim, Principal Researcher at the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI), outlined how cybersecurity is being progressively integrated into Korea's rail safety management system, and raised questions on aligning international standards for certification, which the UIC Security team addressed in the discussion that followed.

The session closed with a call to the Asia-Pacific members to participate in the relevant working groups and future events.

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Korail hosts and welcomes the 40th UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly in Seoul for two days of strategic discussions and innovation

2026-07-10T14:25:34Z

On 25-26 June 2026, more than 100 UIC member representatives from across the Asia-Pacific region gathered for the 40th UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) and the 26th Asia-Pacific Management Committee (APMC) in both Seoul, Korea and online. Hosted by the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), the two-day event combined high-level statutory meetings and project workshops with technical and cultural visits, encouraging strategic discussions, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.

Kim Tae Seung, President & CEO of KORAIL; and Sri Satish Kumar, UIC APRA Vice-Chair and Acting-Chair, and Chair of the Railway Board at Indian Railways; alongside UIC Director General François Davenne warmly welcomed the participants to the hybrid event at Seoul Dragon City. Yuji Fukasawa, UIC Chair and Chair of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), also addressed the Asia-Pacific region's importance in his opening message.

A day of strategic regional focus

The first day revolved around key regional meetings, underscoring the Asia-Pacific Region's commitment to project development being a key priority and driving regional collaboration.

APRA Project Workshop – Part I on ROP 2025 & 2026 (09:00-10:30, Seoul time)
The session opened with a review of the progress achieved on the UIC-funded Regional Opt-in Projects (ROP) 2025-2026. Updates were given from Indian Railways, KORAIL and Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), all of which showcased clear advancement and the value of regional cooperation.

26th Asia-Pacific Management Committee (APMC) (10:40-11:40, Seoul time)
Chaired by Sri Satish Kumar, the 26th APMC addressed core governance and administrative business concerns. Members were invited to support the upcoming APRA Chairship call for the 2027-2028 period., as well as on the ROP 2027 proposal list, and formulated corresponding recommendations for validation by APRA.

40th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) (13:00-15:15, Seoul time)
The assembly opened with welcoming remarks from Sri Satish Kumar, who expressed his appreciation to KORAIL for organising the event, as well as the warm hospitality extended to the delegates. Kim Tae Seung then delivered a welcome address reaffirming KORAIL's commitment to leadership succession and active cooperation within the region. A further welcome message was also given by Davenne, followed by an address by Yuji Fukasawa, who highlighted the importance of continued collaboration to advance the region's strategic priorities and project-driven agenda.

A keynote speech was then delivered online by Graham Nelmes, General Manager of Customer, Place & Operations at the High-Speed Rail Authority Australia, who shared insights on the development of high-speed rail initiatives and their role in supporting sustainable and connected mobility.

The assembly proceeded to approve the election of Kim Tae Seung as APRA Chair for the remainder of the 2025-2026 mandate, who then took over for the remainder of proceedings. As part of his new election, he addressed the assembly on the importance of railway safety across the region, noting that continued technical progress in high-speed and mass transit operations has been accompanied by a rise in accidents, compounded by climate change and ageing infrastructure. Citing the significant socio-economic costs associated with rail accidents, he called for safety to be viewed as a proactive investment rather than a post-accident cost, and proposed three new safety initiatives for the region: a platform for sharing best practices among members, a regularised safety idea contest, and a dedicated Asia-Pacific safety project. Members also took note of the Vice-Chair's and UIC Director General's reports and were invited to support the upcoming call for the 2027-2028 Chairship.

Next, the Regional Assembly reviewed progress on the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Regional Office, building on the landmark decisions made at the 106th and 108th UIC General Assemblies. Lorand presented an update on the implementation phase, outlining the organisational framework, governance arrangements, and roadmap towards full operational readiness. He reiterated the office's strategic role in strengthening regional engagement, accelerating the development and delivery of collaborative projects, and enhancing the visibility and impact of UIC activities across the Asia-Pacific region.

Zhangshan Zhao, Director of the International Cooperation Department at China Academy of Railways Sciences (CARS), complemented this update with a presentation on the progress of the office premises and the preparations underway to support the launch of operations. The assembly welcomed the current progress made and endorsed the next steps proposed by the Regional Coordinator.

The session also featured a keynote speech from Sandeep Jain, Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), who highlighted opportunities for cooperation with the UIC Asia-Pacific Freight Group to further advance rail freight connectivity and sustainable transport across the region.

The assembly further approved the closed 2025 APRA accounts, took note of the financial forecast for 2026-2028, and endorsed the establishment of a new Asia-Pacific Freight Working Group.

APRA Project Workshop – Part II on ROP 2027 (15:30-18:00, Seoul time)
Following an overview of the ROP 2027 project proposals, six member organisations, namely Indian Railways, JR East, KORAIL, National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), SWJTU and Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), presented proposals covering a broad range of research, training, and workshop initiatives, addressing key priorities such as AI-enabled passenger services and control-room operations, sustainability, safety, skills development, and cross-border rail connectivity.

The session highlighted a high level of engagement among members and the growing importance of collaborative projects in supporting the region's strategic objectives. It also demonstrated the range and ambition of the proposed initiatives, reflecting the members' commitment to innovation and knowledge sharing across the Asia-Pacific rail community. Participants were encouraged to give priority to projects with significant strategic value and tangible benefits both for their organisations and for the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The day's proceedings concluded with the APRA Official Dinner, graciously hosted by KORAIL, providing delegates with an important opportunity to continue discussions and strengthen professional ties in an informal setting.

Technical and cultural visits showcase Korean rail infrastructure and heritage
The final day was dedicated to a programme of technical and cultural visits for APRA member representatives, hosted by KORAIL: Participants visited the Railway Traffic Control Centre (RTCC) for a briefing on real-time network operations. Guided tours were offered of the Culture Station Seoul 284, a historic Korean Palace, and the National Museum of Korea.

Appreciation to hosts and organisers
The member would like to extend an enormous thank you to the host, KORAIL, whose leadership under President & CEO Kim Tae Seung alongside a dedicated organising teams ensured that the two-day programme ran smoothly and that a warm hospitality was extended to all of the delegates.

All photos are courtesy of KORAIL

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Korail's President and CEO visits UIC to support sustainability and reinforce Asia-Pacific regional development

2026-06-24T08:04:00Z

On 15 June 2026, a high-level delegation from the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), led by its recently appointed President and CEO Kim Tae-Seung, paid a visit to the UIC Headquarters in Paris. The delegation was warmly received by UIC Director General François Davenne and other key UIC representatives. The meeting provided an important opportunity to strengthen the long-standing partnership between the two organisations and share their thoughts about common strategic goals for the 2026-2028 period.

During the discussions, KORAIL outlined its current strategic vision, which places operational safety as its foremost priority, alongside the dual pillars of carbon neutrality and sustainable development, with a strong emphasis on driving a modal shift. KORAIL also highlighted its vision to enhance international connectivity through the development of robust multimodal transport corridors linking the region to markets around the world. Acknowledging the importance of seamless cross-border logistics, KORAIL also expressed its interest in using the UIC framework to facilitate international operational coordination and streamline international freight corridors.

Davenne responded by stating that he welcomes these priorities, noting that KORAIL's strategic vision aligns perfectly with UIC's current global agenda. Addressing the sustainability pillar, he also highlighted UIC's efforts to convene a coalition to bring together transport operators, financial institutions, development banks, technical experts, and policy organisations to review, update, and develop carbon credit methodologies that will enable rail and public transport projects to participate in international carbon markets. Davenne then invited KORAIL to share its expertise with carbon credits within the coalition, given its tried and tested methods. Finally, Kim emphasised the value of his company's UIC membership and their interest in taking part in UIC's sustainability and safety activities.

The visit, which took place approximately 100 days into President Kim's mandate, concluded on a positive note. Both parties expressed their shared confidence in the future of rail development, working together to promote a safer, greener, and more connected railway network in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Photos courtesy of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL).

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UIC at RailCon 2026: Building stronger rail cooperation across ASEAN

2026-06-24T08:02:00Z

On 18-19 June 2026, UIC took part in the inaugural Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) RailCon 2026, hosted by the Philippines' Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine Railways Institute (PRI), with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

As an important platform for dialogue and exchange, this first edition of ASEAN RailCon, held online, showcased the ASEAN Member States' commitment to advancing railway connectivity, sustainability, resilience, and cooperation across the region.

Following the theme ‘Navigating Our Future, Together: Advancing ASEAN Connectivity Through Railways', the conference helped lead towards closer cooperation among railway stakeholders in Southeast Asia and the development of more efficient, sustainable, and future-ready railway systems.
Anneli Lontoc, DOTr Undersecretary and PRI acting Executive Director, emphasised that looking at infrastructure alone is not enough and that true transformation requires interoperability across borders, digital innovation, climate and energy resilience, and people equipped with the right skills to lead change.

Through his participation in two panel discussions, Philippe Lorand, UIC Asia-Pacific Region Coordinator, highlighted the importance of strengthening regional and international cooperation, promoting knowledge-sharing, training and capacity-building, and advancing safety, standards, interoperability, innovation, and partnerships in support of railway development.

During the session ‘Sustainability, Resilience, and Responsiveness for a Future-Ready Railway System', Lorand underlined rail's sustainable advantages, notably its low carbon footprint, high capacity and electrification potential. In the following discussion, key priorities were highlighted for resilience-building, including adaptation financing, the integration of railway adaptation measures into national planning frameworks, and stronger coordination across sectors and transport modes. From a UIC perspective, these priorities are addressed through activities such as the development of harmonised frameworks, notably through Resilient Railways (RERA), the strengthening of knowledge-sharing and expert networks, and tools for risk assessment and asset prioritisation.

In the session dedicated to ‘Safety, Standards, and Service Excellence to Elevate Passenger Experience, and Operational Performance', Lorand highlighted the close link between safety and passenger experience, noting that safety standards and international cooperation are essential to delivering seamless, reliable, and attractive passenger mobility. He also stressed the importance of common standards and shared tools to reduce fragmentation and improve cross-border services.

Looking ahead to 2026-2028, he reiterated that UIC will focus on delivering tangible results, accelerating the implementation of common solutions, and strengthening cooperation with regions such as ASEAN to build safer, more efficient, and more attractive railway systems.

UIC warmly congratulates the organisers on this landmark initiative and reaffirms its commitment to supporting the development of rail and regional cooperation in the ASEAN and Asia-Pacific area.

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UIC and JR East bring together Asia-Pacific members for hospitality and service training in Tokyo

2026-06-17T14:07:00Z

The joint UIC-East Japan Railway Company (JR East) workshop on Hospitality & Service Training Session was held in Tokyo, Japan from 1 to 5 June 2026, bringing together participants from eight countries: Azerbaijan, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Workshop overview
The workshop aimed to share practical knowledge on improving service quality among railway operators in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to classroom-based learning, participants acquired a hands-on understanding through site visits to passenger service providers and training facilities responsible for human resource development within the JR East Group.
In this interactive workshop, not only did members of JR East Group share their experience and expertise in hospitality and service, but participants were also invited to present their own organisations' initiatives and challenges related to improving hospitality and service quality.

