photo: RAILTARGET/TSI Open Days Technical Workshop
A technical workshop organised by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) in Prague opened a wide-ranging expert debate on the implementation of ERTMS and the Control-Command and Signalling Technical Specification for Interoperability (TSI CCS) across the European rail network. Representatives of European institutions, national authorities, infrastructure managers, railway undertakings, and industry discussed not only the safety benefits of ETCS, but also interoperability challenges, costs, and practical experience from exclusive operation. The RAILTARGET editorial team attended the event.
In mid-January, Prague became a focal point for a key professional discussion on the future of European rail. The ERA technical workshop dedicated to ERTMS and TSI CCS brought together stakeholders from EU institutions, national authorities, infrastructure managers, railway operators, and the rail supply industry. Rather than a series of one-way presentations, the event was designed as an open forum addressing safety, interoperability, costs, and real-world operational experience.
The workshop was opened and moderated throughout the day by João Gaspar, ERA’s representative responsible for ERTMS and interoperability, and UNIFE Secretary General Enno Wiebe. At the outset, speakers thanked the Czech Ministry of Transport for its active engagement and the personal attendance of Transport Minister Ivan Bednárik, which ERA and industry representatives described as a strong political signal supporting ERTMS, signalling, and traffic management. According to Wiebe, political attention to what may appear to be purely technical issues is essential for successful implementation.
Organisers also explained that Prague was chosen deliberately to highlight progress in ETCS deployment in Central and Eastern Europe. According to UNIFE and ERA representatives, European discussions have long focused primarily on Western Europe, while experiences from countries such as the Czech Republic received less attention. Prague, therefore, became a symbolic venue to open this debate more fully for the Central European region.
A Conference Framed by Remembrance
The opening of the workshop also carried a solemn dimension. ERA Executive Director Oana Gherghinescu was unable to attend due to her involvement in managing the aftermath of the tragic railway accident in Spain, which we have previously reported about. Moderators, therefore, invited participants to observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims.
Enno Wiebe openly acknowledged that organisers had debated whether the workshop should proceed under such circumstances. Ultimately, they concluded that tragic events underscore the urgency of continuously improving railway safety and protection systems. The workshop thus unfolded in a spirit combining respect for the victims with determination to work towards a safer rail system.
Industry Perspective: Interoperability, Predictability, and Costs
Special thanks were addressed to the Association of Czech Railway Industry Companies, without whose support, speakers said, the Prague workshop would not have been possible. ACRI Managing Director Marie Vopálenská stressed in her opening remarks the fundamental importance of technical standards for the European rail industry.
According to Vopálenská, standards are not only essential for manufacturing and competitiveness, but above all for operational safety and security. Interoperability remains the key concept: without it, neither European railways nor the industry could function as they do today. She also emphasised the need for predictable technical standards, simplified assessment and approval procedures, and an open debate on the costs associated with implementing systems such as ETCS.
Minister Bednárik: Restoring Rail’s Prestige Through Safety
Czech Transport Minister Ivan Bednárik underlined that the primary motivation for deploying ERTMS is safety and responsibility for human lives. He recalled the historical role of railways and the ambition to restore their prestige through a modern, safe, and reliable system fit for the 21st century. From the Czech perspective, ETCS forms the core of ERTMS and is viewed not merely as a technical project but as a decisive step towards reducing risks linked to human error.
Bednárik noted that ETCS currently covers more than 1,400 kilometres of Czech railways and roughly half of rail traffic performance, with further expansion planned on key TEN-T corridors. Implementation concerns both infrastructure and rolling stock: while the state provides financial support, operators decide which vehicles to equip. Around 1,400 vehicles have already received support, with nearly EUR 450 million from European and national sources and an additional EUR 600 million invested by operators themselves.
January 2025 marked a key milestone with the launch of exclusive ETCS operation on selected sections, now covering approximately 42% of traffic performance. Despite significant technical and organisational demands and initial operational challenges, the system has, according to the minister, significantly increased safety and achieved reliability exceeding 99.5%. From a European perspective, however, expected benefits in interoperability and cost reduction have not yet been fully realised, making these issues central to further debate.
ERA: Reducing Costs to Strengthen Rail Competitiveness
Building on the minister’s remarks, Jo De Bosschere, Head of the ERTMS Unit at ERA, outlined the European Commission’s mandate to revise the TSIs. In August 2024, the Commission tasked ERA with reviewing all TSIs across approximately 80 thematic areas. Key objectives include completing the Single European Railway Area, optimising regulation—particularly by simplifying certification and authorisation—and managing innovation so as not to jeopardise existing ERTMS investments.
According to De Bosschere, stability of specifications must be the guiding principle, with a careful balance between innovation and operational certainty. ERA intends to proceed cautiously with new functionalities such as FRMCS, preparing clear methodologies for states, infrastructure managers, and operators. The overarching goal is to enhance rail competitiveness primarily through cost reduction and faster deployment, rather than frequent and costly rule changes.
National Safety Authority: Approval Processes Remain Lengthy
The national safety authority perspective was presented by Radek Šafránek from the Czech Railway Authority. He pointed to the persistently high number of signal passed at danger (SPAD) incidents—over 150 annually—and the obsolescence of the former national signalling system as key drivers for ETCS deployment. ETCS is expected to significantly limit human error while enabling interoperable European operations.
However, experience from preparations for exclusive ETCS operation showed that installation alone is insufficient. Tests on short sections before the launch revealed hundreds of emergency stops, issues with GSM-R, odometry, and software compatibility. The Railway Authority therefore initiated expert working groups to coordinate over 150 operators, harmonise procedures, and verify functional compatibility between vehicles and infrastructure. Šafránek also highlighted lengthy approval processes and the need for stricter yet stable TSI requirements.
Operators and Industry: Investment, Complexity, and Open Questions
From the infrastructure manager’s perspective, Radek Čech of Správa železnic confirmed that ETCS has met its primary objective of improving safety. He also cited smoother driving, higher speeds, and greater standardisation, while noting that interoperability—especially on international services—remains problematic. As a paradox, he observed that Prague today has fewer direct international rail connections than in the era of the Fantova Building, partly due to differing national ETCS implementations.
Representing operators, Jiří Ješeta, Board Member of Czech Railways, stated that as of 1 January 2025, 633 kilometres of Czech lines operate under exclusive ETCS. Czech Railways has invested approximately EUR 200 million in retrofitting existing vehicles. The process is demanding financially and operationally, with installation preparation often taking up to a year and cumulative vehicle downtime amounting to hundreds of months. While praising ETCS Level 2 for reducing collisions, lowering driver stress, and improving traffic flow, Ješeta also pointed to challenges related to software versions, radio communication, and staff training.
An economic perspective was offered by Zdeněk Chrdle of AŽD, who warned that administrative and approval procedures constitute a significant share of total ETCS costs. He argued for an expert debate on the scope of ETCS deployment, particularly on regional lines where costs may outweigh ordered transport performance. Without a realistic financing approach, Chrdle cautioned, rail risks losing competitiveness against road transport.
ETCS: An Irreversible Path With Open Issues
The workshop confirmed that ETCS is an irreversible direction for Europe and the Czech Republic alike. At the same time, it demonstrated that alongside technical solutions, debates on interoperability, costs, approval processes, and real operational impacts will be equally decisive in the coming years. If rail is to remain a safe and competitive transport system, these issues must be addressed in a coordinated manner across the entire sector.
