UIC eNews

Latest UIC publications on rolling stock

2026-07-24T14:09:14Z

Standardisation is the backbone of the global rail network, ensuring that different rolling stock can operate safely across borders. Here is an overview of three essential UIC publications that govern some of the technical dimensions associated with modern trains:

IRS 50521: Railway applications - Coaches and vans, wagons, traction units - Clearances to be provided at vehicles extremities

During coupling and uncoupling operations, shunting staff are required to work between vehicle extremities, and around the draw gear and buffers; therefore, sufficient free space must be maintained around these components and any other projecting parts for the protection of railway personnel during train formation activities.

IRS 50521 defines the minimum clearances to be provided at the extremities of vehicles equipped with buffers and screw couples, including coaches and vans, wagons, and traction units. By standardising the spaces reserved for shunters during coupling and uncoupling operations, the document contributes to the safety and interoperability of railway operations while supporting the safe execution of shunting activities.

IRS 50532: Railway applications - Coaches, vans, wagons - Rear end signal brackets and fixed electric signal lamps

IRS 50532 concerns fixed electric signal lamps and provides the technical specifications for their brightness and positioning at both the front and the rear of coaches and vans. This precision ensures that signal lamps remain visible to locomotives, thereby reducing the risk of collisions and ensuring consistent signalling protocols across all European corridors.

The publication also states the necessity for, and details the positioning of, rear-end signal brackets for coaches, vans, and wagons, standardising the mounting height and angle of those brackets.

IRS 50572: Railway applications - Wagons composed of permanently coupled units (multiple wagons) and articulated wagons

IRS 50572 governs the technical integration of permanently coupled and articulated units. It addresses the mechanical and structural requirements necessary for coupling permanently coupled wagons, and the regulations concerning the equipment of articulation for articulated wagons. By regulating how these units interact, UIC seeks to minimise the possibility of accidents and, particularly in the case of articulated wagons, to minimise wear and tear and maintenance costs.

These three documents support a more integrated, efficient, and reliable international freight rail system, enabling cross-border operations, reducing technical barriers between railway networks, and contributing to the overall interoperability of the rail sector.

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

UIC visits the Hitachi Rail plant in Pistoia, Italy

2026-07-23T15:14:23Z

On 25 June, UIC visited the Hitachi Rail plant in Pistoia, Italy – a site with a long and storied history of rail manufacturing and engineering. The plant is a multi-product, multi-line factory, which designs and manufactures a wide range of rolling stock, including high-speed, regional, intercity, metro, and commuter trains, as well as hybrid-electric models.

The visit, the result of a collaboration between Hitachi Rail and UIC member Italian State Railways (FSI), included:

Investigations into how new solutions and technologies can be implemented on hybrid and full battery trains for regional and long-distance transport through the UIC Rail System Forum working group Reduction of energy consumption and costs with new technologies or migration of electrification systems (ECO-ENERGY)
A tour of Trenitalia's production line for their new high-speed train Frecciarossa 1000 (also known as the ETR1000) and an insight into the company's high-speed technologies
Discussions on how implementing new sustainable technologies will impact the future of rolling stock

Future collaborations were discussed, including the possibilities of:

Joint research and development (R&D) projects and technical strategies for digitalisation, predictive maintenance, AI, and asset management
Participation in UIC working groups and taskforces on rolling stock and sustainability
Events and knowledge sharing within conferences, workshops, and innovation programmes

UIC thanks FSI and Hitachi Rail for this insightful visit.

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

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.

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

UIC presents the BEHOLDER project at OTIF RID Working Group

2026-07-22T12:52:53Z

At the 20th Session of the RID Committee of Experts' Standing Working Group, held on 27–28 May 2026 in Bern, Switzerland, UIC presented the EU co-funded BEHOLDER project (Build and Extend CBRNE-related Hazard-Assessment and Anomaly Detection Capabilities in Urban Environments).

Organised by OTIF, the meeting brought together experts from RID Contracting States, international organisations and industry stakeholders to discuss the international regulations governing the transport of dangerous goods by rail.

During the session, Joost Overdijkink (UIC) showcased how BEHOLDER uses advanced detection technologies, Artificial Intelligence and smart-city integration to strengthen preparedness and response to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) threats in public spaces, including the rail environment, and invited OTIF member states to join the BEHOLDER community, where they can stay updated about the project's progress and results.

Within BEHOLDER, the UIC Security Department represents rail end users, contributes to the definition of requirements and training activities, develops the pilot methodology and evaluation framework and leads the two railway pilot demonstrations. Learn more about the project on the website or by reading the abstract presented at the meeting here.

Through its continued participation in the legislative processes for the Transport of Dangerous Goods at the UNECE and OTIF, UIC contributes to a forward looking, safe and economic set of harmonised, multi-modal rules, fit for the rail sector and society.

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

UIC visits the Italian Railway Network plant in Florence

2026-07-21T08:16:06Z

On 24 June, the UIC Rail System Forum Reduction of energy consumption and costs with new technologies or migration of electrification systems (ECO ENERGY) working group visited the Italian Railway Network (RFI) plant, electrical substations, and laboratories in Osmannoro, Florence. The plant is part of the Italian State Railway (FSI) group, and works closely with RFI, and Trenitalia, and collaborates with Italcertifer to manage external contracts.

ECO ENERGY – coordinated by the UIC Rail System Department, and featuring members from RFI, Spanish Railway Infrastructure Manager (ADIF), and Infrabel, and external experts from universities – had the opportunity to tour the testing and inspection, and energy and electrical testing laboratories.

The former tests rolling stock, components, infrastructure, noise, vibration, and environmental performance while the latter tests traction power systems, electrification components (such as catenaries and substations), and onboard energy systems to ensure efficiency, safety, and compliance.

The visit also included the semi-anechoic chamber, which facilitates electromagnetic compatibility testing, immunity tests for disturbances caused by emission sources (such as antennae), and the measurement of electromagnetic emissions. The chamber's dimensions (50 x 25 x 12m) make it one of a kind in Europe.

UIC thanks RFI for this interesting opportunity.

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

UIC Standardisation Day – 13 October 2026

2026-07-20T13:17:05Z

UIC is pleased to invite you to UIC Standardisation Day, which will take place both at UIC headquarters and online on 13 October 2026. Following the UIC Excellence in Railways Publications Award Ceremony, a standardisation workshop will be hosted, bringing together UIC members and UIC colleagues to share the latest information on UIC standardisation.

The agenda is as follows:

09:30 – 11:30 UIC Standardisation Platform (SP) Plenary Meeting
12:00 – 13:00 UIC Excellence in Railways Publications Awards Ceremony
13:00 – 14:00 Networking lunch
14:15 – 15:45 Standardisation Workshop (with a possible extension until 16:00)

The UIC Standardisation Strategy 2030, approved by the UIC General Assembly in December 2024, establishes four strategic pillars to strengthen UIC's position as an international standardisation body for the railway sector. From these pillars, UIC has launched a series of practical initiatives to translate the Strategy into concrete actions. Through collaborative work with UIC members, the aim is to not only to improve standardisation processes but also to create greater value for the global railway community.

One such initiative is the introduction of a clear typology and a new categorisation of UIC International Railway Solutions (IRS). Among the seven categories, the newly introduced Legacy Technology Document category will play a key role in accelerating the transition from existing leaflets to the IRS framework.

The upcoming workshop will present the achievements from the first year of the Strategy's implementation.

The programme will include:
1. Key elements of the Strategy
2. An explanation of the new Legacy Technology Document category
3. A guide to Legacy Technology Documents in the UIC Publication Portal – how to identify and use them
4. A Q&A and quiz

Although the revision of the UIC Standardisation Guidelines, incorporating the new procedures introduced by the Strategy, is currently in progress within the Standardisation Platform, the new Legacy Technology Document category will become operational in the UIC Publication Portal from September 2026. By the time you attend UIC Standardisation Day, you will already be able to explore this new category in the Publication Portal. During the workshop, speakers will explain the rationale behind Legacy Technology Documents, highlight their value, and demonstrate how the documents will continue to support railway operations.

The morning Standardisation Platform Plenary Meeting will focus on the revision of the UIC Standardisation Guidelines and will be exclusively open to registered SP members. If you are not yet registered as a SP member, please do so as soon as possible via the UIC Extranet to gain access to the meeting.

Standardisation can only succeed through collaboration – experts from UIC member companies and UIC Headquarters colleagues must work with a shared vision to develop high-quality international standardisation documents that truly serve the railway community. In this spirit, the UIC Publications Award Ceremony, networking lunch, and Standardisation Workshop are open to both UIC members and UIC colleagues.