Programme highlights
Day 1:
On the first day, the workshop began with welcome message videos from Philippe Lorand and Yuke Li of UIC, followed by an introduction to JR East Group. Participants then gave presentations on their organisations, including overviews, current service initiatives and challenges, and what they hoped to learn and acquire from the workshop sessions.
In the afternoon session, the Service Quality Improvement Department, which is responsible for creating and promoting strategies to improve the overall service quality and foster a hospitality mindset among employees in the company, delivered a session introducing JR East Group's service quality improvement initiatives and its latest management vision ‘CX Strategic Vision' for improving customer experience value.

Day 2:
During the morning session, participants visited Tokyo Station to observe the pre-duty preparation work of GranClass attendants, who provide onboard services for the highest class on JR East's Shinkansen. During this, they learned about the attendants' ingenuity and mindset when it comes to enhancing customer experience value.
Afterwards, they traveled from Tokyo to Sendai on the Tohoku Shinkansen in GranClass, where they experienced the service firsthand.
After arriving at Sendai Station, participants visited the Sendai Shinkansen Crew Depot, received an introduction to initiatives by Shinkansen crews to improve service quality, which included how Shinkansen conductors manage onboard air conditioning and how they respond to problems on board. In addition, they learned how to handle passengers experiencing sudden illness through a demonstration using a train simulator.

Day 3:
At the beginning of the day, participants visited the training facility of JR East TESSEI Co., Ltd., which is responsible for Shinkansen cleaning operations. After an introduction to the company, participants experienced part of the cleaning process, table wiping, using training mockups.
Then they moved to Tokyo Station, where they observed actual operations and received explanations from TESSEI staff.
Participants were able to deepen their understanding of how to achieve both high-quality cleaning and excellent service within the limited time available, particularly during the approximately seven-minute cleaning process carried out between Shinkansen train turnarounds.

Day 4:
In the morning session, participants attended a lecture by a specialist on safe and reliable Shinkansen operations, learning about JR East's efforts to maintain these high standards in its operations.
In the afternoon, participants visited the training facility of JR East Service Creation Co., Ltd., whose service they had experienced firsthand on Day 2. They further learned about the duties of GranClass attendants and experienced training on facial expressions and customer service attitudes, which help to ensure customer satisfaction.

Day 5:
On the final day, participants reflected on what they had learned and acquired during the workshop sessions, and presented how they would apply these lessons within their own organisations. Feedback from participants included the following:

I learned that the high level of customer experience value realised by the JR East Group is supported by the strong awareness and service-oriented attitude of all JR East Group employees.
I reaffirmed that high-quality railway service is built upon a solid foundation of safety.
I expressed my intention to review and improve our own service training programmes by applying the knowledge gained through discussions with JR East Group staff and fellow participants.

Further opportunities
If you are interested in similar topics, UIC and JR East Group can arrange customised workshops and training programmes tailored to your needs. For more information, you can also refer to UIC Academy and the JR East official website and LinkedIn.

Acknowledgements
The workshop was conducted with the approval of the UIC Asia-Pacific Region members and funded by the region's budget. UIC would like to thank all of the members who supported this workshop programme, the participants, and the JR East Group project team for their organisation.

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Making sustainable progress: updates from the Rail Sustainability Index 2025 participants

2026-06-03T10:33:34Z

Following the fourth data collection cycle for the UIC sustainability benchmarking tool, participants have now received their new score and personal Rail Sustainability Index (RSi) reports.

UIC members take part for a variety of reasons, with many using the tool internally to help review and improve their sustainability strategies. By identifying their strengths and weaknesses, members can target actions for improvement. Others also use their RSi badge externally to demonstrate their sustainability credentials to stakeholders, including to their investors.

Together, we can build a sustainable vision for rail by highlighting all of the decisions, projects, and policies implemented around the world, and demonstrate just how urgent and necessary the modal shift to rail is. We already have participants from around the world; however, we need to increase participation further in order to strengthen our position.

All UIC members are invited to join the RSi project, which is available free of charge and exclusively for their use. By participating in RSi and sharing your data, you will receive a personalised score, a badge and access to a dashboard, all handled with full confidentiality. You may then choose how to use these outputs, whether for internal communication, external press releases, or sustainability reporting.

Participants are also encouraged to share best practices for each of the selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to strengthen the position of rail and to benefit from mutual learning across the sector.

Presentation of the badge certificate
During a training event in Seoul, Lucie Anderton, UIC Sustainability Director, personally presented the badge certificate to Kwon Ki-dong, Director of International Cooperation at KORAIL, saying “By increasing its score to manager level in RSi 2025, the Korean passenger and freight operator has demonstrated continued progress in strengthening its sustainability performance across key areas. The company is advancing its 2050 Carbon Neutral Roadmap and participating in Korea's K-RE100 initiative, contributing to global rail decarbonisation efforts.”

Insights and calls for further participation

The Serbian Infrastructure Manager (IZS), invites other companies from the Western Balkan region to join RSi, following its own first-time participation.
A high score was achieved through the implementation of policies and practices in the areas of gender equality and the economic empowerment of women, through an established legal framework for preventing labour and financial discrimination, as well as increased representation of women in leadership positions (SDG 5). A significant contribution was also made through the implementation of occupational health and safety policies (SDG 8), supported by the long-standing commitment of the HR Manager to advancing gender equality.
Trains of Portugal (CP) has participated in the last three campaigns and has improved its score each time. This provides an excellent opportunity to highlight the progress made and the growing importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and SDG-related topics within the company.
Italo, the Italian high-speed operator, has actively participated in RSi from the outset. This long-term commitment is reflected in the continuous improvement of its overall performance across the four campaigns.
Dutch Railways (NS), participating for the second time, achieved the maximum score for SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy), and SDG9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), as well as obtaining a good score for SDG5 (Gender equality) and SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production).
The Spanish National Railway Network (RENFE), having participated in the last three campaigns, maintained a very high score, achieving maximum results for SDG 9 and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and strong performance in SDG 7 and SDG 12.
The Slovenian Railways (SŽ) has participated in all of the campaigns and significantly improved its score in 2025. The Safety Index, calculated by the UIC Safety Working Group and only applicable to infrastructure managers, showed a marked improvement, reflecting a reduction in incidents and accidents on the Slovenian tracks. Strong results were also recorded for SDG 7 and SDG 11.

Next campaign
The next RSi campaign will be launched in mid-June 2026 and will close in mid-October 2026. Results and scores will be available in January 2027.

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Unlocking climate finance for rail: Insights from UIC's Asia-Pacific web series

2026-06-03T09:01:29Z

On 18 May 2026, UIC held the first session of its Asia-Pacific Web Series, bringing together UIC members and partner organisations to explore how rail can strengthen its position within climate policy and finance frameworks.

The session provided an overview of UIC's engagement in international transport policy, including efforts to position rail within Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), support the modal shift to rail, promote network expansion, and improve access to climate and carbon finance. These activities are part of UIC's broader objective of ensuring that rail is recognised not only as a low-carbon mode of transport, but also as a strategic investment for achieving national and global climate goals.

Discussions highlighted positive trends across the Asia-Pacific region. Recent analysis presented by the Asian Transport Outlook (ATO) showed growing public investment in rail infrastructure alongside rail's role in reducing transport emissions being increasingly recognised. While private investment remains spread across multiple modes of transport, the findings suggest that governments are increasingly prioritising rail as part of their long-term decarbonisation strategies.

A recurring theme throughout the session was that carbon markets have untapped potential to support railway investment. The participants examined developments across compliance, voluntary, and Article 6 carbon markets, noting that rail remains significantly underrepresented despite its substantial potential to reduce emissions. While modal shift and operational efficiency-related projects can produce measurable climate benefits, challenges remain around demonstrating additionality, establishing credible baselines, and navigating the limited number of methodologies currently available. At the same time, emerging opportunities under Article 6 mechanisms could provide higher-value revenue streams for qualifying projects, particularly where governments are seeking solutions aligned with their NDC objectives.

The discussion was further enriched by perspectives from the China Academy of Railways Sciences (CARS), where ongoing developments in the national Emissions Trading System (ETS) and China Certified Emissions Reduction (CCER) programme are creating new opportunities for carbon asset management. Railway applications ranging from traction decarbonisation and energy efficiency improvements to modal shift initiatives were identified as promising areas for future development, underscoring the importance of robust baselines and methodologies.

Attention was also paid to discussing emissions beyond railway operations. Research presented by Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU) on the lifecycle carbon footprint of railway tunnel infrastructure demonstrated that construction activities account for the largest share of emissions, with production and construction processes accounting for the most significant portion. The findings highlighted the importance of adopting a whole-life approach to decarbonisation through low-carbon materials, energy-efficient construction practices, and improved asset management.

Across all presentations and discussions, participants reached a joint conclusion: while opportunities to mobilise carbon finance for rail are expanding, significant technical and institutional barriers remain.

Methodology development, baseline setting, monitoring and verification requirements, and capacity constraints continue to limit the sector's ability to fully benefit from emerging carbon-market mechanisms.

As interest in climate finance and carbon markets continues to grow, UIC is strengthening its work to support members in accessing these opportunities. Through technical guidance, methodology development, knowledge sharing, and international advocacy, UIC is working to ensure that rail is better represented within climate finance frameworks and carbon market mechanisms. Continued collaboration with members and partners will be essential to advancing this agenda, unlocking new investment pathways, and accelerating the contribution of rail to climate goal worldwide.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

Building a sustainable future: the UIC-KORAIL 2026 IRaTCA training session concludes its three year roadmap

2026-04-29T10:00:00Z

Hosted by the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) from 6 to 10 April, the 2026 UIC–KORAIL International Railway Training Centre for UIC Asia (IRaTCA) training session successfully concluded in Seoul under the theme “Strategic Dialogue for the Future in Railway”. This third session marked the final phase of a three year sustainability roadmap, evolving from policy learning in 2024 and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) best practice sharing in 2025 to the joint development of regional policies in 2026.

The session brought together 16 key representatives from 10 countries, fostering strong cooperation across the Asia Pacific rail network. East Asia was strongly represented, with participation from the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), China Railway (CR), the China Academy of Railway Sciences (CARS), the China Railway Engineering Consulting Group Co., Ltd. (CRECC), and Ulaanbaatar Railways (UBTZ) of Mongolia, all contributing valuable regional perspectives. Engagement was further strengthened by participants from Vietnam Railways, Thailand's Department of Rail Transport (DRT), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) of the Philippines, and Malaysia's Railway Assets Corporation, alongside experts from the Indian Ministry of Railways, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL), Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), and the Department of Transport Victoria of Australia.

