Cross-border ERTMS: conquering the final frontier

Cross-border European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) deployments can represent a significant challenge for infrastructure managers, with at least two sets of national rules and multiple location-specific technical considerations. Two key projects which are seeking to streamline international train movements along the Rhine-Alpine Corridor are the subject of this article. The first is the extension of electrification and European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 on the line between Zevanaar in the Netherlands and Emmerich in Germany, in order to streamline operations. The second project is further south on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor where ECTS is being introduced across the Swiss-Italian border with migration taking place at three locations. Both projects exemplify the importance of collaboration, as well as illustrate the extreme complexity that exists in attempting to achieve the European ideal of interoperability.