Registration

UIC Excellence in Railways Publications Awards Ceremony: please register here.
Networking lunch & Standardisation Workshop: please register here

With the exception of the Networking Lunch, all sessions will be held in a hybrid format.

UIC looks forward to welcoming you to UIC Standardisation Day and sharing the latest developments in UIC standardisation. Together a stronger and more effective standardisation community for the railway sector can be built.

Should you need any further information, please get in contact standardisation at uic.org.

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

Railway traffic trends among UIC member companies in 2025

2026-07-20T07:46:39Z

1. Summary
Railway passenger volumes continued to grow in 2025, with an overall increase of about 4.5% compared with 2024. Growth was particularly strong for Indian Railways, National French Railways (SNCF) and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak).

Railway freight transport recorded more modest growth in 2025, with a 2% increase in tonne-kilometres compared with 2024. This global figure masks diverging regional trends. Freight volumes continued to fall for many companies, particularly in Europe, where volumes amongst the 27 member States of the EU (EU-27) fell by an estimated 2.2%. This decline was offset by moderate growth for Indian Railways (IR, +2.6%), China Railways (CR, +2.6%) and among Class I railroads in the United States (+1.1%).

Note: The market overview presented in this document is partial and should be interpreted accordingly.

Monthly passenger traffic index (left-hand graph) and monthly freight traffic index (right-hand graph) for the January 2019 to December 2025 period. The base reference (100) for indices is January 2019.

Companies: China Railways (CR), Indian Railways (IR), East Japan Railways (EJR), Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ)
Aggregates: “AAR”: Class 1 companies from the Association of American Railroads in the US; “Africa”: SNCC, SNCFT, SNTF, ONCF, Trans Gabonese Operating Company (SETRAG); “North America”: AMTRAK and VIA RAIL, “Other Asia Pacific”: TRC, THSRC, KTM, KORAIL, VNR and KTZ (KZ, only for passenger transport index); “EU-27”: Eurostat (+ UIC when missing data); “Other Europe”: Eurostat (+ UIC when missing data).

2. Passenger traffic trends
Since 2023, following the COVID-19 recovery phase, global passenger traffic growth has gradually stabilised and slowed. In 2025, passenger traffic increased by around 4.5% globally, compared with growth exceeding 9% between 2023 and 2024.

Indian Railways, with passenger traffic growth of 7.7% between 2024 and 2025, continued to significantly influence the global trend and, for the first time since the pandemic, recorded an annual passenger volume comparable to its 2019 level. CR recorded more moderate growth, with passenger traffic increasing by 3.7%. Growth ranging from 1% to 4% was also observed for Malayan Railway Limited (KTM), Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), Vietnam Railways (VNR) and Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC). Conversely, stagnation or declining passenger volumes were recorded for Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ, −3.6%) and Australia's Sydney Trains (−6.8%). It should also be noted that some companies like for example East Japan Railways, Vietnam Railways (VNR), Sydney Trains, and KTZ have not yet returned to pre-COVID passenger traffic levels.

Passenger traffic growth in Europe [1] is estimated at around 1.5%, with particularly strong performance observed for Trains of Portugal (CP, +27%), Polish State Railways (PKP, +13%), Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) and Raaberbahn (GYSEV) (+9% and +13% respectively), Lithuanian Railways (LTG, +8.8%), Croatian Railways (HŽ, +7%), SNCF (+4.4%), Danish State Railways (DSB, +4.3%), German Railways (DB AG, +2.7%). However, several European undertakings continued to face difficulties and have not yet recovered pre-COVID traffic levels, notably Railway Company of Slovakia (ZSSK), Czech Railways (ČD), National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB), Dutch Railways (NS), LTG and Swedish Railways (SJ). For several other undertakings, the strong growth observed after the COVID-19 pandemic has gone into the negative, with passenger traffic declining since 2023 and continuing to decrease in 2025. This was the case, for example, for Romanian Railways (CFR), Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) and ČD. However, for ČD this trend should be interpreted in the context of increasing intramodal competition in both the open-access and public service obligation (PSO) segments in the Czech Republic.

In North America, Via Rail Canada Inc. (VIA RAIL) experienced a slight increase in 2025, while Amtrak maintained solid growth, recording a 5.5% increase.

In Africa, passenger traffic showed a general decline, with an average decrease of around 2.4% in 2025.

3. Freight traffic trends
Overall, the global trend in rail freight transport remains positive over the longer term. However, since the beginning of 2022, regional developments have increasingly diverged.

In Asia, KTZ recorded the strongest growth, a trend confirmed in 2025 with an increase of 8.3% compared to 2024. IR and CR had more a moderate growth of 2.6% each. Other Asian operators showed mixed results, with moderate performance by VNR (+2.8%), contrasted by declines for KORAIL (−8.5%) and Taiwan Railway Corporation (TR, −17.6%).

In Europe, the downward trend observed since 2022 continued into 2025, with an overall decline of around 2.4% compared to 2024. The decline in rail freight traffic in Europe since 2022 has mainly been driven by reduced industrial demand, particularly in energy-intensive sectors, combined with the effects of the energy crisis, which increased rail operating costs and weakened competitiveness against road transport. In addition, infrastructure constraints, notably network saturation caused by competing passenger traffic priorities and frequent maintenance work, alongside operational disruptions and a lack of service predictability, have further limited freight rail performance. This is compounded by the structural fragmentation of the European rail system, where technical non-interoperability and administrative delays at borders continue to hinder cross-border efficiency [2] [3] [4]. In this context, it appears that companies in the Baltic States, the Balkans and Eastern Europe have been among the most impacted. For several European companies, the decrease exceeded 10%. Incumbent operators appear to be particularly affected, while new market entrants have shown better resilience.

In Africa, freight traffic trends remain contrasted. Strong growth was recorded by the National Railway Company of the Congo (SNCC, +16.4%) and Moroccan National Railways (ONCF, +11.2%), while declines were observed for Algerian National Company for Rail Transport (SNTF, −3.8%), and the National Company for Tunisian Railways (SNCFT, −22%).

In the United States, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR)-reported data [5], rail freight activity rebounded in 2025, with a 1.1% increase following a slight decline in the previous period.

Overall, after a plateau in 2024, 2025 experienced a global recovery of approximately 2% in rail freight activity.

More information
Please consult the monthly and quarterly reports on passenger, freight, and train traffic, available online via the UIC web application for statistics correspondents
Quarterly reports are also available on the extranet
Annual data is available from Railisa

Acknowledgments
Many thanks to all of the correspondents who actively contributed to providing the data used for this brief overview from the UIC Statistics Platform.

Contact
UIC Statistics Unit stat at uic.org

[1] Eurostat:
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Railway_passenger_transport_statistics_-_quarterly_and_annual_data

[2] UIRR:
https://www.uirr.com/web-news/european-rail-freight-not-stagnating-its-fully-declining

[3] Railfreight.com:
https://www.railfreight.com/railfreight/2026/07/03/stagnation-bottlenecks-and-border-delays-the-key-freight-findings-from-eras-latest-rail-report/

[4] https://www.era.europa.eu/content/report-railway-safety-and-interoperability-eu-2026

[5] AAR:
https://www.aar.org/rail-industry-overview/

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

Two new underpasses inaugurated in Milbech (Luxembourg)

2026-07-16T14:00:47Z

On 2 July, two new underpasses were inaugurated in Milbech to replace Level Crossing (LC) 59, located at the intersection point between the road leading to the Ledenbierg residential area and the Luxembourg–Wasserbillig–Trier railway line. This new infrastructure represents a significant step forward in improving both safety and traffic flow for all users. Many thanks go to Doris Horvath, Head of the Safety, Security and Environment Department at Luxembourg National Railway Company (CFL), and Marc Wengler, Chief Executive Officer at CFL for enabling UIC to take part.

CFL has been continuously promoting International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) since its inception by distributing safety flyers at level crossings, publishing handouts, printing posters, developing videos, and posting on social media . CFL has also undertaken this work for Trespass Awareness Day (TRESPAD).

“Thanks to these new underpasses, safety is being enhanced and mobility improved for local residents from today onwards. A level crossing located in the heart of a populated area no longer meets today's safety requirements. By replacing it with suitable structures such as underpasses or bridges, we eliminate both waiting times and risks while helping to improve the quality of life of local residents” said Yuriko Backes, Minister for Mobility and Public Works for Luxembourg, while highlighting the quality of cooperation among all stakeholders involved in delivering improved road and rail safety.

