Creating a Single European Rail Area – we have the vision, now it’s about implementation, says Travaini

InnoTrans 2024, Europe’s leading trade fair for transport technology, was held in Berlin at the end of September. Euractiv spoke with Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director of EU-Rail, about his goal of creating a Single European Rail Area.

With over 20 innovations stemming from Europe’s Rail Research & Innovation programme, the spotlight at InnoTrans 2024 was on transforming rail into a more sustainable, efficient, and competitive mode of transport.

Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director of EU-Rail, emphasised the importance of coordinated EU-wide deployment, automation, and digitalisation in driving this shift. As Europe aims to reduce its carbon footprint and improve rail connectivity, these advancements are essential to delivering a rail network that is flexible, reliable and future-ready.

Recently, you were appointed as the Executive Director of Europe’s Rail. Can you share what your role has been in promoting rail innovation and how it aligns with EU objectives?

Giorgio Travaini: My focus has been on fostering a public-private partnership to drive rail research and innovation (R&I). This initiative began in 2014 with the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking (S2R JU or S2R) and has since evolved into Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, which launched in 2021.

The beauty of this partnership is that it marries public funding with long-term industrial roadmaps. We ensure that the output of R&I is not just theoretical but gets integrated into practical applications that support the European Union’s broader transport objectives.

Our work has brought the sector together, encouraging a systemic approach to rail innovation—updating standards, revising regulations, and ensuring implementation on the ground.

What is the overarching mission of Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking?

Giorgio Travaini: In short, our mission is to make rail more attractive, competitive, and performant, with the goal of creating a Single European Rail Area. We’re not working in isolation; we collaborate closely with the European Railway Agency (ERA) and the European Commission (EC), which provide strategic guidance and, through the Union, the necessary funding.

This public-private partnership is crucial for delivering the innovations required to unite Europe’s rail network and make it a key player in the broader EU transport and competitiveness strategy.

Do you think rail is a priority on the political agenda?

Yes, it is. Rail is front and centre in the transport agenda, as evidenced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s recent letter to the newly designated Commissioners. We’ve also worked on studies with partners like the University Bocconi of Milan and Ernst and Young, demonstrating that high-speed rail connections between European capitals and major cities could bring substantial economic benefits by 2030, 2040, and 2050.

This vision is now embedded in the mandate of the next Commission. We are also conducting new studies, including one on net-zero logistics, which could have significant policy implications once finalised early next year.

How advanced is Europe’s rail sector in terms of digitalisation, and what challenges remain?

From a research perspective, Europe’s rail sector is quite advanced and comparable to other industries, like air traffic management. However, we are just now transitioning from analogue to digital systems, a process that the aviation sector completed a few years ago.

The gap lies in implementation.

This transition varies across countries, and that’s where we come in. We’ve created a Deployment Group to provide recommendations on the best ways to manage this transition, from technical to operational aspects, as well as funding and financing.

One critical focus is the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), which will replace the current GSM-based communication systems with 5G. This upgrade is necessary not only to improve communications but also to support other innovations, like fully automated train operations. The current system doesn’t have the bandwidth for such advancements.

We’re already seeing progress and impact from our work; supervised automated train operation has been inscribed in EU regulations (TSI), and harmonised products start to emerge, as you can see here at InnoTrans.

Is the future of rail driverless?

It’s hard to say whether full driverless operations will become standard across all rail systems. In some cases, especially in remote or low-traffic areas, it may make sense to reduce costs with automated or driverless trains accompanied by a social dialogue. However, our goal is to enable these technologies where they make sense while ensuring that rail remains competitive and more and more attractive to the end-users.

What challenges does Europe face in making rail more attractive and competitive?

Increasing capacity while retaining the safety of the rail system and keeping the costs contained is certainly one of the challenges we are working on. The Union had promoted the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), which enhances safety and prevents accidents. Thanks to our work, this system also boosts network capacity by allowing more trains to run on the same tracks without the need for building new lines.

Additionally, energy efficiency is a key competitive advantage of rail. While rail is already the most energy-efficient transport mode, we are working on reducing energy consumption and costs even further, contributing to climate goals and the Green Deal. And then attractiveness: rail needs to be able to appeal to passengers and businesses, so we use the introduction of digitalisation to make rail also more flexible, open and capable of providing enhanced services.

How will these innovations contribute to the European Green Deal and climate targets?

Rail plays a vital role in achieving the EU’s greening and digitalisation objectives. The more attractive and competitive we make rail, the more we can achieve a modal shift from road and air to rail, automatically contributing to CO2 reductions.

Still, rail needs to work with other transport modes to transport people and goods from A to B. But to achieve this, we must invest in R&I to ensure tomorrow’s solutions are more efficient than today’s.

How does Europe’s rail system compare to other regions globally?

Europe remains a pioneer and global leader in rail innovation. The European rail supply industry is still the top player worldwide. However, we can’t rest on our laurels, especially with increased competition from countries like China. That’s why innovation is crucial to maintaining Europe’s competitive edge in the global market as well as jobs in Europe.

Is there enough investment in the sector to support these innovations?

While there is significant political will, more investment is always needed. According to the Draghi report, fully implementing ERTMS across Europe’s rail network will require around €190 billion.

Other technologies, like the Digital Automated Coupler (DAC) for freight, which automates the coupling and uncoupling of wagons, will also require large-scale deployment and synchronisation across 400,000 wagons in Europe. It’s a significant investment, but one that is necessary to modernise and future-proof Europe’s rail network.

What other innovations can we expect in the rail sector?

Beyond the advancements in traffic management and automation, we’re working to reduce maintenance costs through digitalisation and predictive maintenance using sensors, artificial intelligence, and digital twins.

We’re also focusing on freight logistics, seamless connections, and the adoption of technologies like the DAC. Another area of interest is exploring disruptive technologies like maglev (magnetic levitation), which could use existing rail infrastructure, and hyperloop, which is still in its early stages but holds potential for future integration with other public transport modes.

What’s next for Europe’s rail system?

Europe’s rail has a proven track record of delivering results, and we’ve shown that public funds are being put to good use. With discussions underway about the next Multiannual Financial Framework, we hope that rail will continue to receive the support it deserves.

The innovations we’re working on today will shape the rail system of tomorrow, ensuring that EU policies are not just theoretical but are translated into real-world solutions.

[By Nicole Verbeeck I Edited by Brian Maguire | Euractiv's Advocacy Lab ]