The five day curriculum was a joint achievement of UIC and KORAIL's IRaTCA International Cooperation Department, led by Director Ki dong Kwon, Deputy Director Hak soo Kim, and Managers Won young Park and Na won Yang. The programme successfully integrated global sustainability frameworks with regional operational priorities through a wide range of expertise:

Technical innovation: Specialists from KORAIL and the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) delivered sessions on the Korean Emissions Trading Scheme (K ETS) and eco friendly railway technologies.
Strategic design and moderation: Lucie Anderton, UIC Sustainability Director, provided on site technical expertise and moderation in Seoul, supported by remote strategic input and preparatory work from Christine Vanoppen, Sustainability Manager at Infrabel.
Knowledge exchange: Each session concluded with interactive group discussions and national case presentations, encouraging open dialogue and shared learning among participants.

To anchor theoretical knowledge in practical application, participants took part in several technical field visits. At the Metropolitan Rolling Stock Depot, they observed advanced safety management systems, including robotic arms and automated parts retrieval processes. A visit to the KORAIL Human Resources Development Centre offered insight into Korea's railway workforce training framework, while a tour of Seoul Station highlighted practical ESG initiatives, such as public seating made from recycled plastic materials. A Seoul city tour further enriched the programme by providing participants with a deeper appreciation of the host country's cultural heritage.

Chin Whan Cho, Head of KORAIL's Overseas Business Headquarters, underlined the importance of the partnership, stating:
“Railways, as one of the most environmentally friendly modes of transport, play a pivotal role in global ESG strategies. Building on the outcomes of this training series, we will continue to strengthen collaboration with UIC member countries to ensure that rail contributes meaningfully to achieving carbon neutrality.”

The programme was coordinated under the leadership of Philippe Lorand, UIC Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communications and Asia Pacific Coordinator, with the support of Yuke Li, Asia Pacific Region Adviser. The completion of this strategic cycle secured strong momentum for regional cooperation and technical excellence, paving the way for future specialised programmes within the Asia Pacific training calendar.

Upcoming 2026 training opportunities

As the sustainability cycle concludes, the UIC Asia Pacific Region has confirmed its continued commitment to capacity building through the following specialised programmes:

JR East Hospitality and Service Training: 1–5 June 202
JR East Infrastructure Management Training: October 2026

These initiatives will continue to provide a platform for regional cooperation, further strengthening connectivity and expertise across the Asia Pacific railway network.

For further information, please contact the APRA team at aprateam at uic.org.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

Building a sustainable future: The UIC-KORAIL IRaTCA three-year training roadmap

2026-03-17T09:58:30Z

As part of its development strategy, the Asia-Pacific Region is placing a strong emphasis on training and capacity building. The UIC-KORAIL training series is currently completing a three-year progressive programme designed to strengthen sustainability across the Asia-Pacific rail sector. This strategic initiative has progressed in three stages: policy learning in 2024, the sharing of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) best practices in 2025, and the joint development of regional policies in 2026.

Following this roadmap, the upcoming 2026 training course, being held from 6-10 April in Seoul, Korea, titled “Strategic Dialogue for the Future”, marks the final phase of this cycle.

To understand the context of this year's theme, it is helpful to look back at the 2025 training course held from 17-21 November 2025, titled “Railways as a New Mobility Enabling Sustainable Growth”. 16 representatives from the UIC Asia-Pacific Region came together to explore how ESG principles can translate into having tangible, real-world impact.

Strategic leadership and collaborative design

On 17 November, the programme was opened by Philippe Lorand, UIC Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communications, and Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific Region, via a video welcome address highlighting the region's strategic importance and detailing UIC's strategic priorities.
The curriculum was meticulously developed by the KORAIL International Railway Training Centre for UIC Asia (IRaTCA) project team (comprising Kim Hak-soo, Hwang In-gyu, Park Won-young, and Yang Na-won) together with Lucie Anderton, UIC Director of Sustainability, ensuring the integration of global sustainability standards with regional operational realities.

Expert insights and global best practices

The training sessions provided details on the practical application of sustainable technology with KORAIL and the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI). KORAIL's ESG experts and researchers from KRRI presented advanced strategies for carbon neutrality, highlighting best practices in climate change response and the integration of AI and digital technologies (for example, the Internet of Things (IoT)) to enhance railway safety management. Complementing this regional expertise, Lindsay Stronge, UIC Sustainability Platform Vice-Chair and Principal Systems, and Capability Manager at Network Rail, presented a series of core sessions on ESG metrics, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), and the practical implementation of UIC tools such as the Rail Sustainability Index and Traction Energy Database. Additionally, Francisco Cabrera Jeronimo, UIC Deputy Head of Operations and Safety, provided critical insights via online sessions regarding global hydrogen projects, climate change adaptation strategies, and the implementation of European Safety Management Systems (SMS).

Beyond the expert lectures, the programme featured dynamic country use case presentations and comprehensive discussions, where representatives from each member shared their local ESG best practices and collaboratively developed implementation plans to address regional challenges.

Immersive technical visits

To complement the theoretical teaching, technical field trips were organised to:

Seoul Station, focusing on sustainable urban rail operations and real-world sustainability measures.
The Metropolitan Maintenance Depot, where participants observed the application of robotic arms and automated parts-retrieval systems to enhance safety and maintenance efficiency.

Enhancing regional unity

The training course served as a vital platform for UIC Asia-Pacific members to share ideas and reach a consensus on sustainable operational policies. Cho Chin-Whan, Head of KORAIL's Overseas Business Headquarters, emphasised the organisation's commitment to strengthening collaborative relationships within the UIC network to ensure railways remain the backbone of carbon-neutral mobility.

The workshop was conducted with the approval and funding of the UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA), whose ongoing support remains instrumental in progressing the region's green transition.

Upcoming 2026 training opportunities

The conclusion of this three-year sustainability cycle marks the beginning of a broader training calendar for the Asia-Pacific region. Following the KORAIL session in April, additional specialised programmes are scheduled for the remainder of the year 2026:

JR East hospitality and service training: Expected in June 2026.
Infrastructure management training: Expected in October 2026.

These training sessions, decided and funded by UIC members from the Asia-Pacific Region, are at this stage restricted to participants from Asia-Pacific member organisations only. These upcoming sessions will continue to provide a platform for regional cooperation and strengthen the Asia-Pacific railway network.

For further information, please contact us at: https://uic.org/about/contact.

UIC and ITF strengthen cooperation on advocacy and gender equality

2026-02-18T12:30:00Z

On 12 February 2026, François Davenne and Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), met to further strengthen cooperation between ITF and UIC.

Since signing the Memorandum of Understanding in 2007, both organisations have continued to work together by participating in key events such as the 46th ITF Congress in Marrakech in 2024 and ITF meetings in Geneva in 2023.

The discussion focused on reinforcing joint advocacy efforts and enhancing collaboration on gender equality in the rail sector. ITF will join UIC's gender activities at both global and regional levels, including initiatives such as Women in Rail in Africa.

Both organisations expressed a shared commitment to improving their cooperation at regional level, starting with Africa and Asia-Pacific. Particular attention was given to safety and security, as well as ensuring decent work for women in the rail sector. As rail is a sector capable of providing high-quality, skilled, and long-term employment, increasing women's participation is not only a matter of equality, but also a strategic response to labour shortages faced by the sector in many regions.

UIC looks forward to having this strengthened partnership with ITF in a spirit of constructive discussion and shared drive for a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable rail sector.

For further information, please contact us at: https://uic.org/about/contact.

UIC appoints Mr Yuji Fukasawa (JR East) as Chair for the 2026-2027 term

2025-12-11T16:25:44Z

The International Union of Railways (UIC) has appointed Mr Yuji Fukasawa, Chair (Director) of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), as Chair of UIC for the 2026-2027 term. The decision was endorsed during the 107th UIC General Assembly held this Thursday in Warsaw.

Mr Fukasawa will officially take office on 1 January 2026, succeeding Dr Alain Beroud, who led the organisation during the 2024-2025 term.

A seasoned industry leader with more than 45 years of experience

Born and educated in Japan, Yuji Fukasawa graduated with a degree in law from the University of Tokyo before joining the Japanese National Railways (JNR), the predecessor of JR East, in 1978. Over more than four decades, he has built a distinguished career characterised by strategic leadership, operational excellence and a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability.

He became President and CEO of JR East in 2018, guiding the company through major organisational and societal challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2024, he assumed the role of Chair (Director), continuing to oversee JR East's transformation and international outreach.

Among the landmark achievements under his leadership is the TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY project, one of Japan's most ambitious urban developments. Designed around a newly built station on a redeveloped rail depot site, TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY embodies a vision for next-generation urban living, innovation, environmental sustainability and new business models.

A commitment to safety, innovation and decarbonisation

Throughout his career, Mr Fukasawa has promoted a strong culture of safety, ensuring that lessons are drawn from past incidents to strengthen operational resilience and prevent future accidents. He has consistently supported the enhancement of railway skills through comprehensive training programmes in in the fields of operations, maintenance and customer service.

A vocal advocate for decarbonisation, he has championed JR East's investments in clean energy, including pioneering applications of hydrogen technologies, and efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions across rail operations. His expertise and leadership have also contributed significantly to major international projects, such as the India High-Speed Railway Project.

Beyond rail, Mr Fukasawa has long cultivated global interests. He is a certified expert in both wine and Japanese sake and since April 2025 has served as the President of the Japan Tennis Association, promoting the power of sport to revitalise communities.

A long-standing and deeply engaged UIC member

JR East has been actively involved in UIC for many years, having previously held the positions of UIC Vice-Chair (1998-2004), UIC Chair (2009-2012) and Chair of the UIC Asia-Pacific Region (2013-2016).

Since 2023, Mr Fukasawa has served as a member of the UIC Executive Board and the Asia-Pacific Management Committee, where he has emphasised the importance of standardisation, interoperability and knowledge sharing. His engagement includes leading regional initiatives such as Safety Training Sessions and promoting collaboration across UIC's global membership.

These experiences have given him a deep appreciation of UIC's global mission and its potential to shape the future of the railway sector.

A clear vision aligned with UIC's future priorities*

In accepting his appointment, Mr Fukasawa expressed his gratitude to UIC members and his alignment with the organisation's strategic direction. His election comes at a key moment, as UIC prepares to implement its 2026-2028 Work Programme, structured around six strategic pillars.

He affirmed his full commitment to ensuring a smooth transition, stability in governance and the rapid deployment of the Work Programme. Among his first priorities, he highlighted the importance of engaging with the Management Board and supporting UIC's flagship initiatives, particularly those linked to the Standardisation Strategy 2030.

“The standardisation strategy is ambitious and essential to UIC's future. Its success relies on the active participation of members across all regions. Building a stronger and more effective UIC is our shared responsibility.”

Mr Fukasawa also emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation across UIC's Regional Assemblies. He expressed his intention to attend regional meetings to listen to member priorities and support the development of initiatives adapted to regional contexts yet aligned with UIC's global vision.