“With 55 incidents recorded at level crossings in 2025, it is essential to continue our efforts to ensure that every level crossing removal represents a further step towards enhanced safety for our customers, employees and all road users,” said Jean-Paul Lickes, Chair of the CFL Board of Directors. “By reducing these risk factors, we help prevent situations that often have serious human consequences.”

“In 2025, level crossing incidents resulted in 4,371 minutes of train delays and 67 train cancellations,” Marc Wengler explained. “These figures clearly demonstrate the relevance of our level crossing removal programme in improving the quality of service delivered to our customers. By advancing several projects simultaneously, we achieve greater efficiency, as demonstrated this year with the level crossing removal projects in Milbech and Colmar-Usines.”

42 level crossings removed since 2012

As meeting points between rail and road traffic, level crossings are too frequently the scene of accidents caused by non-compliance with traffic regulations. Unsafe behaviour by some road users –whether motorists, cyclists or pedestrians–not only endangers their own lives but also those of others, including train drivers, pedestrians, and transport users. Between 2015 and 2025, seven people lost their lives at level crossings in Luxembourg.

The safest level crossing is the one that no longer exists. To address this issue and improve mobility at affected locations, CFL is continuing to remove level crossings every year.

Since 2012, 42 level crossings have been removed and replaced with alternative crossing solutions developed in close cooperation with the Roads and Bridges Administration and the affected municipalities. Each removal project is tailored to the specific characteristics and mobility needs of the site.

Following the removal of LC 59, 81 level crossings remain in operation on the rail network used by both passenger and freight trains.

For more information, please visit: www.securite.cfl.lu.

Additionally, on 1 July, the members of the International Railway Safety Network of UIC (IRSN), chaired by Guillaume Foeillet (National French Railways (SNCF)), had the opportunity to visit Howald station. Part of Luxembourg's future mobility project, Howald station is a versatile transport hub featuring a railway station, tram stops, and bus stops.

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

UIC Days webinar organised for new UIC member Uganda Railways Corporation

2026-07-16T12:32:27Z

On 7 July, Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) and UIC jointly organised a UIC Days webinar, coinciding with the company's UIC membership being approved four days prior at the 108th UIC General Assembly.

In his opening speech, Benon Kajuna, Managing Director of URC, welcomed the company's admission and highlighted Uganda's priorities in rail modernisation, regional integration, digital transformation, and sustainability. He emphasised the importance of this milestone and the value of collaboration with the international railway community.

Kajuna then outlined key initiatives, including railway rehabilitation and modernisation, development of the standard gauge railway, integration with inland water transport and logistics hubs, and climate-smart infrastructure. He stressed the importance of regional and international cooperation on standards, technology transfer, research, and workforce development, reaffirming URC's commitment to active participation in UIC activities. He also addressed URC's current projects and operational challenges.

A range of UIC experts gave departmental overviews:

Michele Gesualdi outlined the work of passenger services, including working groups on ticketing, high-speed rail, station management, tourism, and commuter services, and emphasised the importance of training and customer-oriented initiatives.
Laura Petersen provided an overview of the UIC Security Platform's working groups on technology, human factors, strategy, sabotage, and crisis management, and introduced tools such as the Network of Quick Responders, and the Rail Security Hub.
Giancarlo De Marco Telese presented Operations and Safety initiatives on safety management, human organisational factors, occupational health, safety culture, peer reviews, and the use of confidential safety databases, inviting URC to participate in relevant working groups.
Joost Overdijkink, from the Freight Department, discussed load safety standards, harmonisation of dangerous goods regulations (such as the Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) and the Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR)), wagon use contracts, and digital collaboration tools, recommending regional harmonisation with neighbouring railways for seamless operations.
Isabelle De Keyzer introduced the UIC Sustainability Platform, its working groups (energy, land use, noise, circular economy, and gender equality), the Rail Sustainability Index, energy and CO2 databases, and advocacy initiatives, inviting URC to participate and become the first African member to report its sustainability performance.

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

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.

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

Kind reminder: Take part now: Data collection for the Rail Sustainability Index open

2026-07-16T07:30:52Z

The data collection cycle for this year's Rail Sustainability Index (RSi) kicked off on 16 June and will remain open until 15 October 2026. UIC members are invited to enter their sustainability achievements and contributions in line with eight key UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A total of 70 key performance indicators are collected and benchmarked, with each member receiving their own score report and badge.

Make it count!

UIC members are invited to input their data for the 2023-2025 period into the RSi tool.
To be part of this year's benchmark and results, members need to complete the report by 15 October 2026 at Rail Sustainability index.

Individual scores will be calculated for each company and sent at the end of the year. Additionally, each company that inputs data into the RSi tool will be given a label corresponding to its score.

“UIC members are invited to support this collective initiative to make rail's sustainability credentials visible.”

This also provides an opportunity to have your best practices featured in the 2027 Global Rail Sustainability Report, due for release in Autumn 2027.

The 2026 publication will be issued in September with previous RSi campaign.

Download the 2024 report here: 2024 Global Rail Sustainability Report

CONFIDENTIALITY

UIC will only release information on aggregated sector scores.

For further information about the Rail Sustainability Index, please visit the project website.

If you need support, contact the RSi team at rsi at uic.org

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

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

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

21st UIC World Security Congress – Call for Speakers

2026-07-10T14:15:00Z

Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail and the International Union of Railways (UIC) are pleased to announce that the 21st UIC World Security Congress will be held in Dublin, Ireland, from 3rd to 5th November 2026 on the theme: “Collaboration: Tech and Teams for Secure and Resilient Railways”.

This major international event will offer a unique opportunity to share knowledge, explore innovative solutions, and engage in discussions on how to strengthen railway security. An exhibition area will also be available, allowing industry players and solution providers to showcase their latest develop-ments, perspectives, and achievements in the field of railway security.

The event is open to UIC members, including railway security experts, railway company representa-tives, infrastructure managers, and external relevant parties such as representatives from authori-ties, practitioners, trainers, researchers, or academics.

We welcome UIC members to contribute as speakers to one of the four technical sessions:

Emerging technologies
Securing major events
Securing our networks against crime and anti-social behaviours
Customer experience and models of security

If you wish to contribute with a presentation, please contact us at: security at uic.org.

For further information, visit the Congress webpage.

Official launch of the Prague–Berlin–Copenhagen direct service highlights Europe's ambition for seamless international rail

2026-07-10T14:10:00Z

The official inauguration of the new direct rail connection linking Prague, Berlin and Copenhagen marked another important milestone in the development of cross-border passenger rail in Europe.

Representatives from Deutsche Bahn (DB), České dráhy (ČD), Danish State Railways (DSB), the European Commission and key stakeholders gathered in Berlin to celebrate the launch of this strategic international service, followed by a reception hosted at the Royal Danish Embassy.

UIC attended the event, underlining its continued commitment to supporting the development of attractive, interoperable and customer-oriented international rail services.

A flagship European pilot project
The new service is part of the European Commission's pilot initiative to foster new cross-border passenger rail connections. The project forms one section of the wider Paris–Berlin–Prague–Warsaw corridor, one of Europe's priority international rail initiatives.

The direct connection currently offers a journey time of around 11 hours between Prague and Copenhagen, while travel between Berlin and Prague takes approximately four hours. Looking ahead, the completion of the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link, the 18-kilometre tunnel connecting Germany and Denmark, is expected to reduce overall journey times by around 90 minutes, significantly improving the competitiveness of rail on this corridor.

Growing demand for international rail
During the discussions, operators highlighted the strong growth in demand for international rail services. Deutsche Bahn pointed to the success of the Berlin–Paris route, which achieves average occupancy rates of around 80%, with approximately three-quarters of passengers travelling the full international route.

These figures illustrate the growing appetite for direct, high-quality international rail services as passengers increasingly seek sustainable alternatives for medium-distance travel.

Making international ticketing simpler
One of the central themes of the event was the importance of delivering a seamless ticketing experience for passengers.

Deutsche Bahn confirmed that implementation of the Open Sales and Distribution Model (OSDM) is nearing completion, enabling operators to offer fully integrated international journeys through platforms such as DB Navigator and Bahn.de. OSDM, created by UIC, is expected to simplify the purchase of cross-border tickets by allowing complete international itineraries to be booked through a single transaction.

Panel discussions also addressed the proposed European Ticketing Package, which could enable third-party commercial platforms to sell international through-tickets. While participants broadly supported improving customer access, operators expressed concerns regarding the allocation of responsibilities when disruptions occur. Particular attention was drawn to ensuring that operational responsibilities remain clearly defined and that any future regulatory framework guarantees a level playing field between railway undertakings and commercial distribution platforms.

