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Data-Centric Digital Twin for Railway Station Management
Railway stations generate large amounts of operational and technical data, often spread across different systems and sources. Bringing this information together is essential to gain a clearer view of station performance and support better decisions.
The solution
Europe’s Rail (EU-Rail) has delivered a solution that provides a unified and continuously updated view of railway station operations through a data-centric digital twin. It integrates and synchronises data from operational, technical and external sources, enabling operators to move from fragmented information to a coherent and up-to-date understanding of station performance and conditions.
Built-in decision support tools, such as automated cleanliness monitoring and real estate valuation for commercialisation, translate data into concrete insights. These capabilities support improved service quality, cost control and more effective use of station assets. The solution also enables the development of station management performance indicators based on digital data.
Its modular architecture allows new decision support capabilities to be added as they mature, ensuring long-term adaptability and supporting a gradual transition toward more advanced, data-driven and sustainable railway infrastructure management.
Readiness for Industrialisation and Deployment
The solution’s core data layer and initial decision support services have reached prototype maturity and are being demonstrated in a relevant railway station environment. It is therefore ready for controlled testing and validation, rather than for large-scale industrial integration.
The next development step is to reach TRL 7 through pilot-level operational demonstration, with an indicative target of 2028 for operational deployment in a specific station context. Broader industrialisation and replication across other stations would require further validation, integration planning and adaptation to local data availability, IT systems and operational procedures.
Maturity level
The core components of the solution—the data-centric digital twin framework, including the data lakehouse and data reconciliation service, and the initial decision support systems for cleanliness monitoring and real estate valuation—are currently at TRL 6, corresponding to technology demonstrated in a relevant operational environment.
Ongoing work focuses on developing and validating a representative data environment for the Łódź Kaliska railway station, which serves as a reference case for integration, testing and demonstration. Additional decision support modules, such as predictive maintenance and KPI monitoring, are at earlier stages of development (around TRL 5) and are intended to be integrated into the framework as their maturity increases.
Expected benefits
- Coherent operational view: Enables a transition from fragmented, system-specific data management to a continuously updated view of railway station operations, improving situational awareness and supporting more informed decision-making.
- Scalable and interoperable framework: Integrates heterogeneous data sources without requiring full system replacement, reducing integration complexity and enabling gradual expansion of capabilities.
- Improved and service quality: improvements: Supports efficiency gains and better service quality through capabilities such as automated cleanliness assessment and better-informed facility management, while enhancing coordination between stakeholders.
- More effective commercialisation: Data-driven real estate valuation supports more effective commercialisation of of station assets, potentially increasing revenue and optimising space utilisation.
- Improved management information: Provides up-to-date information at different levels of supervision for station maintenance and operations of railway stations, customised to the needs of each recipient..
- More efficient use of resources: Improved resource allocation and targeted interventions can contribute to reduced waste, optimised maintenance activities and more efficient use of infrastructure.
- Long-term adaptability: The modular design allows additional decision support capabilities to be integrated as they mature and are integrated, supporting the long-term relevance of the solution.
Who benefits
Infrastructure Managers
Railway operators
Suppliers
Final users
Conclusion
EU-Rail’s contribution provides a more connected and data-drive approach to railway station management. By bringing operational information together and turning it into actionable insights, it supports better operational oversight, greater efficiency and improved asset management, while enhancing station performance and passenger experience Increased automation and faster responses to situations arising at the station can ultimately contribute to higher comfort and better service quality for passengers and users.
Learn more about the project
FP3-IAM4Rail
This solution has been developed within the EU-Rail Flagship Project FP3-IAM4RAIL, which focuses on seven different integrated demonstrators for rail assets which are key for research and innovation in the rail sector.