A leader ready to connect continents, shape standards and advance railway innovation
With a career that spans leadership, innovation, international cooperation and a strong commitment to sustainability, Mr Fukasawa brings to UIC a clear and ambitious vision for the future of rail transport, fully aligned with UIC's mission of connecting continents, shaping standards and advancing railway innovation.

For further information please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC Asia-Pacific Web Series: Spotlight on freight activities and the drive for international interoperability

2025-12-08T10:50:34Z

Following a successful series of regional web meetings, the UIC Asia-Pacific region recently hosted a session dedicated to the work, initiatives and Competence Centres of the UIC Freight Department. The meeting provided a crucial forum for APRA members to gain a deeper understanding of the significance of rail freight and to share their expectations for future projects. The session was opened by Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communications & Coordinator Asia-Pacific region, who set the stage for a deep dive into the department's current activities.

Philip Van den bosch, Deputy Director of the Freight Department, introduced the team, including seasoned experts Parinas Bazeghi and Joost Overdijkink. He emphasised that rail freight, as the most environmentally friendly mode of transport, is essential to the global push for decarbonisation and the greening of the logistics chain. Furthermore, in light of recent disruptions in major supply chains (especially between Asia and Europe), rail is playing an increasingly important role in making trade routes more resilient and agile.

Deep dive into core Competence Centres

The Freight team provided a detailed walkthrough of the department's work, which is organised around its “7 + 1” core Competence Centres:

Load safety: Joost Overdijkink detailed the Loading Guidelines, which are fundamental to ensuring that wagons are loaded safely, efficiently and economically, noting their legal acceptance in Europe as Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMOC).
Wagon utilisation: Mr Overdijkink explained the management of the General Contract of Use (GCU), a standardised commercial contract for the exchange of wagons, which Mr Van den bosch highlighted as unique for being managed jointly by three key associations: UIC, ERFA and the wagon keepers.
Train operation: The group covers general technical operations and rules, but a major focus is the implementation of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC). Mr Van den bosch explained that this massive project will not only automate coupling but also enable data and information transfer throughout the train. UIC is responsible for defining the necessary added operational procedure and rulebook.
Quality Study Group: Mr Van den bosch presented the upcoming Dreis project, a platform designed to enable members to share supplier audit knowledge and avoid redundant individual audits, thereby improving industry efficiency.
Combined Transport: This area, focused on intermodal transport, is developing the Combined Transport Observatory. Mr Van den bosch described this as an essential online platform that will consolidate all relevant information, including market watch, policy measures and technical details.
IT Study Group: Parinaz Bazeghi outlined the digital projects that provide the necessary data layer for smooth operations, including work on data exchange, location coding and system modernisation to ensure compliance with standards like TAF TSI.

Focus on practical tools and concrete examples

Mr Van den bosch subsequently introduced two core tools, under development or in use at UIC, aimed at boosting efficiency and standardising data:

Audit for All: A platform being developed to solve the costly problem of multiple companies auditing the same suppliers. Its goal is to share existing audit results, helping participating members reduce redundant checks and allocate audit resources more efficiently.
Atlas: A live master database for location codes, introduced by Ms Bazeghi. It standardises codes for operational points (such as commercial stations and border points) to eliminate fragmented legacy codes and provides key operational information, such as distances for tariff calculation.

Additionally, Ms Bazeghi briefly mentioned supplementary IT services from RailData, including ISR (for tracking wagon status), Orpheus (for exchanging electronic consignment notes) and the Corida database (for tracking the responsible Railway Undertaking).

Conclusion and call to action

Bertrand Minary, Director of the Freight Department, affirmed that while UIC's historical freight assets originated in Europe, where rail was the pioneer of technical and informational interoperability, the department's core focus is now on extending this seamless connectivity to international corridors. He explicitly cited the development of routes between Asia and Europe, such as the Silk Road and the IMEC-1 corridor through the Gulf. Mr Minary stressed that UIC's immediate trend will be to support these international connections, covering not only traditional operations but also crucial elements like IT systems (e.g. transport documents) and customs. By adapting and applying existing European expertise and tools, UIC aims to save time and efficiently support the development of international rail freight.

The web meeting served as a valuable opportunity for APRA members to interact directly with the UIC Freight team and gain an in-depth perspective on its critical activities. In his closing remarks, Mr Lorand encouraged all participants to actively leverage the technical resources presented and maintain strong engagement with the Freight Department to maximise the value derived from their UIC membership.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC strengthens global knowledge – IEA report shows that Chinese railway slashes the transport sector's demand for oil

2025-11-21T09:06:53Z

The International Energy Agency's flagship report World Energy Outlook 2025 has been released, and includes a feature on the impact of rail in China's transport mix. Thanks to a close, multi‑year partnership between the organisations, the report published this month draws upon UIC data.

“This partnership allows us to make rail a visible lever in transforming transport,” says Lucie Anderton, Sustainability Director for UIC. “When the IEA can quantify the oil saved by a single mode, it gives policymakers a clear, comparable metric that electric‑vehicle projections alone cannot deliver.”

The Chinese story: rail as an oil‑saving solution

China's decade‑long programme of intercity, high‑speed and conventional railway has turned the country into living proof of the climate benefits of rail – and the IEA Outlook has quantified those benefits. In 2024, railway transport in China avoided roughly 1.5 million barrels of oil per day – a figure that exceeds the total oil saved by all electric vehicle sales worldwide to date. Between 2015 and 2024, the cumulative avoidance of oil amounts to almost 12 million barrels per day, avoiding about 1.6 gigatonnes of CO₂, an amount equivalent to China's total emissions from transport, buildings and light industry in 2024.

The reduction was achieved through a combination of massive network expansion and sustained modal shift from road and air to rail. High‑speed rail mileage doubled from roughly 20,000 km in 2015 to more than 40,000 km in 2024, now three times the total length of all high‑speed lines outside China. By 2035 the network is projected to exceed 45,000 km under the IEA's Stated Policies Scenario.

Electrification is a cornerstone of the success story. More than seventy percent of all non‑urban rail kilometres are powered by electricity in China, while the remaining share is covered by alternative fuels and a shrinking fraction of diesel. The result is a system that is dramatically less oil‑intensive than its road and aviation counterparts. A typical passenger-kilometre on Chinese non‑urban rail consumes about eighty times less oil than the same distance travelled by air, nearly one hundred times less than a private car, and roughly ten times less than a bus. Freight moved by rail is about thirty times less oil‑intensive than the equivalent road haulage.

Transport energy trends across modes

The Outlook report makes a striking comparison: the oil saved by Chinese non‑urban rail in a single year exceeds the oil displaced globally by the entire fleet of battery‑electric cars on today's roads worldwide.

The IEA's broader analysis confirms that rail remains the most electrified transport mode on the planet and the most energy‑efficient for passengers; second only to pipelines for freight. Road transport still relies heavily on oil, with electricity accounting for only a modest share of demand today, but this is projected to rise sharply by 2035. Even as road activity expands, oil demand for the sector is expected to peak before gradually declining. In contrast, rail's electrified share already exceeds fifty percent and is set to rise, driving a modest but steady reduction in oil use despite predicting growing passenger and freight volumes.

Policy implications – why rail must be central to climate strategies

The speed and scale of oil‑demand reductions achieved by Chinese non‑urban rail illustrate why rail should sit at the heart of national energy and climate policies. Each kilometre of electrified track replaces dozens of kilometres of oil‑intensive road travel, delivering immediate energy demand reductions that outpace even the most optimistic electric‑vehicle roll‑outs in many emerging economies.

Economic co‑benefits accompany the environmental gains. Lower oil imports translate into reduced exposure to price volatility and generate thousands of skilled jobs.

UIC's partnership with the IEA will continue, giving the global rail community a powerful evidence base for a seat at the table of national energy strategies.

You can find out more about high-speed rail in China, and around the world, here in our High-Speed Rail Atlas.

To access UIC statistics directly, please visit: https://uic-stats.uic.org/.

You can access the full IEA report here.

For a deeper dive into rail's contribution to the energy transition, stay tuned for UIC's Global Rail Sustainability Report 2024, scheduled for release on UN International Sustainable Transport Day, 26 November 2025.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

39th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly successfully convenes in Manila, the Philippines

2025-11-12T12:53:17Z

The 39th UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) and its associated events were successfully held on 3 and 4 November 2025, in Manila, the Philippines. The event, kindly hosted by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Philippine National Railways (PNR), brought together senior representatives from member companies and organisations for a full day of meetings and a subsequent day of technical visits.

Satish Kumar, UIC APRA Vice-Chair and Acting-Chair and Chair of the Railway Board, Indian Railways, alongside François Davenne, UIC Director General, warmly welcomed all participants to the hybrid event at the Dusit Thani Manila.

A day of strategic regional focus

Monday 3 November was dedicated to key regional meetings, laying the groundwork for future collaboration and project development.

Asia-Pacific Region project session (09:00-12:00, Manila time)

Moderated by Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communications & Coordinator Asia-Pacific Region, the day began with welcome remarks and an introduction from Timothy John R. Batan, Undersecretary for Railways. This was followed by a session focused on regional projects, including the Progress Report for 2024 & 2025 ROP Projects. Members received updates on various research and training initiatives, including:

Research: Indian Railways | Well-to-wheel analysis of road and rail transport: Lessons for sustainable transport
Research: KORAIL | Unmanned automatic inspection system for railway infrastructure based on drone and 3D modelling in AP region (UAISRID3)
Training: East Japan Railway Company (JR-East) | UIC-JR East workshop on enhance reliability & resilience for railway operation
Research: Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU) | Intelligent train operation control for high-speed railway train set based on virtual coupling, considering reducing carbon emissions: Methodology and practice
Research: Indian Railways | Design of formation for mixed traffic: Passenger train up to 240 km/h and freight train with 25 t axle load up to 120 km/h

The session concluded with a focus on project development in the Asia-Pacific region, with presentations on the UIC project typology and discussion of the region's hot topics.

25th Asia-Pacific Management Committee (APMC) (14:00-15:00, Manila time)

Chaired by Satish Kumar, the 25th APMC handled essential administrative business, including the approval of the Agenda and the Minutes of the previous New Delhi session.

Philippe Lorand, Coordinator of the UIC Asia-Pacific Region, provided an update on membership issues. He facilitated discussions on projects and activities, covering the current situation of 2024/2025 projects and the selection of Asia-Pacific Regional Opt-in Projects (ROP) for 2026. The Management Committee also commented on the strategic note and roadmap regarding the development of a UIC Regional Office in the Asia-Pacific region.

39th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) (15:30-18:00, Manila time)

This main Assembly addressed further administrative matters and membership issues. Members took note of the Report of Vice-Chair and Acting-Chair Satish Kumar and the Report of UIC Director General François Davenne.

Satish Kumar thanked the Filipino members and authorities for the excellent organisation of the Regional Assembly and for their hospitality. He also invited Sung-yeol Cha, Korail Vice President of Passenger Business HQ to offer a few welcoming words.