Interoperability remains the key challenge
Beyond ticketing, speakers agreed that technical interoperability remains the principal enabler of international rail growth.

České dráhy highlighted the fragmented deployment of ETCS, describing the current situation as a “patchwork” that still limits operational performance despite infrastructure capable of supporting speeds up to 200 km/h.

DSB illustrated how national technical requirements continue to create barriers, citing examples where rolling stock may be prevented from operating across borders due to minor differences in loading gauge specifications.

Deutsche Bahn also noted that even trains already operating successfully in neighbouring countries require additional national authorisations before entering service elsewhere, demonstrating the need to further simplify approval processes while maintaining safety standards.

Representing the European Commission, Oana Gherghinescu reiterated that the ultimate objective must remain a simpler experience for passengers, while recognising that reducing national regulatory complexity and streamlining procurement and authorisation procedures are essential steps towards achieving this ambition.

Delivering a truly European passenger rail system
The discussions demonstrated broad consensus across operators and European institutions. Making international rail more attractive requires progress on several complementary fronts:

accelerating technical interoperability, including ETCS deployment and vehicle authorisation
implementing harmonised digital ticketing solutions such as OSDM
ensuring clear responsibilities for passenger rights and disruption management
continuing investment in cross-border infrastructure

The inauguration of the Prague–Berlin–Copenhagen service demonstrates that closer cooperation between railway undertakings, infrastructure managers and European institutions can translate ambitious policy objectives into tangible improvements for passengers.

For UIC, these discussions reinforce the importance of continued international collaboration to develop common standards and interoperable solutions that make cross-border rail travel easier, more reliable and more attractive across Europe.

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

UIC announces 27 finalists for the 2026 Sustainability Impact Awards

2026-07-09T15:52:44Z

UIC is pleased to announce the shortlisted finalists for the Sustainability Impact Awards 2026. From the 71 nominations submitted by members across the globe, 27 outstanding projects have been selected. These finalists exemplify the passion, innovation, and commitment of railway organisations, as well as their dedication to advancing sustainable transport and creating a lasting positive impact.

Building on the success of the 2024 edition, the 2026 Awards celebrate projects that showcase broad, measurable sustainability benefits. To qualify, projects were required to demonstrate their contributions to multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), delivering value for people and the planet, as well as promoting prosperity. The shortlisted organisations represent more than 15 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, and comprise infrastructure managers, railway undertakings, and research bodies, proving that collaboration accelerates the transition to a greener rail system.
Prizes will be awarded in the following eight categories:

Healthy Cities and Communities: Projects improving air quality, accessibility, and urban liveability.
Modal Shift: Initiatives encouraging a shift from road to rail through innovative services and integrated logistics.
Natural Resources: Circular economy initiatives, water conservation, and sustainable material management.
Energy and Decarbonisation: Pioneering solutions for low-carbon infrastructure, renewable energy integration, and energy efficiency.
Seamless Connectivity: Enhancements in multimodal travel, digital services, and integrated passenger experiences.
Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion: Projects creating safer, more welcoming environments for passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility.
Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience: Strengthening infrastructure to withstand climate impacts through resilient design and risk management.
Green Communication Campaign: A new category recognising creative initiatives that engage stakeholders and increase environmental awareness.

The winners in each category, along with the overall winner, will be announced at the official awards ceremony on 23 September 2026, an invitation event hosted by Platinum sponsor Alstom during InnoTrans in Berlin.

UIC would like to extend its gratitude to all participating organisations and to the jury members for their dedication. A special thanks go to the Sustainable Development Foundation for guiding this process and to our Silver Sponsor, AECOM, for their continued support and partnership.

About the UIC Sustainability Impact Awards:

The UIC Sustainability Impact Awards recognise excellence in the railway sector's efforts to achieve net-zero emissions, enhance social inclusion, and build resilient infrastructure.
https://uic.org/event/uic-sustainability-awards/

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

Register now for the 6th International Symposium on high-speed rail socioeconomic impacts to be held online from 8 – 9 September 2026

2026-07-09T14:57:42Z

Following the success of the previous five editions, UIC has decided to support this initiative annually to be organised by the University of Naples Federico II. The aim of this Symposium is to explore recent research on the analysis and quantification of the effects, both on economy and on society, of investments in HSR systems.

Papers focusing on the impacts on productivity; on the land use system, such as activity and residential location choice; on the tourism industry; on the property market as well as on pricing policies; on project evaluation; on competition and integration with other transport modes; on equity and inclusion, etc. are welcome. Papers will be accepted for presentation at the Symposium, describing either a theoretical or an empirical perspective approach.

Information about the Symposium is also available on the www.dicea.unina.it and www.uic.org websites.

For further details about the event please visit:
https://uic.org/events/6th-international-symposium-on-high-speed-rail-socioeconomic-impacts

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

The UIC 108th General Assembly charts the future of global rail cooperation

2026-07-08T09:18:00Z

The UIC has held its 108th General Assembly both at its headquarters in Paris and online, gathering CEOs and senior rail representatives around the world.

While the session took place at a time marked by geopolitical uncertainty, digital transformation, and the pressure to decarbonise transport systems, the assembly reaffirmed the importance of international railway cooperation as a stabilising force and to drive interoperability, innovation, and sustainable development.

The assembly renewed the mandate of Director General François Davenne until 31 December 2030, ensuring continuity in the execution of the organisation's long-term goals while also reinforcing institutional stability during a period of worldwide transition for the sector.

UIC stable in a changing global environment
Opening the assembly, UIC Chair Yuji Fukasawa, CEO of the Japan East Railway Company (JR East), underlined that UIC remains vital as a neutral and trusted platform for dialogue between railway stakeholders worldwide. He stressed that, in a fragmented geopolitical landscape, rail must continue to rely on shared technical foundations, common standards, and coordinated approaches to ensure seamless cross-border operations.

He also highlighted that interoperability, digital continuity, and regulatory alignment are strategically necessary for ensuring the competitiveness of rail as a global mode of transport. He also emphasised UIC's role in fostering trust between members and in supporting collective responses to a range of challenges such as supply chain disruptions, climate adaptation, and cybersecurity risks. Finally, Fukasawa stated his awareness that the organisation is eager to better distribute its activities across the different regions, whether for project development or innovation.

A strong drive for transformation and delivery
UIC Director General François Davenne presented a comprehensive mid-year review of UIC activities, highlighting its continued organisational transformation and growing alignment between member expectations and UIC's strategic deliverables.

With UIC now being delivery oriented, it's credibility is increasingly defined by its ability make strategic priorities concrete though deliverables, services, and measurable results for members. This development is supported by a growing project-based model (+47% since 2021) and the increasing role of project managers driving high-quality delivery.

UIC's role as a global hub of expertise is strengthening, supporting both mature and emerging railway markets in accelerating their modernisation efforts. This is accompanied by a stronger regional component, with the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Regional Office complementing the existing Middle East Office and contributing to an improved balance between the UIC Headquarters and regional activities. It reflects UIC's ambition to bring its expertise closer to members and ensure that regional priorities increasingly shape the organisation's global agenda.

The General Assembly recognised this effort within UIC's core activities, including:

The acceleration of the UIC Standardisation Strategy 2030: the transition to IRSs will be achieved by the end of 2028, one year before its target, reinforcing UIC's role within international standardisation bodies, including stronger engagement with European and global standardisation organisations and the development of common approaches for digital modelling across the railway sector.
The development of long-term strategic roadmaps for the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), Open Sales and Distribution Model (OSDM), international freight corridors, railway ontologies, and artificial intelligence, providing members with greater visibility on future services, implementation milestones, and digital transformation pathways.
The continued development of UIC services through its commercial subsidiary ETF, supporting members with applied expertise, technical assistance, and training via the UIC Rail Academy.
The development of new knowledge programmes on railway financing and climate funding, so that members can diversify funding sources through innovative financial models, including emerging carbon finance mechanisms.
Implementation of financial key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor UIC performance, such as its impact on the sector – i.e. resources that UIC mobilises through its project activity – with strong growth (+185%) to 84 M€ in 2025 (compared to 30 M€ in 2024) being reported, showing the change in nature of UIC-managed projects.

Looking ahead, the next phase of UIC's transformation will focus on consolidating organisational capacity through project managers, which will be made easier with an ISO 9001 certification being achieved in October 2026, stronger partnerships with international financial institutions, tighter management control, continued productivity gains, and the progressive integration of artificial intelligence to improve the efficiency of UIC core activities.

