OPTIYARD · Project

Real-Time Software That Helps Rail Freight Yards Move More Trains Faster

transportTestedTRL 5

Imagine a busy train yard where dozens of freight wagons need to be sorted, coupled, and sent off on time — except the yard manager is juggling it all with outdated tools and phone calls. OPTIYARD built a smart planning tool that watches everything happening in the yard in real time and tells managers the best moves to make, like a GPS for train logistics. They tested it with real freight operations in Czech Republic and Italy, comparing the old way against the optimized way. The goal is to push rail freight yards from working at half capacity to hitting 70-90% utilization.

By the numbers

70-90%

Target capacity utilization for rail freight yards

Consortium partners across the project

Countries represented in the consortium

EUR 1,499,900

EU contribution to the project

Business cases tested (Czech Republic and Italy)

SMEs in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Rail freight yards are a major bottleneck in European logistics — they operate well below capacity because yard managers lack real-time planning tools and cannot coordinate efficiently with the wider rail network. This leads to delayed shipments, wasted capacity, and makes rail freight less competitive against road transport. The industry needs to push yard utilization from current levels toward 70-90% to meet European transport goals.

The solution

What was built

A real-time decision support software for yard managers that optimizes wagon sorting, train formation, and departure planning. The team delivered validated simulation models, optimization algorithms for single wagonload and blocktrain operations, and tested the full system against two business cases in Czech Republic and Italy with comparative performance results.

Audience

Who needs this

Rail freight operators managing marshalling yards (e.g., DB Cargo, SNCF Fret, ČD Cargo)Intermodal terminal operators handling rail-road transfersRailway infrastructure managers responsible for yard capacityRail IT system vendors looking to add optimization modulesLogistics companies considering modal shift from road to rail

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Rail freight logistics

enterprise

Target: Rail freight operators managing marshalling yards

If you are a rail freight operator struggling with yard congestion and delayed wagon turnarounds — this project developed a real-time decision support tool that optimizes shunting, wagon sorting, and departure scheduling. It was tested with business cases in Czech Republic and Italy, comparing current operations against optimized scenarios. The software targets the 70-90% capacity utilization range that the industry needs to stay competitive against road transport.

Intermodal terminal management

mid-size

Target: Multimodal logistics hubs and terminal operators

If you are a terminal operator handling transfers between rail, road, and other modes — this project built software that plans and optimizes operations across your terminal in real time, connected to the wider rail network. It was validated with simulation models proven for large and complex freight transport networks. With 13 partners across 7 countries contributing, the tool addresses the critical bottleneck where modes meet.

Rail infrastructure and technology

any

Target: Railway IT system integrators and software vendors

If you are a rail technology company looking to add yard optimization to your product suite — this project produced validated optimization modules and algorithms for single wagonload and blocktrain operations. The consortium included 5 industry partners and 6 SMEs, with the International Union of Railways coordinating. The software is designed to integrate with existing network IT systems and supports automation including intelligent assets and automated shunting.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this yard optimization software?

The project received EUR 1,499,900 in EU funding across 13 partners over 2 years. Based on available project data, specific licensing or implementation costs are not published. Contact the coordinator for commercial terms or pilot pricing.

Can this handle large-scale freight networks, not just a single yard?

Yes — the objective explicitly states the optimization module and algorithms were proven for large and complex freight transport networks. The software includes real-time interaction between yard and network IT systems, supporting both single wagonload and blocktrain operations across the network.

Who owns the intellectual property and can we license this?

The project was coordinated by the International Union of Railways (UIC) under the Shift2Rail programme. IP terms are governed by the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking rules. Based on available project data, specific licensing arrangements would need to be discussed with the coordinator and relevant consortium partners.

Was this tested with real freight operations or just in theory?

It was tested with two real business cases in Czech Republic and Italy. The deliverables include comparative results between current operations and optimized scenarios, covering both step-by-step optimization and fully integrated system approaches.

How does this integrate with our existing rail IT systems?

The software was designed specifically to interact with existing network IT systems. It supports real-time data exchange for planning and optimization, and integrates with Shift2Rail IP5 activities toward automation including intelligent assets and automated shunting and mainline operations.

What capacity improvements can we realistically expect?

The project targets the Horizon 2020 KPI of 70-90% capacity utilization for rail freight. The business case feasibility tests compared AS-IS operations versus optimized scenarios, though specific percentage improvements from the tests are not detailed in the available summaries.

Is this ready to deploy or still experimental?

The project produced validated models, a simulator, and business case feasibility results from two countries. The software module is described as fully functional for simulation. Further development or commercial packaging may be needed for production deployment in a live yard environment.

Consortium

Who built it

The OPTIYARD consortium is led by the International Union of Railways (UIC), which gives the project direct access to the rail industry's main coordination body. With 13 partners across 7 countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Italy, Slovakia, UK), the project has strong European coverage of key freight rail markets. The mix is balanced: 5 industry partners and 6 SMEs ensure commercial relevance, while 5 universities and 2 research organizations provide the technical depth. The 38% industry ratio and SME participation signal that this was built with deployment in mind, not purely academic research.

UNION INTERNATIONALE DES CHEMINS DE FERCoordinator · FR
OLTIS GROUP ASparticipant · CZ
EURNEX e. V.participant · DE
UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNEparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITY OF LEEDSparticipant · UK
NEW OPERA AISBLparticipant · BE
UNIVERSITE GUSTAVE EIFFELparticipant · FR
UNION INTERNATIONALE DES SOCIETES DE TRANSPORT COMBINE RAIL-ROUTE SCRLparticipant · BE
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZAparticipant · IT
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDENparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer (UIC) in France — the global railway cooperation body. Reach out to their innovation or freight department.

Order a report on this consortium See UNION INTERNATIONALE DES CHEMINS DE FER profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the OPTIYARD team to explore licensing or pilot opportunities? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction and brief you on how this fits your operations.

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