Facilitated by Philippe Lorand, UIC Director of Institutional Relations and Asia-Pacific Coordinator, and at the Vice-Chair's request, the Assembly completed several key actions. These included validating the APMC-recommended ROP projects for 2026 funding, ratifying the UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Office opening roadmap, and approving the 2025 APRA revised budget. Furthermore, the Assembly endorsed the plan to diversify APRA's communication channels via dedicated WhatsApp and/or WeChat groups.

The first day concluded with Satish Kumar's closing remarks and the announcement of dates and venues for the next events and statutory meetings in the Asia-Pacific region.

Technical visits showcase Philippine rail infrastructure

Tuesday 4 November was dedicated to a comprehensive series of technical visits for APRA member representatives, showcasing the development of railway infrastructure currently underway in the Philippines, hosted by DOTr and PNR:

Technical Visit 1: Participants travelled to the North-South Commuter Rail (NSCR) Malanday Depot for a briefing at the Operational Control Centre (OCC).
Technical Visit 2: The next stop was the DOTr Philippines Railway Institute (PRI) Building for a guided tour.
Technical Visit 3: The day concluded with a guided tour of the North Avenue Station (NAS).

Feedback from APRA members

Members were delighted to finally meet in person and engage in discussions on the key issues shaping their rapidly growing region. They were genuinely impressed by the hosts' exceptional organisation, which made the 39th APRA and its associated events a resounding success and earned unanimous praise from APRA representatives.

Gratitude is extended to the Filipino hosts, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Philippine National Railways (PNR). Their dedication, including the high-level commitment of Anneli R. Lontoc, Undersecretary at DOTr and Acting Executive Director at Philippine Railways Institute, and Celeste Lauta, Assistant General Manager at PNR, that secured the hosting arrangement, and the meticulous work of the PNR executing teams, ensured the smooth and hospitable running of the two-day programme.

Furthermore, appreciation is expressed by members to the UIC APRA team at UIC headquarters. Under the strategic guidance of Philippe Lorand, the dedicated efforts of Yuke Li, UIC Asia-Pacific Region Advisor, Anton Beck, Strategic Partnerships Advisor, and Kyungmin Kim, APRA Chair's officer, were essential in coordinating the principal agenda and making this regional gathering a resounding success.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC Asia-Pacific web series: 5th session focuses on sustainability platform and practical tools

2025-11-12T11:30:00Z

Following a successful series of regional web meetings, the UIC Asia-Pacific region held its fifth session on 10 October 2025, dedicated entirely to the work of the UIC Sustainability Platform and its activities and tools. The session provided a comprehensive overview of UIC's integrated approach to environmental, social and economic sustainability, a topic that continues to be of great interest to UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) members.

Welcome and platform vision

The session was opened by Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communications & Coordinator Asia-Pacific Region, who emphasised the primary goal: to ensure a comprehensive understanding of UIC's sustainability work.

Lia Talarico, Head of Sustainability at Trenitalia International and Chair of the UIC Sustainability Platform since July 2024, outlined the Platform's role in promoting global cooperation on key topics like CO₂ reduction, the circular economy, and gender and inclusion. She emphasised its core strength: connecting technical expertise with practical tools.

Lucie Anderton, UIC Director of Sustainability, representing both herself and Pinar Yilmazer, Head of Sustainability Programme, then provided an overview of the Platform's work and outlined the Platform's three core missions:

Connect global experts
Co-create practical business solutions
Advocate for rail as the sustainable backbone of mobility

Ms Anderton also described the key social responsibility initiatives, including the gender equality initiative, Train2BEqual, which aims to increase the representation of women in the workforce and improve their experience.

Deep dive: UIC Sustainability tools and practices

The session transitioned into a detailed technical discussion, guided by the Platform's leading advisors, who presented the core tools and working areas across key operational domains:

Philippe Stefanos, Senior Advisor Energy & CO2 and Air Quality, detailed strategies for energy efficiency and CO₂ reduction, as well as the management of air quality and non-exhaust emissions.

Isabelle De Keyzer, Senior Advisor Circular Economy, presented the mission statement and vision of the Circular Economy Sector. She shared insights into the sector's permanent activity “Zero Waste” (best practice exchange workshops) and into the ongoing work aimed at updating a UIC leaflet to align environmental specifications for new rolling stock with the latest sustainability regulations, and in particular to embed the circular economy in procurement processes.

Monika Rukia, Junior Advisor Noise and Vibration (representing Lorenzo Franzoni, Senior Advisor Sustainable Land Use), presented the mission, key activities, publications and ongoing projects of the Noise and Vibration Sector, emphasising its collaborative efforts within the global railways community. She also covered the Sustainable Land Use activities for habitat protection and biodiversity enhancement, as well the upcoming projects.

Snejana Markovic-Chenais, Senior Advisor on Economics, provided a technical deep dive into the Rail Sustainability Index (RSI), a benchmarking tool built on seven key UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). She highlighted that RSI data, which is aggregated for the UIC Global Rail Sustainability Report, helps members measure performance and plan improvements.

Regional discussion and summary

The meeting concluded with a moderated discussion on sustainability in the Asia-Pacific context, featuring Nargiz Samadova, Sustainable Development Manager, Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), and Xin Ling, Deputy Director of Tianyou Railway Institute, Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), represented by Prof. REN Jun.

ADY shared its integrated sustainability strategy, explaining that it is founded on three core pillars: environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic resilience.
SWJTU provided an academic perspective on international railway talent development and innovation, detailing seven measures focused on capacity building, including establishing the Belt and Road Initiative Education Alliance and hosting specialised training programmes aligned with SDGs.

The polls during the discussion revealed that APRA members highly prioritise access to UIC best practices, capacity building and workshops to support their transition.

In the closing remarks, Mr Lorand thanked the speakers and attendees, encouraging all participants to leverage the technical resources presented and maintain active engagement with the Platform to maximise the value of their UIC membership.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC Asia-Pacific region fosters member engagement with onboarding meetings

2025-11-12T10:59:23Z

In the wake of the successful 38th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) in May 2025, the UIC Asia-Pacific region is continuing its commitment to fostering strong member relationships through a series of onboarding meetings. These sessions are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of UIC activities, to introduce key tools and workflows, to ensure that all members are fully equipped to engage with the organisation, and, most importantly, to directly address members' questions to ensure dynamic and collaborative membership.

Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communications & UIC Coordinator Asia-Pacific Region, together with Anton Beck, Strategic Partnerships Advisor, and Yuke Li, Asia-Pacific Regional Advisor, recently hosted a series of onboarding meetings with representatives from Asia-Pacific member organisations.

As part of the team's ongoing commitment to supporting our valued member organisations, this series of meetings was scheduled to ensure that key representatives from members are up to speed with UIC's activities. So far, members include: China Railways (CR), National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO), High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA), National Transport Commission (NTC), Public Transport Authority Western Australia (PTA), Transport for New South Wales - Asset Standards Authority (TfNSW) and the Department of Transport & main roads (TMR). In addition, effective follow-up sessions involve many more representatives.

A separate onboarding meeting was held to warmly welcome the new affiliate member, SIYUAN Survey and Design Group Co. Research Centre. The discussion covered the structure of UIC, the regional activities of the Asia-Pacific group and the Regional Opt-In Project (ROP) procedure. SIYUAN expressed strong interest in becoming actively involved in UIC projects and working groups, as well as leveraging the extensive range of UIC publications. The team also highlighted the UIC APRA web series 2025 as a valuable resource for all members.

These onboarding sessions ensure that partners are able to fully leverage the resources, projects and collaborative opportunities that define UIC's mission. Through the sessions, a clearer understanding of UIC's role as a global platform for dialogue and innovation is established, while practical guidance is provided that facilitates members' participation in key initiatives, such as Regional Opt-In Projects and the APRA web series 2025.

The most valuable aspect of the onboarding process is the opportunity to hear what members think and value. These meetings are not simply one-way information sessions; they are designed to establish a dynamic dialogue that allows for a better understanding of the unique needs and feedback of all members. This ensures that collective work remains relevant and impactful, while members are empowered and equipped to contribute to, and benefit from, a truly collaborative UIC community.

Connect with us

If you have made any internal changes and wish to arrange an onboarding session to better engage with us, please do not hesitate to reach out to the APRA Team at ApraTeam at uic.org. We remain committed to our promise to our members.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

Advancing rail advocacy and climate finance in the Asia-Pacific

2025-10-07T09:49:47Z

Following an announcement made at the 38th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) in May 2025, the UIC Asia-Pacific region has launched the UIC Asia-Pacific Web Series 2025 – a recurring online initiative aimed at deepening members' understanding of UIC operations and fostering regional dialogue. The series covers topics such as advocacy, passenger services, UIC tools, sustainability and freight.

The third session, on UIC Advocacy, was held on 11 September 2025 and brought together members and partners to explore how rail can play a stronger role in climate policy and financing. While the meeting provided a platform for exchange, the real focus was on the urgent need to elevate rail in global sustainability discussions.

A central theme was the role of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate finance in accelerating modal shift to rail. As countries work towards their climate commitments, rail remains underrepresented in national strategies, despite its proven contribution to emissions reduction and sustainable mobility.

UIC's newly established Advocacy Unit is spearheading efforts to address this gap. By generating knowledge, building partnerships and amplifying member experiences, the team is working to secure enabling policies and financing mechanisms that will help rail reach its full potential in climate action.

Strategic partners also provided key insights:

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) shared how climate resilience and mitigation are integrated into its railway investment frameworks.
Asian Transport Observatory (ATO) presented analysis on policy momentum for rail and highlighted opportunities to embed existing national policies into NDCs, alongside low-cost interventions to accelerate modal shift.

A recurring message across these contributions was the need for stronger collaboration – both within the railway sector and with international partners – to ensure that rail is firmly embedded in climate strategies and financing mechanisms.

Looking ahead, UIC members are preparing a joint position paper with UITP on the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism, aiming to secure rail's recognition in global climate policy.

By aligning advocacy, finance and partnerships, the Asia-Pacific region is taking concrete steps to ensure that rail is not just part of the climate conversation, but a driving force in sustainable transport solutions.

Upcoming APRA Web Series 2025 sessions:

18 September 2025: UIC presentation and its tools
10 October 2025: UIC Sustainability Unit
Additional dates and topics will be announced to APRA members in due course.

For more detailed information, please visit: https://uic.org/events/uic-asia-pacific-web-meeting-series-2025

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC Asia-Pacific Web Series 2025 continues: fourth session focuses on essential tools and digital resources

2025-10-07T09:48:34Z

Following a successful series of regional webinars, UIC Asia-Pacific region held its fourth session of the 2025 Web Meeting Series on 18 September 2025, focusing on essential UIC publications and tools available to members. The session was designed to foster greater engagement in UIC initiatives and help members to maximise their membership benefits.