Strengthening rail and public transport's role in climate finance: an international coalition
A major highlight of the assembly was the presentation of the Coalition for Rail and Public Transport in Carbon Markets, “MoveCredits”, which responds to the sectors' underrepresentation in accessing carbon market compared to other sectors. By bringing together railway undertakings, public transport operators, multilateral development banks, financial institutions, manufacturers and other international partners, the coalition aims to develop and update methodologies for quantifying avoided emissions and enabling rail-based projects to generate carbon credit that can be traded in carbon markets.

This is vital, as carbon markets could support the implementation of national climate plans with up to 250 billion USD annually by 2030. As highlighted by Philip Turner, UITP, provided that projects can credibly demonstrate emissions savings, rail and public transport could benefit from this previously untapped market.

Beyond technical work, the coalition will also be a platform for joint advocacy to insert rail and public transport into the global carbon market agenda, as this is currently not the case. Together, partners of the coalition can build the case for the development of more rail and public transport methodologies and projects and for these to be compensated for the CO2 benefits they deliver.

Members welcomed the initiative as a concrete step towards bridging the gap between climate ambition and investment flows, particularly in regions where financing constraints remain a barrier to rail development.

The official launch will take place in Rabat on the 14 October, during the “Investment and Financing Solutions for Africa's Railway Future Forum”. Registration for the event is open here.

A more interactive and forward-looking format
For the first time, the General Assembly introduced two dedicated topical information sessions alongside its statutory decision-making agenda. This new format was designed to encourage deeper engagement and open discussion, as well as strengthen the link between strategic orientation and operational implementation.

The first session focused on the implementation of the UIC Standardisation Strategy 2030, with particular attention being paid to governance mechanisms, member engagement, and coordination with railway safety and regulatory authorities.

The second session examined the newly launched Coalition on Carbon Finance for Rail, alongside the broader implications of UIC expanding its regional presence.

This more interactive format was widely welcomed by members as a meaningful change in governance practice, allowing for more dynamic discussions and reinforcing UIC's role as a collaborative platform rather than solely a statutory decision-making body.

A shared vision for a resilient and sustainable rail system
In his closing speech, the UIC Chair Fukasawa reiterated that UIC must continue to act as “a pillar of stability, continuity, and dialogue” for the global railway community, particularly at a time when transport systems are undergoing wide-reaching structural change.

He emphasised that the UIC's strength lies in its ability to bring together stakeholders from different backgrounds around shared technical foundations and a joint vision for rail as the backbone of sustainable mobility.

The 108th General Assembly ultimately reaffirmed the organisation's commitment to supporting its members through strengthened international cooperation, harmonised global standards, innovation-driven transformation, and a sustained commitment to climate and mobility policies.

In doing so, it set a clear course for the next phase of UIC's strategic development.

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

UIC's Regional Assembly Europe reviews work undertaken in the first half of 2026 on strategic priorities for the European railway sector

2026-07-08T09:17:00Z

The 42nd Regional Assembly Europe (RAE) was held in Paris and online on the afternoon of 2 July 2026, back-to-back with the UIC statutory meetings. It was chaired by Europe Vice-Chair Martin Frobisher, Network Rail, alongside François Davenne, UIC Director General and Sandra Géhénot, UIC Director Europe.

The meeting was an opportunity to review the work undertaken in the Region in Q1 and Q2 as well as some of the strategic priorities identified by European railway leaders for the 2026-2027 period.

As part of the governance agenda, the RAE was asked to note the completion of the regional representation at the UIC Executive Board (the strategic body of UIC). Members approved the nomination of Andreas Matthä, CEO of ÖBB, as the fourth representative of the European Region on the UIC Executive Board alongside Stefano Donnarumma (FS), Martin Frobisher (Network Rail) and Ivana Piňosová (ZSSK).

Regarding the work of the European Management Committee, significant progress has been made over the past year with the EMC repositioned as the strategic forum for the region. Though overall feedback is positive, the next stage in the EMC's evolution will be to strengthen its role as a decision-oriented strategic body and to maintain a focused agenda centred on a limited set of system-critical priorities.

On the subject of member-partner relations, regular exchanges continue to be maintained with key stakeholders such as the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), CER, EIM, and the Governance and Regulation Body (GRB), where UIC participates as an observer. The objective of these engagements is to gain a deeper understanding of members' priorities, ensuring that UIC's activities remain aligned with the needs of the sector. Strategic discussions are developing on how best to use UIC assets and how to improve technical coordination.
The recent UIC Day in Belgrade provided an opportunity for direct dialogue and knowledge sharing, and targeted bilateral exchanges were held with CP Portugal, Italo and Gysev, which resulted in fruitful discussions on, among others, freight enhancement, digitalisation, interoperability, passenger growth and electrification.

Project updates were given on the following key topics:

FRMCS and Morane 2 specifications programme which is now in the last mile towards V3p. Key and significant milestones have been achieved and all actions are on track with a timely execution of the project plan.
RERA Cyber (resilience project): cyber-related activities are being developed across UIC, notably a guideline to be easily integrated into the existing management system.
SMGG (Station Managers' Global Group): Presentation of the station mangers' network with the aim of sharing knowledge and know-how, as well as being an international platform for best practice and exchange to improve station performance and passenger experience.
Freight: the role of freight activities at UIC to provide technical, operational and innovative solutions that are market-oriented, safety-focused and reliable for logistics players.

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

The 26th Africa Regional Assembly meets at the UIC HQ in Paris

2026-07-08T09:16:00Z

On 1 July 2026, the 26th Africa Regional Assembly (ARA) was held in person at the UIC HQ and online, bringing together members from the continent.

The assembly was opened by Mohamed Rabie Khlie, Chair of the Africa Region, Director General of the Moroccan National Railways (ONCF), who highlighted the importance of cooperation among African rail networks to address challenges in mobility, connectivity, the energy transition, and sustainable development. He called on members to deepen their discussions, share their expertise, and promote innovative solutions to make rail a driver of economic and social transformation in Africa.

François Davenne, UIC Director General and interim Coordinator of the Africa Region, then welcomed all of the participants, underlining that the region's work implicates various railway domains and includes cooperation with many different stakeholder, including railway operators, international and regional organisations, and development banks.

The assembly summarised the work undertaken between January and July and looked into the annual programme for the rest of the year, focusing among other things on:

Safety, Security, Rolling Stock, Women in Rail, and Infrastructure Narrow Gauge Taskforces
Regular Africa Railway Thursday webinars on freight, R&I, passenger transport, sustainability and other topics
Training activities
Launch of Africa Regional Competence Hub (RCH) in the fields of research, innovation, and the development of talent and expertise

Finally, an in-person event for the Africa region in 2026 titled “Investment and Financing Solutions for Africa's Railway Future” was highlighted. It will be held on 14-15 October 2026 in Rabat, Morocco.

For further information, please see: https://uic.org/events/investment-and-financing-solutions-for-africa-s-railway-future

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

Upcoming Innovation Workshop “From chat to action: will agentic AI transform the travel experience?”

2026-07-08T09:14:59Z

Innovation Workshops, organised by the UIC Passenger Services Group, explore emerging industry and technology trends and their impact on the rail sector. Each workshop brings together expert insights, interactive sessions and hands on co creation activities, supported by digital collaboration tools to encourage active participation and knowledge sharing.

The next workshop will address “From chat to action: will agentic AI transform the travel experience?”

Imagine a trusted digital agent that grasps each passenger's intent, coordinates seamlessly across rail systems and partners, and acts safely on their behalf. This is the next frontier in passenger experience. Agentic AI has the potential to move rail beyond reactive support towards truly proactive, personalised assistance.

Join us to discover what agentic AI truly is, why its adoption is accelerating so rapidly, and why it matters more than ever for the travel sector. We will explore high-impact applications, from personalised journey planning and proactive journey preparation to real-time re-planning, alongside the strategic choices facing railways today. We will also share best practices and approaches from leading railways. Together, we will explore the latest developments, along with the opportunities and challenges they bring to the passenger rail industry.

Workshop takeaways

Learn about the transformational potential of AI agents
Understand the operational, technological and governance implications of agentic AI
Explore practical use cases of agentic AI in passenger rail
Understand the strategic challenges that AI agents pose to railways
Gain insights on how to make it easy for trusted agents to discover, compare, sell, modify, recover and explain
Learn about the propensity of different traveller segments to use AI agents across the journey
Discuss how UIC rail standards could be made agent-ready
Learn from real-world case studies and lessons from leading industry players

The workshop will take place on 10 September 2026, from 9:00 to 15:30 at the EY Wavespace in Rome, an exclusive working space where interaction and inspiration are enhanced thanks to technological and innovative tools and dedicated rooms.

