• Governance and Members

• 1st Meeting of the FRMCS subgroup of the Deployment Group (5 September 2024)
• 2nd Meeting of the FRMCS subgroup of the Deployment Group (2 October 2024)
• 3rd Meeting of the FRMCS subgroup of the Deployment Group (11 October 2024)
• 4th Meeting of the FRMCS subgroup of the Deployment Group (13 November 2024)
• 5th Meeting of the FRMCS subgroup of the Deployment Group (4 December 2024)
• 6th Meeting of the FRMCS subgroup of the Deployment Group (15 January 2025)
• 7th Meeting of the FRMCS subgroup of the Deployment Group (5 February 2025)
• 8th Meeting of the FRMCS subgroup of the Deployment Group (20 May 2025)

• • FRMCS Deployment Questionnaire 2025 Presentation.
  • FRMCS Deployment Questionnaire 2025 Report.
  • WG1 – Status Report
  • FRMCS Deployment Subgroup – Communication Plan

4th UIC Global FRMCS Conference 2025

The 4th edition of the UIC Global FRMCS Conference took place in Paris on 14 and 15 October, drawing over 300 participants. Attendees received comprehensive updates on progress made in FRMCS, including technical architecture, industry challenges and international developments.

The FRMCS Deployment Subgroup, in collaboration with DG MOVE and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA, presented the current state of its activities and the outcomes of the deployment survey. Its participation in the conference clearly demonstrated that the FRMCS programme is now transitioning from the specification and testing stages to the phases of deployment and migration.

6th Meeting of the High-Level Deployment Subgroup (HL-DpG)

On 8 October, the sixth meeting of the High-Level Deployment Subgroup was held under the chairmanship of Monika Heiming, Executive Director of European Rail Infrastructure Managers Association (EIM). The session provided an update on the ongoing work of the FRMCS Deployment Subgroup. Working Group Leaders for Deployment Technology, Legal/Finance, and Migration Scenarios presented the current state of play, progress and a series of proposals developed within their respective streams.

A focal point of the discussion was the need to adapt the Testing, Validation and Authorisation processes in light of their significant cost impact. Stakeholders present expressed a clear demand for change and supported a joint proposal to be submitted to the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), aligned with the work of the FRMCS Deployment Subgroup. The direction and progress of the work were broadly endorsed by HL-DpG members.

The meeting also included the presentation of results from the FRMCS Deployment survey. Discussions emphasised the need to strengthen awareness of FRMCS, particularly among smaller Railway Undertakings.

Considering the substantial transition programmes facing the sector, such as the deployment of ETCS, FRMCS, ATO, DAC, and ASTP,  the HL-DpG group discussed the potential value of an inventory study to better understand these developments. However, it was agreed not to pursue such a study at this stage.

All relevant documents, including the meeting minutes, are available on this webpage.

FRMCS Deployment Subgroup met European Union Agency for Railways (ERA)

On 6 October, the FRMCS Deployment Subgroup Management Team met the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) in Valenciennes, France. Discussions with ERA Executive Director Oana Gherghinescu and her team focused on the current status and strategic approach of the FRMCS Deployment Programme, as well as the outcomes of the European sector-wide questionnaire conducted over the summer. Findings from the questionnaire and preliminary work within Working Group 2 indicate that testing, validation, authorisation and associated vehicle downtime are among the main cost drivers for deployment.
Consequently, both parties agreed that the FRMCS authorisation process must be a key area of collaboration. The FRMCS Deployment Subgroup will prepare concrete proposals to adjust the Testing & Validation and Authorisation processes accordingly.
Cybersecurity within the FRMCS framework was also highlighted as a priority topic. Finally, it was agreed that the FRMCS Deployment Subgroup’s analyses and activities will be included in next year’s ERTMS Conference in Valenciennes.

Europe’s Rail Deployment Subgroup held a Webinar

On 2 October, Europe’s Rail Deployment Subroup held a Webinar on the results of the FRMCS European Deployment Group Questionnaire which gathered over 100 participants.