The meeting brought members together to explore the digital ecosystem of UIC, which is critical for international collaboration, improving efficiency and providing robust information support.

Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communication & Coordinator Asia-Pacific region, officially opened the session. He extended a warm welcome to new and existing members and their representatives. Mr Lorand emphasised the session's core goal: to familiarise member participants with UIC's digital resources and platforms to ensure they maximise the benefits of their UIC membership. He also provided an update on the implementation of the dynamic Asia-Pacific regional strategy, which defines three development axes and supports regional projects.

The session then transitioned into a comprehensive guide to UIC's resources, designed to enhance member collaboration and strategic planning, with each presentation focusing on a different pillar of the UIC digital ecosystem.

UIC key publications

Marie Plaud-Lombard, UIC Director of Communications, detailed the value of core UIC publications, which she called “essential tools to better understand who we are, how we work and where we are heading”. She highlighted the UIC Activity Report, which summarises annual highlights and positions rail as the “backbone of tomorrow's transport system”, including work on the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS). She also presented the Work Programme 2023-2025, which represents the strategic roadmap for the organisation, and the Activity Booklet, which maps the governance and concrete work of the 131 UIC working groups and serves as a global hub for knowledge. Finally, she highlighted the weekly UIC eNews, which provides concise updates on projects and events to its thousands of readers.

UIC tools for members

Chrystal Vavoulidis, UIC Web Content Manager, demonstrated the functionality of the UIC Extranet, describing it as the primary members-only platform. She guided participants through accessing the Members Area, which houses key documents, and explained how to use the Notifications feature to prioritise updates from various working groups. She clarified the different user roles (Reader, Editor, Admin) and detailed the process for members to request access to the groups most relevant to their work, thereby ensuring they can find and utilise all necessary documents and files.

Alice Favre, Head of Statistics, provided an overview of the UIC Statistics Platform, demonstrating how members can leverage this wealth of railway data for analysis and strategic decision-making. She outlined the types of data available and explained the process of data collection, emphasising the importance of member contributions for maintaining the platform's utility and accuracy as a central data repository for the global rail sector.

Mouna Benounna, Head of Planning and Production, showcased resources for technical documentation. She covered the ETF Shop as the official source for purchasing crucial railway technical publications. Furthermore, she detailed the Standardisation IRS (International Railway Solution) Database, explaining its function as the repository for standardised technical solutions that promote global interoperability and efficiency across the railway industry. The speakers collectively stressed that these platforms are fundamental tools to strengthen the global railway community and showcase collective progress.

The meeting concluded with an engaging Q&A session that fostered meaningful dialogue between UIC experts and Asia-Pacific members regarding the optimal utilisation of digital resources.

In his closing remarks, Mr Lorand emphasised that the primary objective of this series is to empower members to fully leverage the benefits of their UIC membership. He strongly encouraged all participants to maintain active engagement with the UIC community and to make regular use of the valuable publications and platforms presented during the session, as these resources have been specifically developed to support members' professional needs and organisational goals.

The APRA Web Series 2025 will continue its focus on key UIC departments, with the next session dedicated to environmental topics:

Next session: Sustainability Unit
Date: 10 October 2025
Programme: UIC Asia-Pacific Web Meeting with Sustainability Unit

For a comprehensive overview of the entire APRA Web Series 2025 programme, please visit the dedicated web page: https://uic.org/events/uic-asia-pacific-web-meeting-series-2025

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC Asia-Pacific Web Series 2025 showcases Passenger Department's Vision for innovative and collaborative rail development

2025-09-15T14:25:27Z

The UIC Asia-Pacific 2025 Web Series has successfully delivered its second instalment, featuring an in-depth session on the Passenger Department.

Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations and UIC Coordinator for Asia-Pacific, opened the meeting, emphasising the series' goal of showcasing the diverse activities and visions of different UIC departments.

Following a productive session with the Security Department in July, this meeting provided a crucial platform for an in-depth discussion of the Passenger Department's services and its strategic vision for the fast-growing Asia-Pacific rail sector.

Bertrand Minary, Director of the UIC Passenger Department, delivered a comprehensive overview of the department's work, highlighting the Asia-Pacific region's significance as a fast-growing railway hub. He reaffirmed the department's commitment to providing maximum value to members by focusing on collaboration, developing innovative solutions and ensuring the rail industry remains a leader in sustainable and efficient transport:

Global collaboration: The Passenger Department's team includes seconded experts from global organisations, including JR East and China's CARS, fostering a rich exchange of knowledge.

Key initiatives: The department operates more than 30 expert groups, offering a wide range of services from training courses for passengers with reduced mobility to the development of digital ticketing solutions and industry standards (IRS).

Strategic Working Groups: Minary detailed five main working groups: the Passenger Services Group, focused on digital and operational solutions; the Station Management Global Group (SMGG), which recently relaunched the prestigious Brunel Awards; the High-Speed Group, responsible for setting global standards; TopRail, dedicated to railway tourism; and the Commuter and Regional Train Services group.

Innovative projects: Minary highlighted the opt-in projects funded by members, which focus on key areas such as customer experience, accessibility, multimodality, sustainability and technological innovation.

A vibrant Q&A session followed, with members enquiring about which regional projects could be of interest and accessible to Asia-Pacific members. Members showed particular interest in European projects and how their methodologies could be adapted to the Asia-Pacific context. Regarding standardisation work, Minary confirmed that these open-source standards are available for global use and adoption, citing their use in the Middle East region. He also shared information on presentation meetings for projects like Rail4Cities and MultimodX, highlighting the opportunities for Asia-Pacific members to gain insights from these innovative initiatives even if they are not direct participants. These knowledge-sharing events represent valuable learning opportunities for regional railway development.

The meeting concluded with a reminder from Philippe Lorand that UIC Asia-Pacific members can propose regional projects and funding is available each year for five to six regional “opt-in projects” in the Asia-Pacific region. He encouraged members to submit project proposals by 24 September 2025.

Furthermore, Lorand also announced the upcoming Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly in November and the UIC General Assembly in Poland, as well as the subsequent APRA web meetings, featuring contributions from various UIC departments and specialists.

11 September 2025: Advocacy
18 September 2025: UIC tools
10 October 2025: UIC Sustainability Department

The session underscored the UIC's commitment to being a transparent, value-added partner to its members and a leader in the professional rail field.

More information on upcoming APRA Web Series 2025 sessions is available here: https://uic.org/events/uic-asia-pacific-web-meeting-series-2025

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC and SYSTRA on AI in Rail

2025-09-10T06:48:55Z

On 2 September, UIC was pleased to accept the kind invitation of its valued member, SYSTRA, to join in welcoming a delegation of 42 participants from Chinese Taiwan to SYSTRA's headquarters in Paris.

The delegation was led by Dr Jay N. Shih, Minister of Civil Service, and Mr Chun-Jung Su, Minister of the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration, Executive Yuan.

Representing UIC, Mr Philippe Lorand, Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communications, and Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific Region, delivered a presentation on the growing importance of artificial intelligence in the railway sector. He highlighted its applications in maintenance and inspection, traffic and safety management, passenger mobility, and information services, as well as marketing and investment strategies.

Ms Lucie Anderton, UIC Director of Sustainability and Coordinator of the North America Region, spoke about UIC's key role in bringing together stakeholders to advance sustainability in rail. Her remarks focused on the topic of energy and decarbonisation, sharing the details of tools co-created at UIC with members including the Traction Energy & Emissions database, EcoPassenger and API.

This meeting was particularly timely, as several major rail and urban transport projects are currently under development in Chinese Taiwan, motivating the delegation's interest in engaging with UIC and SYSTRA as a global reference in technical expertise and innovation in the fields of rail and AI in sustainability.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC Asia-Pacific Web Meeting Series 2025 kicks off with focus on the UIC Security Department

2025-07-31T10:23:40Z

Following an announcement made at the 38th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) in May 2025, the UIC Asia-Pacific region has launched the UIC Asia-Pacific Web Series 2025 – a recurring online initiative aimed at deepening members' understanding of UIC operations and fostering regional dialogue. The series will cover topics like advocacy, passenger services, UIC tools, sustainability, and freight.

The inaugural session, held on 23 July 2025, spotlighted the UIC Security Department. It brought together approximately 20 representatives to explore key rail security challenges and highlight the essential role of regional cooperation in addressing them.

Strengthening rail security through collaboration
Philippe Lorand, UIC Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communication, opened the meeting, emphasising the series' aim of deepening understanding of UIC's work and promoting regional collaboration. He also drew attention to the crucial role of the UIC Security Department in tackling rail security issues.

Sarvapriya Mayank, Vice-Chair of the UIC Security Platform and Inspector General of Indian Railways' Railway Protection Force (RPF), underscored the shared mission of safeguarding rail transport. He highlighted the UIC Security Platform's efforts in promoting collaborative frameworks, exchanging best practices, and harmonising standards. The platform works to improve security planning, threat assessment, crisis management, and resilience – especially in light of the complex challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, which include terrorism, cyberattacks, and human trafficking.

The UIC Security Department: A cornerstone of global cooperation
Marie-Hélène Bonneau, Director of the UIC Security Department, clarified the distinction between security (intentional acts) and safety (unintentional accidents). She also described the UIC Security Platform's structure, which includes three permanent working groups focused on:

New Technologies (such as AI and drones)
Human Factors
Strategy, Procedures, and Regulations

Moreover, two thematic working groups address Sabotage, Intrusion, and Attacks (SIA) as well as Crisis Management and Resilience. Finally, she announced that the next World Rail Security Congress is planned for December in Morocco.

Practical tools for members
Grigore Havarneanu, UIC Senior Security Research Advisor, introduced two key tools:

The Network of Quick Responders: Facilitates rapid surveys on emerging security issues, providing analyses and reports within approximately a month.
Rail Security Hub: An online catalogue of 112 security solutions, offering a wealth of resources. Requires a free user account. Members are encouraged to sign up at: railsecurityhub.org/user/register.

Future collaboration and key dates
During the meeting, participants discussed specific security cooperation needs for the Asia-Pacific region. To foster greater collaboration, UIC invites Asia-Pacific member experts to join the Security Platform working groups. Additionally, a dedicated online security webinar for the region is planned for later this year.

The meeting also reaffirms UIC's commitment to global rail security and sets a strong foundation for deeper cooperation among Asia-Pacific railway stakeholders.

Members were reminded of key upcoming dates for the APRA region:

UIC keynote speech at the Conference on Railway Excellence (CORE) 2025: 12-14 August 2025, Auckland, New Zealand
APRA Regional Opt-in Projects (ROP) vote: By the end of September 2025
Next APRA Project Day: 3 November 2025
Next Asia-Pacific Management Committee (APMC) and APRA: 4 November 2025
Next UIC General Assembly (GA): December 2025

Furthermore, UIC is pleased to announce the dates of the next confirmed APRA Web Series 2025 sessions. These webinars will continue to explore a range of subjects, featuring contributions from various UIC departments and specialists.

