1st UIC Congress on Rail Infrastructure


on March 9-11, 2027 in Paris, France

Hosted by

ABOUT THE CONGRESS

The 1st UIC Congress on Rail Infrastructure is envisioned as a global event and will be held every 2-3 years to bring together the international railway infrastructure community.

Its aim is to become a locus and meeting point for experts and decision-makers in rail infrastructure. Promoted and organised by UIC’s Track Experts Group (TEG), Panel of Structural Experts (PoSE), and Train-Track Interaction (TTI) sectors, the congress will cover track systems and assets; supporting structures such as bridges, earthworks, and tunnels; as well as vehicle-infrastructure interaction.

While focused on UIC members, including infrastructure managers and railway undertakings, the congress will also invite regulators, public authorities, the industry, and academic institutions to take part. Experience, innovation, major projects, and technological advancements will be discussed, with the aim of creating actionable outcomes, informing future work programmes, and accelerating implementation across the sector.

This event is organised around key themes such as digital transformation, climate resilience, circular economy, and the fundamental principles of railway infrastructure. It will therefore span topics including the design, performance, and maintenance of track systems, their components, and supporting structures through plenary sessions and round tables, with technical sessions being held and an exhibition space open in parallel, in order to welcome participants from around the world.

Registration for the congress will open in October 2026.

WHAT MAKES THIS CONGRESS UNIQUE

Attendance is limited to 200 participants, with priority given to infrastructure managers and a carefully balanced representation from academic institutions and industry experts, ensuring a highly technical and strategic forum of exceptional international calibre.

As the first UIC global congress dedicated to railway infrastructure, participation will be carefully curated by the Congress Organising Committee to preserve the event’s exclusive nature, while its strong practical focus will ensure that both the presentations and exhibition address the sector’s most pressing challenges with technical rigour, operational relevance, and clear implementation potential.

KEY TOPICS & CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

We warmly invite abstracts to be submitted from across the rail infrastructure community, highlighting the latest advancements, developments, and practical experiences related to the themes set out below.
The call is open to all interested contributors, although priority will be given to abstracts submitted by UIC members.

The abstract submission form is available here (Call For Abstracts), until 15 September.

Additionally, the document outlining the specific topics to be addressed during the congress can be downloaded at the following link.

As the congress is primarily focused on rail infrastructure and the practical challenges faced by infrastructure managers, contributors from the research community are kindly encouraged to frame their submissions with a clear emphasis on application, implementation, and an appropriate level of research maturity.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

We are pleased to offer sponsorship opportunities to organisations wishing to support the railway community and strengthen their visibility through this congress, providing an effective platform to showcase products, services and expertise to an exclusive audience.

As their number is limited, organisations are encouraged to register their interest as soon as possible by completing the following form: SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.

This form constitutes an expression of interest only. Detailed information and terms and conditions will be provided at a later stage, and the specific arrangements, including session allocation and topic, will be agreed upon with the Congress Organising Committee.

If you have any queries, please contact suarez at uic.org.

STRATEGIC ADVISORY BOARD

The Congress is supported by a Strategic Advisory Board composed of senior experts from leading infrastructure managers worldwide. Board members are expected to attend the congress and contribute to the discussions, making the event a unique platform for networking between infrastructure leaders and industry partners.

The Strategic Advisory Board comprises:

Name Company Country Job title
Bernhard Knoll ÖBB Austria Head of Superstructure Department
Anup Chalisey RSSB logo United Kingdom Professional Head of Infrastructure
David Villalmanzo Adif logo Spain Head Manager Strategic Partnerships R+D+I & Coordination
Gabriel Papaiz SNCF logo France SURFO Program (Fiber-Optic monitoring)
Didier Van de Velde Infrabel logo Belgium Manager Civil Engineering
Jose Villamarin Network Rail High Speed logo United Kingdom CEng MICE - Railways & Bridges
Andrea Vecchi RFI logo Italy Manager of Bridges and Structures
Ron van der Zwan ProRail logo Netherlands Manager of Civil Engineering Structures
Mitsuru Hosoda RTRI logo Japan Rail maintenance & Welding LB, Senior researcher
Dominik Dorder DB logo Germany Resource Management Specialist for Concrete Sleepers
Albert Wahba National Research Council Canada logo Canada Program Leader Resilient Ground Transportation
Caitlin SunHee Kim KRRI logo Korea Manager, Global Technology Commercialization Department
Wang Jijun CARS logo China Director of the State Key Laboratory of High-Speed Railway Track Systems

REGISTRATION

Registration for the congress will open in October 2026.

CONTACT

If you have any questions, please contact : rsf at uic.org

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Wednesday 8 July 2026