Why the EU supports research and innovation in rail transport
Rail transport is fundamental for achieving sustainable low-carbon mobility in Europe, but rail faces critical challenges. Rail needs to shoulder a large share of future transport demand while at the same time coping with dwindling public funding. Research is focusing on
-
passenger rail - developing innovative products and services that make passengers want to choose rail travel over other less sustainable modes of transport
-
freight transport by rail - optimising logistic chains that use more than one mode of transport and better rail infrastructure to make transporting freight by rail more attractive
Funding opportunities
On this page you can find more information, the work programme and a link to the environment-related calls
COST (European cooperation in science and technology) is a funding organisation for research and innovation networks
CEF Transport co-finances projects that enhance multimodality, improve infrastructure and advance innovation and new technologies.
Projects and results
Specialised collection of projects at European, national and international levels.
The Commission's primary portal for results of EU-funded rail transport research projects.
Stories of particularly successful EU-funded rail research projects.
Latest news, interviews and features about thought-provoking science and innovative research projects funded by the EU.
Platform where framework programme participants present their results for you to search, contact their owners, and form partnerships.
Collaboration and jobs
Find partners for open EU calls for proposal
JU bringing together industry, SMEs and research centres, to create a Single European Railway Area and deliver more competitive and resource-efficient European rail.
European Technology Platform giving rail stakeholders the opportunity evolve the sector and make it more competitive, by fostering increased innovation and guiding research efforts at European level.
Network for local and regional authorities to work together to promote sustainable mobility by deploying innovative transport solutions.
Researcher jobs in related fields
Scientific publications, tools and databases
Dashboard where you can search for data on beneficiaries of H2020 funding for smart mobility and services
Scientific publications produced by the European Commission (JRC)
The Commission's Joint Research Centre compiles databases and develops software and modelling tools. You can access transport related ones here.
Online library of EU rail transport research publications
You can access all scientific publications from Horizon 2020 via OpenAIRE
Single point of access to open data produced by the EU institutions - all data free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes