ALSTOM TRANSPORTATION GERMANY GMBH

Their core work

Alstom Transportation Germany (formerly Bombardier Transportation) is a major rail vehicle manufacturer and systems integrator, developing rolling stock, propulsion systems, train control and management systems (TCMS), and braking technologies for both passenger and freight rail across Europe. Within H2020, they focus heavily on next-generation freight wagons, condition-based maintenance, and rail automation under the Shift2Rail programme. Their work spans the full vehicle — from carbody shells and running gears to HVAC, doors, and onboard digital systems — making them a complete train technology provider rather than a niche component supplier.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), Alstom's H2020 work was broad and exploratory — rail freight automation, real-time network management, smart maintenance concepts, and socio-economic impact assessment. From 2019 onward, their focus sharpened significantly toward physical wagon engineering (wagon design, running gears, propulsion systems) and condition-based maintenance, with repeated keyword clusters across FR8RAIL II, III, and IV. A secondary thread emerged in digital services (MaaS, SaaS, autonomous operation), suggesting the company is layering software and autonomy capabilities on top of its core hardware expertise.

Alstom is converging on digitally-enabled freight rolling stock — combining physical wagon innovation with condition monitoring, electrification, and early autonomous operation capabilities.

How they like to work

Alstom operates as both a project leader and a strong technical partner, coordinating 4 projects while participating in 11 and contributing as a third party in 4 more. With 132 unique consortium partners across 17 countries, they function as a hub organization with an extensive European network. Their repeated involvement in multi-phase project families (CONNECTA 1-2-3, FR8RAIL I-IV, PIVOT/PIVOT2, FINE 1-2) indicates they build long-term relationships within the Shift2Rail ecosystem rather than joining one-off consortia.

With 132 unique consortium partners spread across 17 countries, Alstom maintains one of the densest collaboration networks in the Shift2Rail programme. Their Berlin base and the breadth of partnerships suggest strong ties across Western and Central European rail industries.

What sets them apart

Alstom is one of very few organizations that covers the entire freight and passenger rolling stock value chain — from mechanical components (bogies, carbody, brakes) through digital systems (TCMS, condition monitoring) to service concepts (MaaS, autonomous operation). Their sustained involvement across all four phases of FR8RAIL and three phases of CONNECTA makes them an institutional anchor of the Shift2Rail freight and TCMS programmes. For consortium builders, partnering with Alstom means access to full-scale vehicle integration capability, extensive testing infrastructure, and a direct path to market deployment.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PIVOT2
  Largest single funding (EUR 2.2M) — comprehensive vehicle engineering covering carbody, running gear, brakes, doors, interiors, and HVAC in one project.
• FR8RAIL II
  Alstom coordinated this digitalization-of-freight flagship, addressing wagon design, electrification, propulsion, and condition-based maintenance in a single programme.
• CONNECTA-3
  Third and final phase of the TCMS programme with EUR 1.7M funding, demonstrating Alstom's sustained commitment to next-generation train control systems.