11 September 2025: Advocacy
18 September 2025: UIC tools

Additional dates and topics will be announced to APRA members in due course, including sessions on passenger services, sustainability, and freight. Members are invited to stay tuned for further updates.

More information on the upcoming APRA Web Series 2025 sessions here: https://uic.org/events/uic-asia-pacific-web-meeting-series-2025

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly and Management Committee meetings held in Delhi, India

2025-07-01T16:00:00Z

On 15 and 16 May 2025, more than 100 participants from 26 member companies of the Asia-Pacific Region came together in New Delhi, India, and online to hold the 38th Asia Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) and the 24th Asia-Pacific Management Committee (APMC).

The conferences were kindly hosted by the Asia-Pacific (AP) Vice-Chair Satish Kumar, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Indian Railways, and chaired by Han Moon Hee, President and CEO of KORAIL and Chair of the UIC Asia-Pacific Region.

In his address to the 38th APRA meeting, UIC's Director-General, François Davenne outlined UIC's strategic direction for 2026–2028, emphasising the importance of having clear timelines and regional engagement. He also highlighted achievements in sustainability advocacy, innovation, and technical recognition, including significant growth in project activity and funding. The upcoming strategy focuses on five priorities: promoting rail through global advocacy, supporting rail's revival around the world, strengthening standardisation, advancing operational innovation, and expanding service provision and training. Davenne also stressed the need for greater regional involvement, especially beyond Europe, and reaffirmed UIC's commitment to being a global hub for operational standards and expertise.

Next, the Chair gave a detailed update on UIC Asia-Pacific's activities since the last meeting in September 2024, reaffirming the regional vision of “Connecting Lives and Railways for a Better Future”, structured around safety, sustainability, growth, and expansion.

Key highlights included the UIC Asia Tour promoting digital transformation, a regional safety training in Tokyo, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Rail Summit focused on tech integration. Five regional projects are underway for 2025, and 34 project proposals were submitted for 2026, showing increased interest and involvement. Looking ahead, four strategic goals were proposed to boost reach worldwide, including attracting new members, engaging in global projects and awards, and fostering interregional collaboration.

Following the regional strategy established under the leadership of the Asia-Pacific's chair and the 2026 project submissions were endorsed by APRA. Accordingly, the 2026 project selection encompassed a variety of highly relevant and timely proposals, all closely aligned with KORAIL's strategy.

APRA & APMC were preceded by a full day of workshops dedicated to the regional Opt-in Projects. Around 80 participants joined the workshop in person and online, creating a dynamic environment with ample opportunities to discuss the 34 proposed projects for 2026.

The workshop, and APRA and APMC meetings concluded with a site visit to India's Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFFCIL), giving the Asia-Pacific members a chance to explore the operators' vast network in practice. The visit was held at an opportune moment, as DFFCIL has applied for associate membership. The site visit included a ride on India's dedicated freight corridor network.

We thank our colleagues from Indian Railways for the outstanding organisation of the conference and look forward to being welcomed by KORAIL in Seoul, Korea, for the 39th APRA and 25th APMC on 3-4 November 2025.

For any inquiries, please contact aprateam at uic.org

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC Asia-Pacific regional project: “Enhancing reliability and resilience for railway operation in the Asia-Pacific Region”

2025-06-27T14:24:56Z

From 2 to 5 June 2025, a UIC-JR East workshop on “Enhancing reliability and resilience for railway operation” was held in Tokyo, Japan. Co-hosted by UIC and East Japan Railway Company (JR East), the workshop welcomed 11 participants from Australia, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand.

The workshop aimed to improve the reliability and resilience of railway transport in the Asia-Pacific region, where demand for rail services continues to grow. Focusing on disaster management operations and training relevant staff, the participants were able to share the challenges faced by their respective organisations, with JR East contributing its expertise and experience in these areas, facilitating interactive discussions among attendees.

Programme highlights

Day 1:

The workshop began with a welcome speech from Philippe Lorand, UIC Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific Region, followed by an introduction to JR East's corporate profile.

The participants then outlined their organisations' operational responses and training initiatives during natural disasters. Next, a video lecture on UIC's Opt-in Project related to earthquake preparedness was delivered by Francisco Cabrera Jeronimo, UIC Deputy Head of Operations and Safety, and Hugo Patricio, Infrastructure Senior Advisor. In the afternoon, the participants visited the Tokyo General Control Centre to learn about Japanese operational systems, including disaster response mechanisms.

Day 2:

In the morning, the participants toured locations where JR East has installed disaster management systems and carried out countermeasure construction. In the afternoon, they reconvened to share the insights gained from the workshop, including:

Impressions of JR East's early warning systems, integrated monitoring, and VR-based training
Recognition where their own disaster management systems need modernising by referencing JR East's technologies and training frameworks

Day 3:

The participants visited JR East's General Education Centre to observe education and training programmes that support safe and stable railway operations. They toured the JR East Railway Accident History Exhibition Hall and tested various simulators used for crew training, engaging in hands-on learning activities.

Day 4:

The final day featured a comprehensive introduction to JR East's crew education and training practices, which form the foundation of safe and reliable transport. In the afternoon, the attendees visited a crew depot to observe real-world training and daily management practices.

As on Day 2, the participants presented their learnings and reflections, with feedback including:

A deep appreciation for JR East's commitment to safety
Recognition of how important continuous training and fostering a safety culture is
A acknowledgment that simulators are an effect way of enhancing practical workshops

For more information about JR-East, please vist the JR-East official website and LinkedIn.
Web: Global Railway Business
LinkedIn: https://jp.linkedin.com/company/jreast

Acknowledgements

The workshop was conducted with the approval of the UIC Asia-Pacific Region members and funded by the region's budget. JR East would like to thank all of the members who supported the workshop programme, the participants, and the UIC staff for their organisation.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

Spotlight on the Philippines and the 16th High-Level Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Forum in Asia

2025-01-13T14:13:52Z

The United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD), along with the Government of Japan, held their latest EST forum for Asia, hosted at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila, the Philippines, and supported by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

As a key stakeholder, the International Union of Railways (UIC) was there to advocate for rail during the event, where both Environment and Transport ministers from the region were meeting. Country delegations attended from the Philippines, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Iran, Laos PDR, Mongolia, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

This year, with a focus on “Cities”, issues such as air quality, urban access, and economic sustainability were high on the agenda, with climate finance being the hottest topic of discussion among investment banks and countries.

During the event, the ADB reflected on the fact that three-quarters of its financing has been spent on roads in the last two decades. Although that proportion is decreasing, there is still a need for continued road growth in the region. They are looking to double their transport portfolio to $10 billion a year for transport infrastructure.

The AIIB then shared information on their “Panda Bonds” and sustainability-linked loans for green transport. The World Resources Institute (WRI) shared their study on finance, revealing that 71% of transport climate finance went to electric vehicles and 23% to rail and public transport.

Rail was represented also in the discussions. For example, Cambodia, who's climate plan (Nationally Determined Contribution or NDC) includes a shift to rail via their railway master plan, planning to construct 652 km of new tracks, with two lines linking the capital to the seaport and to the Thai border. Cambodia also shared that, although the global carbon credit pricing drops were affecting the market, they hope to raise funds through the Paris Agreement Article 6 process with their Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMO) agreement with Singapore.

In her address during the finance-themed panel, UIC Director for Sustainability Lucie Anderton said, “All finance for railways is climate finance, and there is great potential in this area. 1.8 Gt of future carbon emissions from low and lower middle income countries (LICs and LMICs) can be avoided by 2050 by boosting rail provision with an investment of $80 billion a year. International financial institutions can help projects in developing countries access finance by supporting building capacity in terms of and raising awareness about carbon credits, monitoring, and reporting, as well as broadening investment decisions to include broader socio-economic value.”

Members coming together in the Philippines

Also attending the Forum and making an address to the session was UIC member, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). The team from India shared their ambitions and plans for transport systems in the country and the large-scale opportunities available through continued investment in infrastructure.

UIC met up with the Philippine Railway Institute (PRI), who are active members of the UIC Talent platform and are building a new facility to train the future railway workforce. Anneli Lontoc, Undersecretary for the Department of Transport, shared her vision for the institute and reflected on the remarkable transformation in railways that will be occurring over the next ten years in the country, quadrupling by 2035. She stated that the skills needed to support this transformation are substantial, and the Philippines welcomed international cooperation in the UIC forums to support this change.

The Philippine National Railways (PNR) also warmly welcomed Anderton during her visit to the PNR Tutuban Executive Building. During her visit, General Manager Deovanni S. Miranda, Assistant General Manager, Atty. Celeste D. Lauta, and other key personnel gave her an overview of PNR's operations. This visit not only strengthened PNR's relationship with UIC, but also fostered the sharing of innovative ideas, contributing to the advancement of the railway industry.

Spotlight on climate change and weather resilience

For the third year running, the Philippines is the highest-ranking vulnerable country for exposure to extreme weather. In the last season, six typhoons hit the country, displacing 1.4 million people.
The typhoons halted railway operations, with two trains completely submerged. Bridges required significant repairs and were out of action for more than a month. Five hundred staff were displaced from their homes, and offices were flooded, resulting in data and files being lost. Despite this, rail showed resilience due to the higher positioning of embankments, with trains resuming operation a week ahead of the roads reopening. However, recovery was difficult as no extra funding was available.

Further information about UIC's work on climate change adaptation and weather resilience can be found at: Future proof railways: risks and solutions for railways facing climate change.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC visits East Japan Railway Company

2024-12-09T13:06:38Z

As part of the UIC Digital Mission Programme, a group of ten UIC-member executives visited the Headquarters of East Japan Railway Company on 24 October 2024.

Yuji Fukasawa, Chair of East Japan Railway Company, received a courtesy call from François Davenne, UIC Director General. They discussed the upcoming agenda for the December Executive Board meeting, as well as UIC's standardisation strategy.

During the event, Shunzo Miyake, Senior Executive Officer of East Japan Railway Company, gave an opening speech, with Yoshihisa Nishimura, Executive Officer and General Manager of Innovation Strategy Headquarters, giving a presentation about JR East's innovation strategy to the UIC Digital Mission.

The discussions were rich with insight being gained from both sides.

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

UIC Asia-Pacific regional project “Safety Training Programme” hosted by UIC and JR East

2024-11-27T09:36:06Z

Taking place over five days from 11 to 15 November in Tokyo, Japan, the Safety Training Programme was host by UIC and Japan Rail East, with nine participants from Australia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, China, India, South Korea, and Vietnam attending.

Concept of the programme
The training event aimed to share JR East's extensive knowledge on safety with railway professionals, enhancing railway safety in the Asia-Pacific region. With the introduction of new systems, the interaction between humans and machines (systems) has changed, increasing the possibility of unforeseen accidents/incidents. The programme therefore emphasised the importance of acting with an understanding of the necessary work principles to appropriately respond to such situations.

