Siemens Mobility to introduce ETCS L2 in Finland
Siemens Mobility is set to introduce ETCS train control system Level 2 to Finland as part of the ‘Digirail’ project, which aims to modernise the country’s train control infrastructure.
Selected by the Finnish government’s Digital initiative, Siemens Mobility will spearhead the upgrade of the first section of Finland’s rail network. This includes the installation of the European Train Control System Level 2 (ETCS L2) and the Hybrid Train Detection (HTD) along a 191-kilometre stretch between Lielahti and Rauma-Pori.
This milestone represents the first implementation of the ETCS Level 2 and HTD in Finland, leveraging Siemens Mobility’s latest interlocking and radio block centre technology on the new DS3 platform. The system, based entirely on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, is designed to enhance network capacity, punctuality, and safety while minimising disruptions. The upgraded system is expected to be operational by 2027, contributing to a more sustainable and efficient railway network.
The first phase of the Digirail project will cover the Lielahti-Rauma/Pori line, introducing a modern radio-based ETCS and Hybrid Train Detection. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024, with testing and commissioning targeted for completion by 2027.
Digirail project
Sanna Järvenpää, CEO of Fintraffic Railway, highlighted the importance of the Digirail project for Finland’s railway sector transformation, emphasising the improvements in capacity, punctuality, and safety expected from the collaboration with Siemens Mobility.
The Digirail project, led by the Ministry of Transport and Communication, aims to revolutionise Finland’s train control system by implementing ETCS nationwide. Siemens Mobility’s partnership with Finnish rolling stock owner company Pääkaupunkiseudun Junakalusto Oy for initial testing of ETCS in Finland marks a significant step towards achieving this goal.
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