Press release # 11 – Europe’s Rail Innovation Tours to showcase the future of rail at InnoTrans 2026

Berlin, 22 September 2026 — Visitors to InnoTrans 2026 will have the opportunity to explore some of Europe’s latest railway innovations through the Europe’s Rail Innovation Tours, taking place on 22 and 23 September.

The guided tours will connect visitors with projects and organisations showcasing innovative solutions across several key areas: Digital Automatic Coupling, Operations, Assets and Services.

Starting from the Europe’s Rail stand in Hall 4.2, the tours will take visitors across the exhibition grounds to discover technologies ranging from autonomous railway operations and digital twins to advanced manufacturing, digital asset management and new approaches to railway logistics.

A focus on railway assets

The Assets Innovation Tours will be of particular interest to stakeholders working on railway infrastructure and asset management. The tours will showcase solutions addressing the lifecycle, maintenance, performance and digitalisation of railway assets.

This focus is particularly relevant to FP3-IAM4Rail, coordinated by Adif, which develops intelligent and integrated approaches to railway asset management as part of Europe’s Rail research and innovation programme. Members of the FP3-IAM4Rail project will also be present at InnoTrans 2026, providing an opportunity to connect with the project team and learn more about its work on innovative railway assets and asset management.

The Assets tours will feature solutions addressing areas such as digital asset information, maintenance and advanced manufacturing, reflecting some of the key research and innovation fields being explored within FP3-IAM4Rail.

Among the solutions featured are I-Maintenance, modularity and accessibility solutions for railway interiors, advanced braking technologies and a standardised ECM III/IV interface.

Other Assets demonstrations include 3D-printed railway spare parts using novel flame-retardant materials, climate adaptation and energy solutions, and technologies aimed at improving the management and maintenance of railway assets.

Discover innovation across the railway system

The Innovation Tours will also explore the wider transformation of the railway sector.

The Operations Tours will highlight technologies including FRMCS and 5G, digital twins for ATO and RTO validation, autonomous railway lines and innovative digital solutions for railway operations.

The DAC Tours will focus on Digital Automatic Coupling, while the Services Tours will showcase developments in areas such as self-driving freight, yard automation, digital braking and rail logistics.

Together, the tours offer visitors a practical insight into how Europe’s Rail research is helping move railway innovation from research projects towards real-world applications.

The Innovation Tours will take place throughout 22 and 23 September, with several thematic tours scheduled each day.