ERTMS in brief
ERTMS comprises several key components:
- European Train Control System (ETCS): The in-cab equipment supervises train movements, including stopping the train, based on maximum permitted speeds at different line sections. It receives track information from ETCS equipment installed beside the track, either Eurobalises or radio signals, to calculate and supervise maximum speeds. The Driver Machine Interface (DMI) displays speed supervision and relevant route conditions to the driver, who confirms changes manually.
- Automatic Train Operation (ATO): is the third ERTMS building block and automates the operation of the train up to Grade of Automation 2 (GoA2). ATO at GoA2 starts and stops the train automatically with ETCS, providing automatic train protection (ATP) functionalities and monitoring train movements and speed limits on the line.
- Railway Mobile Radio: facilitates communication between trains and traffic control centres using:
- GSM-R is based on GSM radio technology and uses exclusive frequency bands.
- FRMCS is a telecommunication system for railways. It is designed as the successor of GSM-R and is hereby a key enabler for the digitalisation of rail transport.
ERTMS aims to replace the different national train control and command systems in Europe. The deployment of ERTMS enables the creation of a seamless European railway system and increases European railway competitiveness.
Improve cross-border connections
ERTMS has been designed to be fully interoperable across Europe
ERTMS brings considerable advantages :
Why does Europe need ERTMS?
Currently there are more than 20 train control systems across the European Union. Each train used by a national rail company has to be equipped with at least one system but sometimes more, just to be able to run safely within that one country.
Each system is stand-alone and non-interoperable, and therefore requires extensive integration, engineering effort, raising total delivery costs for cross-border traffic. This restricts competition and hampers the competitiveness of the European rail sector vis-à-vis road transport by creating technical barriers to international journeys. For instance, the Thalys train sets running between Paris-Brussels-Cologne and Amsterdam have to be equipped with 7 different types of train control systems, which brings considerable costs.
A unique train control system for Europe and beyond
As a unique European train control system, ERTMS is designed to gradually replace the existing incompatible systems throughout Europe. This will bring considerable benefits to the railway sector as it will boost international freight and passenger transport.
In addition, ERTMS is arguably the most performant train control system in the world and brings significant advantages in terms of maintenance costs savings, safety, reliability, punctuality and traffic capacity. This explains why ERTMS is increasingly successful outside Europe, and is becoming the train control system of choice for countries such as China, India, Taiwan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
By making the rail sector more competitive, ERTMS helps to level the playing field with road transport and ultimately provides significant environmental gains.