Following a 14-year tradition and in the frame of the UIC Intercity and High Speed Committee, the 2017 edition of the Training Session on High Speed Systems, level I (THSS 2017) took place from 24 – 28 April, at UIC, in Paris. This year’s session included a technical visit to the new high speed line Bretagne, Le Mans – Rennes, and to the technical exhibition on HSR created by the City of Sciences in cooperation with UIC.

This training session follows the two main principles of High Speed Rail: to be a complex system and the many different approaches of this innovative transport system, by having a view of such systems’ development across the world.
This event is becoming increasingly important for decision-makers and all those professionally involved in high speed rail projects to be familiar with all the aspects and implications thereof in order that they may take or propose objective decisions on transport development.

The session is targeted at managers in decision-making positions in the transport sector in general, and in the railways in particular, whether working for railway companies or for ministries, local authorities, universities, advisory bodies, agencies or associations.

Over five days, the lectures examine all the elements that make up high speed systems (as well as all the different types of systems included in this category), and to gauge their impact impartially and objectively from a technical, economic, political and social standpoint.

As in previous years, 40 speakers from 11 countries exchanges knowledge and experiences with 38 students from 15 countries (Italy, Spain, France, Germany, UK, Thailand, Japan, China, Belgium…)

The training session, organised by the UIC Passenger and HSR Department team, under the coordination of Iñaki Barrón, Director of the Passenger and High Speed Department, was opened and presented by the Director General of UIC, Mr Jean-Pierre Loubinoux.

The 2017 edition of the second level of this training session will take place in Madrid from 13 – 17 November.