The ERTMS 2026 conference, organized by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), took place in Valenciennes, France, from April 21–23, 2026. The event brought together hundreds of experts from across Europe, ranging from representatives of the European Commission and national safety authorities to infrastructure managers, transport operators, and technology companies. VUZ was represented by colleagues Jan Lukšík and Milan Slivka.

What is ERTMS and where does its implementation stand in Europe?

ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) is a key European project aimed at harmonizing railway safety and enabling seamless train operations across borders without technical barriers. At its core is the ETCS system, which is set to gradually replace more than twenty different national safety systems. By the end of 2024, ETCS had been deployed on approximately 10% of the TEN-T network and on roughly 19% of the EU’s rolling stock.

Why ETCS Deployment Is Slower and More Expensive Than Expected

The main message of this year’s conference was clear. Europe has a clear strategy, but the rollout of ERTMS is proceeding more slowly than necessary. The discussion shifted from the vision to practical obstacles. The main issues are high costs, complex approval processes, and persistent differences between individual countries. The approval process alone can account for up to a third of the total deployment costs, and the prices of on-board units doubled between 2018 and 2022.

Another frequently mentioned problem is the frequent changes to technical regulations (TSIs), which complicate project planning and make system implementation more expensive. Paradoxically, the countries that are ahead in deployment are at a disadvantage—they must continuously respond to updates in specifications. Proposed solutions include freezing TSI versions for a certain period or establishing a clear, predictable schedule for changes. Furthermore, despite formal compatibility, situations still arise where trains cannot cross borders seamlessly, even though both the rolling stock and the track are certified. This vividly illustrates how far the sector is from true interoperability.

FRMCS is the future of railway communications following GSM-R

The future FRMCS communication system, the successor to GSM-R, was a topic of its own. Its implementation has been repeatedly delayed; 2028 was proposed as a tentative deadline for finalizing the TSI for FRMCS, and the transition will require the long-term coexistence of both technologies, which further increases the costs and complexity of the entire process. The possibility of using public mobile operators was also discussed; however, this option raises legitimate concerns regarding cybersecurity and operational reliability.

Cybersecurity of railway systems: new standards in the works

Cybersecurity was a cross-cutting theme of the conference. Today, every infrastructure manager addresses it in their own way, and there were loud calls for a unified approach. Specifically, work is underway on the EURLINX BL4 R2 and UNISIG Subset 146 standards. Cybersecurity is not yet part of the TSI, but that is set to change.

The Digitization of ETCS Approval Processes and Its Role for NoBo and ERA

According to participants, the solution to most of the identified issues lies in greater standardization, digitization, and better coordination across Europe. In the area of approval, work is underway to digitize documentation from OSS, ERATV, and other systems so that it is in an interoperable, machine-readable format and enables automatic checks. The ERA 1209-347 standard was also discussed as a platform for large-scale vehicle retrofits. The long-term goal is to create a unified railway area, SERA (Simplified European Railway), with maximally harmonized technical and operational rules.

ETCS in the Czech Republic: 4th place among EU countries

For VUZ, two areas in particular are key from the conference: the development of the digitization of approval processes, including a discussion on the role of Notified Bodies (NoBo) in the authorization of on-board CCS subsystems, and new cybersecurity standards and their impact on system architecture. The good news is that the Czech Republic ranks among the most advanced countries in Europe in terms of ETCS implementation, placing 4th among member states. This result reflects the long-term efforts of the entire sector.

Presentations from the conference are freely available on the ERA website: era.europa.eu