The event will be held in hybrid form, allowing participants to attend either in person or online.

Registration for the workshop is now open. To register, please visit this link.

Read the Innovation Workshop Flyer:

Save the date for the next innovation workshop planned in 2026:

“From mass to one-to-one in rail: real-time hyper-personalised information and offers”, Paris and online, 28 October 2026

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

UIC Security Department holds joint working group meeting and publishes a Guide on ‘Feeling of Security'

2026-07-06T14:00:45Z

The UIC Security Platform Human Factors Working Group and Strategy Working Group met jointly in Paris at the UIC Headquarters on 1 July 2026.

Fatiha Abbes Orabi, Chair of the Strategy group on behalf of SNCB, recalled that the meeting would focus on ‘human-centric security' and report the results of the previous work on feeling of security and security continuum while exploring common path forward.

The initial session focused on a collaborative approach for managing social issues in trains and stations. First, the UIC's analysis on a survey launched within the Strategy WG on the topic was presented by Abbes Orabi and Paula Fernández Díaz (UIC) also shared information on their experiences through presentations on personnel security and protecting frontline colleagues (Sarah Winnington, Network Rail), creating the sense of security (Jette Rau, DSB), the impact of security filters on passengers' perception of security (Carlos Freire Coloma, ADIF), and lessons learnt from attacks and terrorist threats (Tim Scott, TfL).

Breaking into groups, participants discussed four topics stemming from questions present in the UIC's NQR survey, focusing on cooperation models, how to involve the public, evaluation methods for effectiveness, and managing security at key hotspots.

Jean-Ernest Celestin, Chair of the Human Factors Working Group on behalf of VIA Rail Canada, and Grigore Havârneanu, Director of the UIC Security Department, presented the recently published guide ‘Best practices to increase the feeling of security', available here. Through a literature review of 80+ publications and a survey with 50+ railway organisations from 26 countries covering all UIC regions, this guide gathers insights on the scale of the issue and the main drivers of perceived insecurity. It further includes measures taken by companies and best practices, as well as persistent challenges and pathways to success. Discussions were held regarding the importance of communicating about the actions taken in order to enhance the feeling of security, both towards the public and with staff.

Finally, Timothée Cozon and Kamil Szafranski (UIC), shared results of the 60th NQR survey on staff uniforms and equipment, leading to a brainstorming on the next topic for the joint Working Groups.

Future work will most likely pursue the topic of uniforms for security staff, taken under a communication lens. The idea being to see how staff is perceived according to what they wear and how this perception influences behaviours and feelings of security.

The report on feeling of security and both survey summaries are available on UIC's Rail Security Hub, accessible to all UIC members, alongside 115+ security solutions for railways. If you are interested in joining the Security Platform working groups or would like further information, please contact us at security at uic.org.

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

Call for speakers launched for UIC Sustainability Action Week 2027, with the University of Birmingham being announced as host

2026-07-06T12:36:37Z

The call for speakers for Sustainability Action Week 2027 has been launched, and members and partners are invited to contribute to this key international railway event.

UIC is also pleased to announce that this edition of Sustainability Action Week will be hosted by the University of Birmingham on 19-22 April 2027. The event will gather participants from across the UIC network and the wider community for a week of discussion, knowledge sharing, and working together on the topic of sustainability in rail.

For the first time, the event will not be held in Paris, as the UIC event space is being renovated in early 2027. Nevertheless, the University of Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) is the perfect venue for the event, as the centre has been transforming the rail industry for over 50 years, with their blending of academic excellence with real-world innovation through industry collaboration. Their focus is on whole-systems thinking across rail and in the wider transport context. BCRRE is also academic lead for the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) helping to shape the future of railways globally.

Sustainability Action Week is one of the flagship activities of UIC's Sustainability Platform, which supports cooperation among members on strategic and technical aspects. The platform provides a framework for sharing expertise, highlighting good practice and encouraging practical cooperation across the international railway community. Through this work, UIC is continuing to support its members in strengthening the rail's contribution to more sustainable mobility systems.

The launch of the call for speakers marks the start of preparations for the 2027 edition and offers members the opportunity to help shape the programme through presentations, case studies, and interactive discussions. Contributions from the entire sector are encouraged in order to reflect the wide range of expertise needed to advance rail sustainability at both strategic and operational level.

Alongside this, UIC has also released a provisional agenda for the event. The programme is structured around daily strategic themes that reflect current priorities for the sector, including communication, finance, social value, and environmental management. These themes underline the importance of integrating sustainability into governance, investment, engagement, and day-to-day decision-making.

The provisional agenda includes a strong technical component, with dedicated sessions on biodiversity, noise and vibration, air quality, circular economy, decarbonisation, and gender equality. Together, these sessions are intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the issues shaping sustainability action across the railway sector today.

The 2027 edition builds on the progress made in previous years. The 2023 and 2025 editions highlighted the importance of international knowledge sharing and showcased practical initiatives developed by UIC members in response to shared sustainability challenges.

By combining leadership themes with focused technical exchanges, Sustainability Action Week 2027 will offer members and partners an important opportunity to share their experiences, explore solutions, and contribute to the continued development of sustainable rail transport.
Put forward your topics here now

Interested in supporting and partnering with us for the event? Find out more here
Registration will open soon, so please watch this space.

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

Strengthening the foundations of rail: UIC announces new leadership for the Statistics and Sustainability Platforms

2026-07-06T10:06:13Z

The UIC is delighted to announce that a strategic transition in leadership has taken place for two of its central activities: the Statistics Platform and the Sustainability Platform. These appointments mark a new chapter of data-driven excellence and strategic action for the global rail industry.

Advancing data-driven excellence in the statistics platform

For a successful future global rail industry, the importance of having evidence-based decision-making with robust statistics cannot be overstated. Having been approved by the Statistics Platform Plenary and the UIC General Assembly, UIC is proud to announce the appointment of Mario Tartaglia, Leader of the Italian State Railways (FS) Research Centre, as Chair of the Statistics Platform. Joining him as Vice-Chair is Roman Sterba, Head of the Strategy Unit at the Slovenian Railways (SZ).

The mandate, running from January 2026 through to December 2027, has come at a critical juncture. As the railway sector integrates more deeply with digital ecosystems, the need for standardised, reliable, and transparent data is more pressing than ever. Under their leadership, the Statistics Platform will continue to serve as the industry's analytical backbone, ensuring that the rail sector has the empirical foundation necessary to advocate for policy changes, optimise infrastructure, and drive long-term operational efficiency and resiliency.

A legacy of transformation for the Sustainability Platform

The Sustainability Platform has both profound gratitude and a renewed sense of strategic ambition from their transition. As the mandate of Lia Talarico, FS International, ends on 30 June 2026, UIC recognises the mark she has left on the platform.

Talarico's term was defined by strategic development, which built on the strength of its technical discussions, while she also challenged the group to take a strategic view. Her most significant achievement, the introduction of the Chief Sustainability Officer Network, has bridged the gap between institutional strategy and operational reality, creating a more connected, structured, and influential platform. Because of her leadership, the UIC Sustainability Platform is now a recognised forum where global best practices are shared and implemented.

Vision for the future: rail as the backbone of global mobility

Building upon this strengthened foundation, the UIC General Assembly has endorsed Marilena Petraglia, Group Head of Sustainability at FS, as the new Chair of the Sustainability Platform, as well as Lindsay Stronge, Head of Environment & Social Value at Network Rail, as Vice-Chair for the 2026–2027 mandate.

Petraglia brings a unique, multi-modal perspective to the role, having coordinated sustainability strategies across various modes of transport, and has skills to address systemic challenges within complex, large-scale networks. Furthermore, her extensive background in the energy sector comes with a major advantage: the ability to strengthen the critical coordination between the energy and transport sectors, which is needed for a credible environmentally friendly transition.

Guided by the “Share, Open, and Connect” principle, Petraglia's vision is to position rail as the backbone of global mobility, ensuring that it is integrated seamlessly into a broader, sustainable transport ecosystem. In her statement to the platform, she explained the key opportunities to be taken:

Social sustainability and cohesion: Moving beyond environmental metrics to focus on the human aspect of mobility, which includes strengthening support for vulnerable people and improving equity. Her approach also encompasses the promotion of equality and fair working conditions throughout the global rail value chain.
Circular economy and resource resilience: Addressing urgent risks within the global supply chain by promoting the responsible use, recovery, and recycling of critical raw materials. Her focus is on ensuring the rail sector remains resilient in the face of resource scarcity.

