QUIETERRAIL D4.1 List of use cases and optimisation criteria QUIETERRAIL aims to support the development of quieter...
Deliverables: Results Published in June 2026
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Challenge
Multimodal transport planning remains fragmented, with limited integration across rail, maritime, and road systems. The lack of advanced routing, dynamic booking, and real-time capacity management restricts efficient coordination and responsiveness to demand, hindering the development of fully integrated, flexible transport networks capable of optimising resources and service offerings.
The solution
To address these challenges, Europe’s Rail (EU-Rail) has advanced the development of fully integrated multimodal transport planning, management and operation systems. These solutions include innovative routing engines, using the new EDIGES standard, enabling the combination of multimodal services (such as rail connected with short- and deep-sea-shipping, barges and road transportation) in transport planners, including pricing information where available, and supported by lean and dynamic booking functions. Furthermore, ef routing and capacity management algorithms have been further developed to enable demand-responsive transport network planning resulting in ad-hoc dynamic capacity allocation based on resource availability.
Readiness for Industrialisation and Deployment
This solution is the result of the demonstrators and modules developed within the FP1-Motional project, as well as the interfaces and planning definitions from the Seamless Freight activities of the FP5-TRANS4M-R project. It also builds on specifications and prototypes developed across multiple work packages that are intended to guide further harmonisation, industrialisation and large-scale deployment.
- Expected Benefits and Operational Impact Increased Efficiency: By enabling data exchange and the use of new standards like EDIGES for routing tools and for more automatised booking procedures, the solution significantly reduces inefficiencies in intermodal capacity utilisation and booking.
- Enhanced Decision-Making: Advanced decision-support modules provide operators with a comprehensive overview, insights and alternative solution scenarios based on available capacity and alternative routing options .
- Reduced Operational Costs: Streamlined processes and improved data lead to simpler and faster routing and booking procedures .
- Improved Interoperability: Standardised interfaces and communication protocols foster greater interoperability among diverse stakeholders.
- Improved capacity utilisation: Greater transparency of the available intermodal transport options, combined with easier access to information, improves the utilisation of the existing intermodal shuttle trains.. Where operators provide spare capacity data , capacity-dependent routing can further enable more balanced and efficient utilisation.
- Stronger Collaboration: the solution facilitates closer collaboration and alignment between rail freight operators, intermodal operators and enabling service providers such as Terminal Operators.
Maturity level
From TRL 6 (Technology demonstrated in relevant environment) to 8 (System complete and qualified )
Who benefits
Railway operators
Suppliers
Final users
Conclusion
This solutions is benefitting a wide range of stakeholders, facilitating operations, reducing costs and improving quality:
- Enabling state-of-the art intermodal routing tools to use data in the new EDIGES standard allows operators to more easily adopt standardised solutions. This reduces the need for costly developments that hinder interoperability and prevent economics of scale.
- The solution enables terminal operators not only to improve their processes, but alsoto increase their service offering and usage of their infrastructure and assets .
- It c reduces manual efforts in booking procedures, and lowers the skill set in the Rail Freight Operators’ teams thanks to lean sser interfaces, Moreover, it can increase turnover and margins by improving due to the possibility to increase the load of the train load factors through transparent visibility of available capacity and remaining slot.
- Freight and Logistics Companies will benefit from faster and more predictable transport services, leading to improved supply chain efficiency.
- Forwarders will gain a transparent and easy access to integrated end-to-end intermodal transport options via a single web application, including detailed information onoperation days, transport times, loading units, CO² consumption andsavings, Transshipment terminals and,first/last-mile trucking information.
Learn more about the projects
This solution has been developed within theEurope’s Rail (EU-Rail) Flagship 1 and 4:
FP1-MOTIONAL
The project FP1-MOTIONAL aims to improve planning and operational management of rail services and offers to meet the European goal of making rail the preferred mode of transport.
FP5-TRANS4M-R
This solution has been developed within the EU-Rail Flagship Project FP5-TRANS4M-R. The FP5-TRANS4M-R’s overall goal is to establish rail freight as the backbone of a low-emission, resilient European logistics chain which fulfills end-user requirements to full satisfaction.