Valenciennes (France), a city with a long-standing railway tradition, will be the European ERTMS capital from 23 until 25 April 2024. Hosted by the EU Agency for Railways, this conference represents a pivotal moment for the future of rail transportation, focusing on the deployment of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) projects across Europe and beyond.

The ERTMS 2024 Conference in Valenciennes (France) is poised to be a pivotal event for rail transportation. It is a gathering where experts, decision-makers, and industry representatives will converge to shape the future of rail traffic management.

Attendees can expect a deep dive into past ERTMS implementations, gaining insights into successes and challenges. The conference will provide a comprehensive overview of the current deployment landscape, while also offering a visionary outlook towards the future. An exploration of migration and implementation strategies for the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) will be a highlight, alongside a showcase of innovative research projects contributing to the evolution of the Control Command and Signalling Technical Specifications for Interoperability (CCS TSI).

This gathering serves as a unique platform for stakeholders to collaborate, exchange knowledge, and collectively steer the deployment of ERTMS towards new horizons. It’s an opportunity to immerse in success stories, tackle industry challenges head-on, and share best practices. The goal is to pave the way for more efficient, cost-effective, and interoperable railway signalling systems across Europe and beyond.

Participants hop on a three-day knowledge journey:

Day 1 | April 23, 2024

The conference opens its doors with a series of workshops, each offering a chance to engage in vibrant group discussions guided by key moderators. Participants can select three out of ten workshops, each dedicated to exploring emerging topics, fostering fresh ideas, and building crucial relationships essential for the success of ERTMS.

Day 2 | April 24, 2024

The second day will provide a comprehensive overview of the current ERTMS deployment status across Europe. Strategies to navigate regulatory challenges, secure funding mechanisms, and foster collaborative initiatives will take center stage. Additionally, the day will highlight migration scenarios to FRMCS by exploring technical challenges, deployment strategies, interoperability considerations, and the potential impact on ERTMS deployment.

Day 3 | April 25, 2024

The final day of the conference will shine a spotlight on ongoing innovation and research projects pivotal in the evolution of CCS TSI and the enhancement of ERTMS capabilities. Discussions will revolve around the latest developments in signalling technologies, communication systems, and interoperability solutions, offering a glimpse into the future of rail traffic management.

Topics of the workshops

The topics of the workshops are:

-Outputs of EU Rail | Standardisation and TSI Input Plan

-Improving ERTMS performance by integrating Human Organisational Factors (HOF)

-Operational Harmonisation

-How to optimise cost for the ERTMS Lifecycle for Trackside and On-board?

-How can ERTMS deployment for Trackside and On-board be accelerated?

-ETCS and Radio System compatibility checks : on the way to a progressive phase-out?

-From Certification to Authorisation, challenges and issues

-How to successfully introduce FRMCS (the successor of GSM-R) on EU network and the vehicles?

-CCS Target and migration – the EU-RAIL System Pillar Approach

a. The DAC (Digital Automatic Coupling) programme and its interaction with ERTMS
b. How can ETCS braking curves be adapted to a more realistic behaviour of the rolling stock?
c. The CCS TSI 2023 insights within the transition regime and the error correction process explained

-Trackside approval

Conclusions workshops in Marketplace

On 24 April, attendees will have a chance to participate in the Marketplace session. Each workshop’s results and conclusions will be displayed in designated areas within the conference hall. Like this, key takeaways from the workshops will be distilled, allowing attendees to glean additional insights and engage with organizers for feedback or further discussions.

For those who missed out on registering for a workshop due to high demand, the Marketplace stands will be a hub for interaction with moderators, offering a valuable opportunity to gain insights and perspectives. If you want to discover the latest news in the ERTMS world, then join the workshops on topics like FRMCS migration and ESC-RSC phasing out.

There are only a very few places left, so if you are really interested in ERTMS and want to join more than 500 participants, register today. For inquiries and registration details, you can reach out to the conference team at ERTMS2024@era.europa.eu