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Our R&I Programme

Innovation Pillar

EU-Rail’s Innovation Pillar (IP) is tasked to deliver operational and technological solutions that contribute to a more efficient, flexible, and demand-led, yet safe and environmentally sustainable European railway system. The activities undertaken aim at large-scale demonstrations and they also cover technologies of all readiness levels as well as exploratory research. EU-Rail thus not only builds on the outputs achieved under the Shift2Rail programme but extends the scope from planning to operations reaching higher development levels. To this end, EU-Rail provides financial support in the form of calls for proposals following open, transparent, and competitive calls.

The Research & Innovation activities under the IP are aligned with the areas of priority defined within the EU Rail Master Plan and implemented in the Innovation pillar by:

  • European rail traffic management and supporting rail’s key role in a multimodal transport system
  • Digital and Automated Train Operations
  • Sustainable and Digital Assets
  • Competitive Digital Green Rail Freight
  • Smart Solutions for Low Density Traffic Lines (cost-efficient regional railways)
  • Transversal topics: data and digital enablers
  • Exploratory research and paradigm shifts

To realise these priorities, seven Flagship Areas (FAs) have been defined in the Multi-Annual Work Programme as an integrated set of R&I activities to achieve a system impact, which may be implemented with Flagship Projects (FPs).

Europe’s RailFlagship Areas

Select or hover over an area to highlight it.

Flagship Area 1 Flagship Area 2 Flagship Area 3 Flagship Area 4 Flagship Area 5 Flagship Area 6 Flagship Area 7
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Flagship Area 1Network management planning and control & Mobility Management in a multimodal environment Flagship Area 2Digital & Automated up to Autonomous Train Operations Flagship Area 3Intelligent and integrated asset management Flagship Area 4A sustainable and green rail system Flagship Area 5Sustainable Competitive Digital Green Rail Freight Services Flagship Area 6Regional Rail Services / Innovative rail services to revitalise capillary lines Flagship Area 7Innovation on new approaches for guided transport modes

The seven Flagship Areas are complemented by Transversal Topics works. In addition, new and disruptive ideas are continuously scouted in the form of Exploratory Research activities that challenge traditional approaches and practices, promote behaviour and organisational change, and thus help to accelerate the innovation, scientific knowledge generation and sharing or technological advances integration from other sectors into the railway system.

Transversal Topics

A digitally connected rail system will be embedded in a complex landscape of interacting systems with a multitude of devices and sensors. The digitalisation required is essential for all FAs and is therefore treated as a transversal topic at the systemic interface to ensure coherent and interoperable interactions.

Exploratory Research

EU-Rail encompasses a wide range of areas, from studying upcoming technologies/solutions, to researching emerging safety, user-centric multi-use and modal approaches, and setting up networks supporting coordination and knowledge generation towards the IP’s evolution.

Read more on projects Academics4Rail, InBridge4EU, RAIL4CITIES, EEP4FREIGHT, LEADER2030 and DACcord.

Europe's Rail