Schedule
On the first day, after a greeting from and an overview of JR East, a lecture on human factors, highlighting the importance of preventing human errors was given. Additionally, Virginie Papillault, UIC Manager of Human and Organisational Factors and Safety Culture, provided a video lecture on “Human and organisational factors” and “Occupational Health and Safety” initiatives at UIC.

The second morning featured an over lecture on safety at JR East, providing insights into the company's initiatives and philosophy. In the afternoon, participants took part in a simulation using VR at the electrical project department, learning the background of safety rules.

On the third day, at JR East's general training centre, the participants received hands-on training from JR East instructors, learning about safety mechanisms through both lectures and practical exercises.

The fourth day included visits to a rolling stock maintenance depot and a train crew depot, where participants observed both safety initiatives on-site and employee-driven safety efforts. Finally, the last day concluded with participants presenting what they learned during the training programme. Feedback included:

Appreciating how highly JR East prioritises safety
Learning about initiatives not present in their own companies
Realising the importance of continuous safety efforts
Understanding the importance of embedding a safety culture and human factors in companies
Recognising the effectiveness of practical training using simulators

The training event concluded by completion certificates being awarded, marking the end of the five-day programme.

Acknowledgements
The training course was conducted with the approval of the UIC Asia-Pacific Region members and funded by the region's budget. JR East would like to thank all of the members who supported this training programme, the participants, and the UIC staff for their organisation.

Please also refer to the LinkedIn post at
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7264911960624832512

For further information, please contact us here: https://uic.org/about/contact

23rd UIC Asia-Pacific Management Committee and 37th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly held in Berlin, Germany and online

2024-10-09T15:04:28Z

As part of Innotrans, the world's largest trade fair focused on the rail transport industry, China Railway invited members from the UIC Asia-Pacific Region to Berlin, Germany for the 23rd UIC Asia-Pacific Management Committee (APMC) and the 37th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (APRA) on 24 September 2024.

Around 60 participants, including the ones online, from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Australia, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Thailand, and Vietnam registered to attend the 37th Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly. The region welcomed three new members from Australia and Thailand and its membership currently stands at 55, and includes all active, associate, and affiliate members.

The 23rd APMC and the 37th APRA were chaired by Han Moon Hee, President & CEO of KORAIL and Chairman of the UIC Asia-Pacific Region, who extended a warm welcome to all of the participants. The meetings focused on appointing the Chairmanship of the region and the representatives of the region at the UIC ExBoard and the UIC Asia-Pacific Management Committee, as well as discussing the activities and budget.

The UIC Asia-Pacific Region nomination for 2025-2026: Han Moon Hee, President & CEO of KORAIL, for a second mandate, to the position of UIC Asia-Pacific Chairman. The nomination of the UIC Asia-Pacific Vice-Chair will be decided in November 2024 at the 37th APRA Extraordinary meeting due to late candidacy.

Additionally, the Assembly also approved the CR (China), IR (India), JR East (Japan), KORAIL (Korea) and KTZ (Kazakhstan) being selected for positions on the UIC Executive Board and the Asia-Pacific Management Committee for the next two years.

Warwick Talbot, UIC APRA Vice-Chair and Deputy Executive Director of Sydney Trains, expressed his honour to have been the Vice-Chairman of the region and thanked the APRA Chairman, Han Moon Hee and all the members for their support during his mandate. He expressed the wish that the Asia-Pacific region would continue to develop its activities.

Han Moon Hee provided a comprehensive overview of the year's activities, projects, and achievements as well as his strategic vision for the development of the Asia-Pacific region. The focus was on safety, railway decarbonisation, standardisation, innovation and expansion of the region with new potential members and inter-regional activities.

In his keynote address, Dr Beroud underscored the crucial role of interregional cooperation in driving forward the global railway industry. He emphasised:

“The APRA region is one of the most important UIC regions... due to the incredible dynamics of progress and development of the railway sector... You are a reservoir of unique knowledge and know-how in many aspects of railway competence sphere, which we all want to benefit from, as part of our global railway family.”

Then, François Davenne, UIC Director General, highlighted the solid perception of UIC's added value with a strong stream of accession and stable member satisfaction. He underlined the improvement of UIC transparency concerning finance and projects and announced that the 2024 budget would be balanced and the projects' trajectory would be exceeded. He also outlined the importance of regional empowerment.

APRA's projects and activities were presented by Philippe Lorand, Coordinator of the UIC Asia-Pacific Region, who detailed the status of ongoing projects, including four studies and two regional training sessions. He also announced the extension of the date for the selection of projects 2025 which will be decided at the 37th APRA Extraordinary meeting in November 2024.

To conclude, the dates and venues for the next Asia-Pacific region's international conferences were given by the APRA Chair.

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JR East's plans for driverless Shinkansen operation

2024-10-07T11:25:29Z

Changes in Japan's social environment, such as a decrease in population and new work styles, are behind East Japan Railway Company's innovative step towards driverless operation, which will continue to transform the JR East Group into a more efficient and sustainable railway, as set out in the Group's Management Vision “Move UP” 2027.

Automated operation is expected to further increase levels of safety and reliability in transport, as well as contributing to greater efficiency in operations. Driverless operation will allow trains to operate more flexibly according to passenger demand and free train crews to perform other important tasks.

The Jōetsu Shinkansen has been selected as the world's first high-speed railway line to run on driverless operation, and will be followed by the Hokuriku Shinkansen and the Tōhoku Shinkansen, ensuring JR East's place as a pioneer in driverless operation technology on the world's railways.

Driverless operation is defined as automated operations that do not require a driver to be on board.

(Source: JR East)

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Harnessing hydrogen, biogas and renewable energy

2024-09-05T14:09:21Z

East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Station City Energy Create Co., Ltd. and JR East Logistics Co., Ltd. plan to harness hydrogen, biogas and other renewable energy sources throughout the approx. 9.5 ha TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, which is scheduled to open in March 2025. The entire city will be used to promote sustainable urban development that is kind to people, the city and the earth, and to enrich lives for the next 100 years. The group will work together to improve both the appeal and value of the area, while achieving further benefits for the earth.

TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY is a pilot project for tackling the JR East Group long-term goal embodied in Zero Carbon Challenge 2050, and the aim is to have net zero CO₂ emissions from all supplied energy from its opening in March 2025. In addition, the city will use hydrogen and a circular economy that harnesses waste as a resource to achieve a future in which all activities in the city are beneficial to the earth.

Station City Energy Create Co., Ltd. is working on an energy management system that integrates supply and demand in order to realise urban development that incorporates advanced environmental and energy technologies. The project will utilise diverse renewable energy sources, fuel cells and food waste-derived biogas systems for the realisation of a future hydrogen-based society. Furthermore, JR East Logistics Co., Ltd. is working to achieve logistics services for the area that are both environmentally friendly and flexible. Through these efforts, TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY will promote sustainable urban development through city-wide endeavours that are kind to people, the city and the earth.

Initiatives for a zero carbon, sustainable city

(1) Environmental and energy initiatives for net zero CO₂ emissions

A combination of systems that conserve, create and manage energy, together with the utilisation of energy certificates, ensure that all electricity in the city is derived from renewable sources with the aim of ensuring net zero CO₂ emissions for all supplied energy from its opening in March 2025.

① Energy management
THE LINKPILLAR 2 is equipped with an underground air-conditioning facility that boasts one of Japan's largest heat storage tanks. This achieves a highly efficient energy supply and allows water from the heat storage tank to be used as an emergency supply (for toilets in evacuation facilities, firefighting, etc.) in the event of a disaster, improving the BCP1 [1] for residents and the local community. Furthermore, the demand-responsive zoned air conditioning management system [2] divides building areas into zones to control equipment operation, achieving comfort and cutting-edge, optimised energy utilisation throughout the city.

② Hydrogen utilisation
Through TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY we are working to create an environmentally friendly hydrogen-based society through the use of hydrogen in efforts such as mobility for the community and logistics that support city operation. By supplying electricity and heat energy derived from hydrogen to the city, we are aiming for a future in which hydrogen is one of the key energy sources.

Hydrogen fuel cell system at Takanawa Gateway Station
A hydrogen fuel cell system will be installed at Takanawa Gateway Station in March 2025. This will allow people to travel comfortably using environmentally friendly mobility that utilises hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources. In the future, the city will also consider the production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources within the city, aiming for further hydrogen utilisation.

An environmentally friendly, next-generation logistics platform
We are constructing a next-generation logistics platform that harnesses IoT to achieve logistics that are flexible and environmentally friendly. In preparation for the opening in March 2025, we developed an external depot (logistics base) in June 2024. Thanks to the “Concentrated In-house Carry” service, which utilises this external depot, packages from outside the region are consolidated at the depot and then efficiently delivered into the city. In addition, deliveries inside the city will be carried out using FC (fuel cell) trucks. These efforts help develop an environmentally friendly urban environment by reducing traffic in the area, to both ease congestion and cut CO₂ emissions.

(2) Achieving a circular economy

We are working towards a circular economy whereby waste and resources generated by business activities within the city are recycled and used effectively.

Eastern Japan's first in-building biogas facilities
Throughout the city, we are working towards net zero CO₂ emissions by creating an environmentally friendly, sustainable urban environment through a circular economy where waste is reused as a resource. As part of these efforts, Eastern Japan's first in-building biogas facilities will be installed in March 2025. We will reuse food waste from local restaurants and commercial facilities, fermenting and gasifying it, thereby reducing waste by approximately 70%. Gas produced in this way will then be used as fuel in biogas boiler-powered buildings to provide 10% of the hotel's hot water.

In addition, we are also considering the collection of CO₂ emitted by the city and its effective use in the life of the city. By further developing initiatives, we will build an urban centre that leads the way in environmental action, and will ensure that all endeavours within TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY are kind to people, the city and the earth, and that visitors, area employees and local residents all contribute in ways that benefit the earth – simply by living and working in the area.

Reference
TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY development overview
Continuing its traditional role as a gateway to Edo (now known as Tokyo) and following a history of innovation that began with Japan's first railways, TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY will be an experimental site to create enriching lives for the next 100 years, where the creation of new culture and business continues under the concept of a global gateway.

THE LINKPILLAR 1 and the area around Takanawa Gateway Station will open at the end of the 2024 financial year (March 2025), with the other buildings (THE LINKPILLAR 2, the Center for Cultural Innovations and TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY RESIDENCE) and surrounding areas due to during the 2025 financial year.

JR East will continue to develop the Shinagawa Development Project to enhance the value of the area around Shinagawa Station (Shinagawa Station North Exit and Shinagawa Station Block).

Official website: https://www.takanawagateway-city.com
(Source: JR East)

[1] Business Continuity Plan: Vital countermeasures ensure that essential business operations are not interrupted or can resume within an allotted time when interrupted by a disaster, to prevent business loss to competitors, loss of market share and the deterioration of corporate reputation.

[2] Created in partnership by Station City Energy Create Co., Ltd. and Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., patent registered in August 2022.

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