The transition in leadership across these two platforms represents a deliberate step toward more integrated and data-driven industry governance. UIC remains committed to supporting these leaders in providing added value and solutions for the railway community around the world.

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

UIC Security Platform welcomes new leadership and honours former Security Department director

2026-07-06T08:26:51Z

Security Platform Steering Committee

The UIC Security Platform Steering Committee met on 30 June at SNCF (French railways) headquarters in Paris to mark a transition in the platform's leadership. The meeting was the final Steering Committee session chaired by Xavier Roche, Security Director of SNCF, ahead of the handover to Sarvapriya Mayank, Additional Director General (ADG) of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Indian Railways, who will Chair the platform starting 1 July, following the regional rotation principle. Members also supported the new Vice-Chair role taken by Mattias Dejke, Director of Security at the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket).

Opening the meeting, UIC Director General François Davenne highlighted the platform's global character and its role in fostering cooperation. He also thanked the outgoing leadership for its contribution to the platform's work and reaffirmed the UIC Security Department's commitment to supporting the incoming Chair and Vice-Chair.

Reflecting on his term as Chair, Roche expressed his pride in what the platform has achieved through the active engagement of its members and the support of the UIC Security Department. He highlighted the platform's role as a forum for expertise and experience-sharing, as well as the growing portfolio of externally funded projects developed with members and partners to address common challenges facing the sector.

Looking ahead to his term as Chair, Mayank highlighted the need to continue adapting railway security practices to a changing threat landscape. He stressed the importance of continuing the platform's work on vulnerable groups, particularly women and children travelling alone. He further encouraged members to make full use of the platform as a space for dialogue, experience-sharing and mutual learning.

New Vice-Chair Dejke spoke to the increasingly interconnected nature of today's challenges and the importance of international cooperation in addressing them. He expressed his commitment to supporting dialogue, knowledge-sharing and collaboration among members to strengthen the resilience of the sector.

Recognising a distinguished railway career

Following the Steering Committee meeting, participants gathered for a small ceremony during which Roche, on behalf of the French Minister of Transport, presented the Médaille d'honneur des chemins de fer (Railway Gold Medal) to Marie-Hélène Bonneau, former UIC Security Department Director, who retired in March 2026.

Awarded in recognition of more than three decades of service to the railway sector, the distinction also celebrates Bonneau's lasting contribution to UIC. First working on IT solutions for UIC members, she moved on to security topics in 2008, just two years after the creation of the Security Platform. Under her leadership, the Security Division evolved into a fully-fledged Department, while its activities expanded through international partnerships and externally funded projects. The ceremony provided an opportunity for colleagues, members and partners to thank her for nearly two decades of contribution to the UIC Security Platform.

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

Register now for the 5th Global FRMCS Conference at the UIC Headquarters in Paris

2026-07-03T14:25:54Z

UIC is delighted to invite you to the 5th Global Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) Conference, taking place on 24-25 November 2026 at the UIC Headquarters in Paris.

2026 will be a pivotal year for FRMCS, marked by major railway sector milestones including:

Delivery of the UIC FRMCS V3 Specifications (due November 2026)
The start of testing of the FRMCS V2.2 specification set within FP2 MORANE 2, a Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-RAIL) co-funded project, coordinated by UIC, bringing together 16 European railway undertakings, 13 product manufacturers, the European Rail Supply Industry Association (UNIFE), and two mobile network operators
Expansion of FRMCS initiatives beyond Europe, reflecting next-generation railway communications' growing global momentum

FRMCS is a major step in railway telecoms, as it will be the enabler of railway digitalisation. This new communications system will enable enhanced operations, overall railway performance, and ultimately safety.

Why attend?

The UIC Global FRMCS Conference 2026 is an opportunity to:

Stay up to date on FRMCS developments and key milestones
Meet and exchange with leading experts from across the FRMCS ecosystem (railway undertakings, suppliers, telecom stakeholders, and the wider community)
Understand deployment challenges and lessons learned from ongoing work and testing activities
Connect with peers and contribute to work shaping the future of railway communications

Join us at the 5th Global FRMCS Conference 2026 and be a part of the next chapter of railway digitalisation.

For more information and to register, please visit:
https://uicfrmcs.org/?lang=en

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

UIC at London Climate Action Week 2026: transport finance, resilience, and the energy transition

2026-07-03T13:54:11Z

At London Climate Action Week 2026, UIC contributed to the international dialogue on transport, energy, and climate finance discussions, with multiple events addressing low-carbon transport investment, energy security, resilience, and links to the COP31 agenda. The growing, city-wide event is serving as an increasingly important platform for strategic discussion and amid heat warnings issued across London and much of Europe, the need for climate action felt more pressing than ever.

On 24 June 2026, the Mitigation Action Facility hosted the Transport Policy Roundtable Breakfast at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in London. The session focused on the enabling conditions for scaling low-carbon transport investment and examined how policy instruments, regulatory frameworks, and enabling conditions determine whether low-carbon transport investments are prepared, bankable, and scalable. Also highlighted were key issues such as governance gaps at subnational level, the role of industrial and innovation policy, and how international climate finance can better support the transport sector. UIC emphasised the under-exploited opportunity of carbon markets for the catalytic funding of sustainable transport investment such as rail and other public transport modes. These discussions were closely related to UIC's advocacy priorities of accelerating sustainable rail investment and promoting the role of rail in delivering climate objectives.

On the same day, at the session on ‘Accelerating the Implementation of Resilient and Adaptive Transport Infrastructure', experts from the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI), the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), and UIC came together to discuss how resilient transport systems can be planned, financed, and delivered in ways that strengthen communities, work alongside nature, and are prepared for a changing climate. The UIC- coordinated Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) project ‘SYstemic Mobilisation for Joint Biodiversity and Infrastructure' (SYMBIOSIS) was a key topic of discussion in demonstrating how rail infrastructure can use its lineside green infrastructure as an asset to manage climate hazards such as flooding, landslides, and extreme heat while also benefiting nature.

On 25 June 2026, the Transport-Energy Nexus session took place at the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Foundation in London. The session addressed energy security, resilience, and the role of renewables in transport. A moderated discussion focused on bottlenecks and solutions, including governance and planning silos, policy misalignment, the money and bankability gap, as well as grid readiness.

UIC highlighted that rail is the mode with the highest use of renewables and is highly electrified, however this is regionally variable. Sustained investment in electrification, with a modal shift, would significantly benefit the phasing out of fossil fuels in transport. When rail and renewable energy expansion is planned together strategically, better connectivity and energy security can both be accelerated.

These events at London Climate Action Week both brought attention to the structural conditions needed to accelerate cleaner transport: stronger planning, better governance, more effective finance, and closer coordination between energy and transport systems. They also reinforced UIC's role as a global platform, bringing together railway expertise to support the climate transition and advocate for sustainable transport solutions.

London Climate Action Week therefore marked an important milestone in the UIC Advocacy Plan, ahead of the Investment and Financing Solutions for Africa's Railway Future Forum, jointly organised by UIC and Moroccan National Railways (ONCF) on 14-15 October 2026, and COP31 in Antalya in November.

The discussions held and partnerships developed during the week will help to build momentum in reaching these major international milestones and further strengthen UIC's advocacy efforts.

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

UIC participates in the 77th session of the UNECE Working Party on Transport Statistics

2026-07-03T13:00:37Z

On 10-12 June 2026 in Geneva, UIC participated in the 77th session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Working Party on Transport Statistics (WP.6). The meeting addressed several topics of direct and indirect relevance to the railway sector, including monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, infrastructure resilience and sustainability, railway censuses, and the use of new data sources.

Monitoring transport-related SDGs

The World Health Organisation (WHO) presented the main findings of its upcoming Global Status Report on Road Safety. The report will focus on the links between transport and health by analysing road traffic mortality and morbidity, as well as the impact of air pollution. Drawing on extensive quantitative evidence, it will highlight the importance of shifting towards more sustainable mobility, including walking, cycling, and public transport.

WHO also noted that data on the road vehicle kilometres travelled are still not available on a global level.

Next, the UNECE Secretariat presented the launch of the United Nations Decade of Action for Sustainable Transport (2026–2035), with a series of initiatives having been launched to promote sustainable transport and strengthen progress monitoring throughout the decade, while encouraging greater use of existing data.

Trends over the last decade were also presented; transport-related indicators for UNECE countries revealed the following:

A steady decline in road traffic fatalities
A reduction in the modal share of non-road transport for both freight and passengers
Improved accessibility to public transport.

