How can we build on the progress made so far to make rail travel truly accessible, affordable and reliable for...
The European Railcast, episode 5 – The Passenger experience: Making Rail more Accessible, Affordable and Reliable
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Trenitalia – Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group at the World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR)
Press Release #1 – Trenitalia to Present Innovative Research on Robotic Sanitisation at WCRR 2025
We are pleased to announce that Trenitalia – Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group will present the paper “Automation and control within robotics applied to sanitising processes on trains and small stations” at the World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR) 2025. The activity is carried out within the framework of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking FP3-IAM4Rail Project.
The presentation will be delivered by Eng. Vincenzo Manno, coordinator of the Europe’s Rail FP3-IAM4Rail project within Work Package 18 (WP18): “Robotics Platforms.” This WP aims to introduce robotic use cases that provide intelligent and integrated support to core processes in the railway sector. The presentation will take place on the 18th of November 2025, at 2:40 PM, during the Passenger Health Oral Session of WCRR 2025.
The paper presents a fully autonomous robotic solution designed to sanitise train coaches and small stations, integrating AI-based perception, digital twin simulation, safe navigation in constrained railway environments and dual disinfection technologies (UV-C and nebulisation). This represents a pioneering application of autonomous robotics to biosafety in rail transport.
The robotic system is currently advancing towards Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6), with validation activities ongoing within the FP3-IAM4Rail project and scheduled to conclude at the end of 2026. This project confirms Trenitalia’s strategic commitment to developing innovative prototypal solutions with progressively increasing TRL levels, with the objective of assessing their real value and, if proven effective, engineering the prototype into an operational product for large-scale deployment.
About WCRR 2025
The World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR) is the world’s leading international forum dedicated to railway research and innovation. Held every three years, WCRR brings together railway operators, infrastructure managers, manufacturers, universities and research institutions from around the globe to share knowledge, showcase cutting-edge technologies and discuss the future of sustainable and intelligent rail transport. The WCRR 2025 edition will provide a platform to explore advancements that are shaping the next generation of the global railway industry.