Smarter, Safer Railway Signaling with Satellite Positioning and Cyber-Protected Moving Block

Imagine trains that always know exactly where they are — down to the meter — using satellite signals instead of expensive trackside equipment. X2Rail-5 built and tested the technology to let trains run closer together safely (called "moving block"), communicate more flexibly with control centers, and defend themselves against cyberattacks. They also created tools to verify that safety-critical software works correctly without sending engineers to every single trackside location. Think of it as giving railways the same kind of GPS-driven precision and cybersecurity that modern aviation already has.

What needed solving

Railway operators across Europe face mounting pressure to increase line capacity and reduce costs, but legacy fixed-block signaling limits how close trains can safely run. At the same time, maintaining thousands of trackside detection devices is expensive, and growing cyber threats put critical rail infrastructure at risk. The industry needs satellite-based positioning, flexible communication, and validated cybersecurity — all proven safe enough for rail operations.

What was built

The project delivered demonstrators and prototypes across 6 technology areas: an adaptable communication system tested in field trials, a moving block signaling system with specifications ready for the CCS TSI standard, a fail-safe train positioning function using GNSS and on-board sensors tested in lab and on-site, a zero on-site testing architecture for automated lab testing, formal methods toolchains for automated verification of safety-critical specifications, and a validated CSIRT/ISAC cybersecurity model — totaling 38 deliverables.

Who needs this

Who can put this to work

Quick answers

Who built it

This is one of the most industry-heavy consortia you will find in EU research — 32 out of 39 partners are industry players, giving an 82% industry ratio across 11 countries. With only 1 university and 3 research organizations, this project was clearly driven by companies that build and operate railway systems, not by academics writing papers. The coordinator is DLR (German Aerospace Center), a heavyweight in satellite and transport technology. The presence of partners from AT, BE, CH, CZ, DE, ES, FR, IT, SE, SI, and UK covers virtually every major European rail market. For any company looking to enter or expand in European rail signaling, this consortium represents the industry ecosystem you need to be connected to.

• DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EVCoordinator · DE
• HITACHI RAIL GTS DEUTSCHLAND GMBHparticipant · DE
• Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.thirdparty · ES
• HITACHI RAIL STS SPAparticipant · IT
• RETE FERROVIARIA ITALIANAthirdparty · IT
• DEUTSCHE BAHN AGparticipant · DE
• KONTRON TRANSPORTATION DEUTSCHLAND GMBHthirdparty · DE
• KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLANthirdparty · SE
• ALSTOM RAIL SWEDEN ABparticipant · SE
• SOCIETE NATIONALE SNCFthirdparty · FR
• DB INFRAGO AGthirdparty · DE
• SLOVENSKE ZELEZNICE INFRASTRUKTURADRUZBA ZA UPRAVLJANJE IN VZDRZEVANJE ZELEZNISKE INFRASTRUKTURE TER VODENJE ZELEZNISKEGA PROMETA DOOthirdparty · SI
• THALES SIX GTS FRANCE SASthirdparty · FR
• TRAFIKVERKET - TRVparticipant · SE
• NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITEDparticipant · UK
• ALSTOM BELGIUM SAthirdparty · BE
• SIEMENS MOBILITY GMBHparticipant · DE
• SLOVENSKE ZELEZNICE DOOparticipant · SI
• INDRA SISTEMAS SAparticipant · ES
• GEIE DES UTILISATEURS D'ERTMSthirdparty · BE
• ALSTOM FERROVIARIA SPAthirdparty · IT
• HACON INGENIEURGESELLSCHAFT MBHparticipant · DE
• MER MEC SPAparticipant · IT
• HITACHI RAIL GTS AUSTRIA GMBHthirdparty · AT
• KONTRON TRANSPORTATION FRANCE SASthirdparty · FR
• SNCF RESEAUparticipant · FR
• CAF SIGNALLING S.Lparticipant · ES
• OBB-Infrastruktur AGparticipant · AT
• RAILENIUMparticipant · FR
• GMV NSL LIMITEDparticipant · UK
• AZD PRAHA SROparticipant · CZ
• SCHWEIZERISCHE BUNDESBAHNEN SBBparticipant · CH
• ALSTOM TRANSPORT SAparticipant · FR
• PROMETNI INSTITUT LJUBLJANA DOOthirdparty · SI
• ASOCIACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO CEITparticipant · ES
• KONTRON TRANSPORTATION GmbHparticipant · AT
• CONSTRUCCIONES Y AUXILIAR DE FERROCARRILES INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO SLthirdparty · ES