The working party also discussed potential new indicators covering GHG emissions, the share of new electric passenger cars, and walking and cycling.

Trends in greenhouse gas emissions

The working party then reviewed GHG emission data compiled under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), together with the European Commission Joint Research Centre's Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR).

The results show that between 2005 and 2024, emissions from inland transport increased gradually overall, with two significant declines during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Infrastructure resilience and sustainability

In this context, the International Transport Forum (ITF) defined transport system resilience as the ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from disruptions, while sustainability aims to deliver mobility systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts while ensuring safety and affordability.

Next, the Working Party on Intermodal Transport and Logistics (WP.24) Secretariat highlighted the importance of considering the surrounding environment of transport infrastructure, as risk exposure and investment readiness for resilience vary significantly across countries.

The WP.24 Secretariat also stressed that insufficient resilience can undermine the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of transport systems. Several potential monitoring indicators were presented, including additional travel time, travel costs, and the time and cost required to restore infrastructure following disruptions.

Railway statistics: E-Rail, Eurostat and the Register of Infrastructure (RINF)

The Secretariat provided updates on the E-Road, E-Rail, and E-Inland Water censuses and discussed the possibility of collecting verified annual traffic count data in the future, as well as how the three censuses could help assess modal shifts.

Eurostat presented its ongoing work on Annex V of the EU rail statistics regulation, described as equivalent to the UNECE E-Rail census, as well as proposals to improve data collection through the use of network segments from the RINF.

The Russian Federation indicated that railway data is collected by the Organisation for Cooperation between Railways (OSJD) and encouraged closer partnership between the organisation and the Secretariat.

New data sources and statistical innovation

Several innovative data applications in transport statistics were presented, including:

Anonymised GPS data for congestion analysis
Mobile application data
The use of mobile phone data by the Italian State Railways (FSI) to analyse mobility patterns, estimate daily travel volumes, average travel distances, and tourist travel flows
The use of artificial intelligence to match infrastructure segments, particularly in relation to RINF and Annex V

UIC contribution

UIC presented its ongoing projects on railway resilience to extreme climate events, SDG-related railway indicators, and the harmonisation of railway punctuality and reliability measurement. Particular emphasis was placed on the need to harmonise definitions, especially regarding what constitutes a cancelled train.

Further information, including the meeting documents, is available on the UNECE website and the presentations are available on the UIC Extranet.

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

“Alert today – safe tomorrow” – UIC rail safety campaigns ILCAD and TRESPAD launched successfully

2026-07-03T08:28:51Z

On 9 and 10 June 2026, UIC successfully launched two major international rail safety awareness campaigns: the 18th edition of International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) and the 5th edition of International Rail Trespass Prevention Awareness Day (TRESPAD).

The campaigns were officially inaugurated through two international conferences held at the UIC Headquarters in Paris. Bringing together experts from around the world, the events provided a unique platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and best practices on rail safety.

Discussions focused on a wide range of topics related to rail safety, including engineering solutions, innovative technologies, behaviour-oriented approaches from cognitive science research, public education and awareness initiatives, and cross-sector collaboration involving rail and road operators, law enforcement authorities, decision-makers and land-use planners. These speakers from a range of disciplines all united around a common objective: reducing incidents, fatalities, and serious injuries at level crossings and near railway tracks worldwide.

Outside the conference rooms, the campaigns were brought to life through the remarkable commitment of rail safety professionals and volunteers across many countries who engaged directly with the public to promote rail safety messages through local events and outreach activities. These activities included distributing safety leaflets at level crossings, organising public awareness sessions, publishing safety awareness videos on social media, delivering educational programmes in schools and railway museums, and conducting awareness activities at stations and near railway tracks.

The 2026 campaign slogan, “Alert today – Safe tomorrow”, targeted all segments of society, including children, teenagers, adults, and private and commercial road users.

We are delighted to share a selection of photos and videos that illustrate the breadth and impact of both campaigns (see attached photos and videos).

Save the Date – ILCAD and TRESPAD 2027

The 2027 launch conferences for ILCAD and TRESPAD will be hosted by Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) in Porto, Portugal, on 2 and 3 June 2027, respectively. Technical and social visits will also be organised on 4 June 2027.

Further information on the call for papers and registration will be made available in due course at:

ILCAD

ILCAD in Senegal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apCJKDT5oBw

TRESPAD

Poster and Video trespass prevention by CFL: https://youtu.be/CmlKx2OeKdI?si=JzCG65Yi3Us0roF3

We look forward to welcoming participants from across the global rail community to continue advancing rail safety together.

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

Join the 9th UIC training course on Commuter and Regional Train Services

2026-07-03T08:13:29Z

The UIC Passenger Department is pleased to announce that the 9th edition of the UIC training course on Commuter and Regional Train Services (CRTS) will be held in Barcelona, Spain, from 28 to 30 October 2026.

Over the years, the CRTS training course has become one of UIC's flagship capacity-building programmes, bringing together railway professionals, transport authorities, academics, and industry representatives from around the world. The programme offers a unique platform to share knowledge, explore international best practices, and discuss innovative approaches to the planning, operation, and development of commuter and regional rail services.

Designed to combine strategic insights with practical experience, the three-day training course covers key topics including governance, operations, customer experience, multimodal integration, digitalisation, sustainability, and emerging mobility trends. Participants will also benefit from directly interacting with leading experts and networking opportunities with peers from across the international railway community.

The 2026 edition will be organised in cooperation with Catalan Government Railways (FGC), and with the support of Hitachi Rail, McKinsey & Company and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, who will provide further expertise through their presentations and case studies.

Participants can still take advantage of the early bird registration fee, which will be available until 4 September 2026.

For more information on the programme and registration, please visit the UIC event webpage or contact us at academy at uic.org.

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

UIC launches new e-learning course to improve accessibility expertise across the rail sector

2026-07-01T15:20:01Z

Creating a railway system where everyone can travel safely, independently, and with confidence is a shared goal across the global rail community. While accessibility continues to improve through infrastructure and technology, the role of railway professionals remains vital for providing an inclusive travel experience for passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility.

To support this objective, UIC has launched a new e-learning Training Course on Accessibility in Rail through its Rail Academy platform. As one of the first e-learning initiatives developed in this format by UIC, the course provides railway professionals with practical knowledge and internationally recognised best practices to help improve accessibility across all areas of rail operations.

Developed in cooperation with the ONCE Foundation for Cooperation and Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities and with the support of the Passenger Assistance System for Seamless Access and Guidance for Everyone (PASSAGE) Expert Group, the programme combines international expertise with real-world experience from the railway sector. Its objective is to help participants improve their understanding of accessibility, improve assistance services, and contribute to a more inclusive and passenger-centred railway.

Designed as a flexible online learning experience, the course combines text, images, audio, diagrams, and interactive activities to create an engaging and practical training programme that can be completed at the learner's own pace.

A comprehensive programme covering key accessibility topics

The training course is divided into six modules that address key aspects of accessibility in rail transport:

Disability awareness
Legislation and passenger rights
Passengers with reduced mobility
Passengers with visual impairments
Passengers with hearing impairments
Passengers with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities

Throughout the course, participants explore practical scenarios and international best practices that can be directly applied to their daily work.

Supporting professionals across the rail sector

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be able to:

Understand the fundamental concepts of accessibility, inclusion, and disability
Recognise the legal framework and passenger rights related to accessible rail travel
Identify opportunities to improve accessibility within their professional environment
Apply international best practices to provide high-quality assistance services
Communicate confidently using inclusive and respectful language
Promote empathy and proactive support when assisting passengers with different accessibility needs

The course is designed for a broad audience, including railway frontline staff, customer service teams, operations managers, engineers, designers, decision-makers, accessibility specialists, and students preparing to enter the railway sector. It will also be of interest to anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of accessibility in rail and the role it plays in creating a more inclusive travel experience for all.

Flexible online learning

The course is delivered entirely online through the UIC Rail Academy platform, allowing participants to access the content anytime and study at their own pace. No previous experience is required, and participants retain access to the course for one year following enrolment. A UIC certificate will be awarded upon successful completion.

By investing in promoting accessibility awareness and practices, railway organisations can further improve the quality of their services while contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable transport system for everyone.

Registration is now open.

To learn more about the course and register, please visit the UIC Rail Academy website:
https://uic.org/expertise-development-training/uic-rail-academy/article/uic-virtual-training-course-on-accessibility-in-rail

For group registrations or further information, please contact academy at uic.org.

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