UIC participated in the 15th International Workshop on Railway Noise (IWRN15), held from 15 to 19 September 2025 on the Isla de la Toja, Spain. The conference provided a unique opportunity for high-level speakers and participants to enhance their understanding of numerous issues relating to railway noise and vibration, and to strengthen the scientific foundation for reducing the environmental impact of phenomena such as curve squeal, rail roughness, and noise and vibration mitigation.
At this event, UIC seized the opportunity to monitor the latest developments in railway noise and vibration, engage with experts beyond its active membership under the NOVITÀ and ACORD initiatives, and communicate the NV Sector activities by means of a dedicated flyer. The flyer outlines the sector’s mission, objectives, key activities and ongoing projects, emphasising its collaborative efforts within the global railway community.
To learn more, find the flyer at the following link:
https://uic.org/IMG/pdf/uic_noise_vibration_sector_flyer_final.pdf
The workshop gathered more than 130 delegates from different countries across the world. UIC Noise and Vibration Sector members, including Austria (ÖBB), Belgium (Infrabel), France (SNCF), Germany (DB), the Netherlands (ProRail/NS), Sweden (Trafikverket), Switzerland (SBB) and the United Kingdom (HS2) contributed actively through presentations and posters.
Participants discussed a wide range of topics, including:
- High-speed rail and aerodynamic noise
- Rail roughness, corrugation, grinding and wheel irregularities
- Measurements, monitoring and uncertainty
- Wheel and rail noise
- Squeal noise
- Bridge noise
- Vehicle interior noise
- Structure-borne noise and ground-borne vibration
- Noise and vibration mitigation solutions
- Policy, regulation and perception
UIC will continue to advance its technical efforts and organise internal meetings within the Noise and Vibration Sector. The next gathering will take place in Lyon, France, from 24 to 27 November 2025, chaired by Alf Ekblad from Trafikverket and Jamie Wilkes from Network Rail. This meeting will also be a special moment to celebrate the retirement of Sector Chair Jakob Oertli from SBB, honouring his dedication, guidance and many contributions over the years. UIC members are welcome to participate and contribute to discussions on ongoing projects and future collaboration.