Read the FRMCS Deployment Questionnaire 2025 Presentation.
Check the FRMCS Deployment Questionnaire 2025 Report.

First Face-to-Face Meeting of the FRMCS Deployment Subgroup in Saint-Denis

On 1 October 2025, over 25  participants of the FRMCS Deployment Subgroup gathered in Saint-Denis, France, for the subgroup’s first face-to-face meeting. This milestone event marked a significant step forward in fostering stronger collaboration and more effective communication between the 3 Working Groups. The meeting also provided a valuable forum to address cross-cutting topics relevant to all areas of FRMCS deployment.

The FRMCS Deployment Subgroup is structured around three Working Groups:

• Working Group 1 focuses on technical aspects, including cross-border coordination, interoperability and engagement with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs);
• Working Group 2 addresses financial matters and authorisation processes;
• Working Group 3 is dedicated to deployment scenarios and planning.

The meeting was opened by Monika Heiming, Chair of the High-Level Deployment Subgroup and Executive Director of the European Rail Infrastructure Managers Association (EIM) with a keynote speech. In her remarks, she highlighted the progress made by the team so far while underlining the challenges that lie ahead, particularly the need to clarify the added value of such a significant investment for the sector.

Throughout the day, the results of a Europe-wide questionnaire and the resulting tasks for the working plan 2025/2026 were discussed. The Leads of the 3 Working Groups presented their respective activity plans for the coming months. Key topics of discussion included:

• Enhancing collaboration and interaction across the three Working Groups
• Increasing engagement with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)
• Strengthening cross-border coordination
• Placing greater emphasis on safety, resilience, and robust authorisation procedures
• Advancing the development of solid business cases

The Feedback of the participants was very positive, and it was agreed to set up this event on a regular basis.

FRMCS Stakeholders Come Together in Prague for First Alignment Meeting

On 19 September 2025, more than 40 stakeholders from across Europe gathered in Prague for the first FRMCS Stakeholder Alignment Meeting.

The meeting aimed to ensure stakeholder alignment, deepen collective understanding of key challenges, offer full transparency on the FRMCS standardisation process and better integrate sector needs into ongoing developments. The alignment is expected to enhance visibility of FRMCS specifications work, better manage deviations from the plan, and strengthen cooperation among railways (either represented in ERIG or not), supply industry, regulatory bodies and the European Union.

Karel van Gils, Programme Manager at EU-Rail, moderated the first meeting on an interim basis, pending the appointment of two sector coordinators by the System Pillar Steering Group.

UIC gave an overview about the status in FRMCS project, identifying two immediate priorities:

• Finalising and handing over FRMCS Specifications 2.2 to the Extended ERA Core Team (EECT) by 30 September 2025
• Wrapping up the Test-Specification for the EU-Rail FP2-MORANE-2 project by year’s end

Furthermore, the FRMCS Deployment subgroup presented results from a Europe-wide questionnaire, which will be published on the EU-Rail Website in October.

Constructive exchanges among stakeholders helped clarify ongoing activities and identify key gaps to be addressed in the upcoming months. The second FRMCS Stakeholder Alignment Meeting is scheduled for 17 December 2025 in Luxembourg.

FRMCS Status Report – EU Railway Telecom Migration Overview (V1.0)

Prepared by the EU-Rail FRMCS Deployment Working Group 1, this report provides a comprehensive overview of the status and planned migration from GSM-R to Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) across European countries, aligning with ERTMS and CCS TSI requirements. Information is based on the national NIP plans from 2024, UIC information and member information.

Objectives

• Assess railway telecom infrastructure, fleets, IT and telecom assets
• Estimate the industry-wide capacity required for the FRMCS transition
• Outline national implementation strategies and cross-border coordination
• Build a unified roadmap to support yearly rollout and service activation timelines

The Working Group held 7 meetings in Q1 and Q2 2025 and includes 33 members from a cross section of Infrastructure Manager, Railway Undertakings and Railway Equipment Vendors.

The final Status Report is planned for Q4 and will incorporate refinements based on stakeholder input collected through the EU-Rail Deployment Questionnaire.

FRMCS Working Group 1: Guidelines for MNO use in FRMCS deployment and Border Crossing Report

Following the results of the EU-Rail FRMCS questionnaire, which indicated strong interest among Infrastructure Managers (12 of 17 respondents) in leveraging Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Working Group 1 (WG1) has initiated the preparation of guidelines for MNO use in FRMCS deployment.

Drawing on the expertise of its delegates in on-board, trackside and ETCS, the group aims to provide railways with a clear framework to guide technical discussions with MNOs. These guidelines will also assist MNOs in understanding the requirements needed to deliver the quality of service essential for FRMCS applications.

Furthermore, WG1’s scope includes producing the Border Crossing report, which addresses one of the most challenging aspects of FRMCS implementation. The report will outline various technical scenarios involving FRMCS, GSM-R, and MNO coverage, providing actionable recommendations to facilitate the transition of border crossings to FRMCS.

Both the MNO Guidelines and the Border Crossing Report are expected to have their first drafts ready by mid-December.

Questionnaire to sector on FRMCS Deployment topics and Upcoming Webinar

Since the start of 2025, the EU-RAIL FRMCS Deployment Subroup has been actively advancing its work across several working groups.

Working Group 1 is focusing on the analyses of National Investment Plans and cross-border and MNO issues.

In parallel, Working Group 2 is analysing cost drivers and has started a collaboration with the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) to investigate how the authorisation process can be optimised.

Working Group 3 initiated the development of a questionnaire which aims to gather input from key sector stakeholders (including Infrastructure Managers, Railway Undertakings and Lessors, providers, and authorisation bodies) on various aspects of FRMCS deployment. Subgroup 1 and 2 have enriched the questionnaire’s content through several weeks of collaborative work.

The first edition of the questionnaire, to be distributed by major organisations (AERRL, CER, EIM, ERA, UNIFE) to their members, aims to collect a broad range of perspectives, increase awareness on FRMCS deployment topics and evaluate stakeholders’ readiness for its deployment. The responses will also support the implementation of Recommendation 6 of ERA FRMCS Technical Opinion released in December 2024 (advice on deployment aspects).

To provide further clarification, a webinar will be held on 9 July from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM (CET).  An official invitation will be sent shortly.
For more information, please contact Project Sponsor “>Pipsa Hallner, or “>Pascal Desaunay, International Projects Director at SNCF.

The questionnaire process has promoted an exchange of knowledge within the sector, involving experts from infrastructure management, operations, UIC and industry, and it has helped clarify the potential impacts of the upcoming FRMCS specifications on deployment and migration strategies. Stakeholders are encouraged to respond in detail by the submission deadline. While it is understood that some information may not yet be available due to the current development phase, the questionnaire will be repeated regularly to build a full picture over time. A summary report on the findings will be published in September as a key deliverable of the FRMCS Deployment Subroup.

FRMCS Working Group 2: Tackling Financial & Legal Challenges 

In FRMCS deployment, the legal and financial frameworks are crucial ar as crucial as the technical and migration challenges. To address these areas, the 13 members of Working Group 2 “Financial and Legal” have been engaged in the FRMCS subgroup since December 2024. While the broad scope of the High-Level Deployment Group, ‘Authorisation & Regulatory Framework‘ and ‘Financial Analysis‘ were immediately recognised as key priorities.

In 2025, Working Group 2 will focus on two key areas:

• Analysing authorisation processes and their cost implications for FRMCS rollout, comparing two timeframes: pre- and post-4th Railway Package. The impact of different authorisation approaches on deployment costs will be assessed.

• Providing recommendations for cost reduction, based on cost driver analysis and expert cost estimates, including design-to-cost strategies and fast deployment. These estimates will be applied to the migration scenarios that are to be developed. First results are expected by Autumn 2025.