Discover the EIM 2025 Annual Report

For European Rail Infrastructure Managers, 2025 was a year of strategic opportunity, marked by intensified EU legislative and policy activity directly affecting all European rail infrastructure members.

Energy

The electrification of the European railways is progressing with around half of the network already upgraded.

Databases

Telematics applications ensure constant interfaces and dialogue between the train and the infrastructure at all stages of the process.

Passengers

The rail sector is fully engaged in addressing the important societal need for better accessibility of persons with disabilities to public infrastructure.

Financing

The EU budget is crucial to translate EU Members States’ political priorities into concrete programmes and activities.

ERTMS and Telecommunications

ERTMS is the European standard for CCS. ERTMS consists of ETCS, RMR and ATO.

Networks

The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) is a set of rail, road, air, and water transport networks in the European Union.

Rolling Stock

Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move along a railway, i.e. powered and unpowered vehicles such as locomotives (including on-track machines – OTMs) and passenger carriages.

Environment

Noise pollution is one of the most widespread public health threats in industrialised countries and the second largest environmental cause of health problems in the EU, impacting the railway sector and rail operations.

Innovation

Under the multiannual research and innovation (R&I) programme “Horizon Europe” (2021-2027), the European Union and the rail industry have funded the Joint Undertaking “Europe’s Rail” (ERJU).

Legislation

IMs are increasingly using drones for inspections, maintenance and other purposes. In addition, unsolicited drone flight operations over rail tracks are becoming a safety and security issue.

Greening Freight Transport Package

It shall support shifting cargo from road to rail and waterways, incentivising the purchase of low-emission lorries, and establishing an easier and more accurate method to calculate the carbon footprint of freight journeys.

Operations and Performances

Railway interoperability by means of a harmonised traffic management across Europe is crucial for establishing SERA and cross-border services, while also ensuring the safety of railway operations

Infrastructure and Stations

In Europe, some rail infrastructure managers own or operate stations. In some cases, the operational part of station management is delegated to another entity, which could also be a railway undertaking.

Public Procurement and Market

Track Access Charges (TACs) are fees paid by Railway Undertakings (RUs) to Infrastructure Managers (IMs) for the use of railway infrastructure.

Safety

To ensure a high-level of safety, rail IMs are committed to delivering a safe, high-performing and reliable rail network.

Security

The digitalisation of rail increases cybersecurity threats for IT systems for Rail Infrastructure Managers (IMs) but also Railway Undertakings (RUs).

Table of Contents

EIM Key Activities in 2025

Cooperation

Internal Affairs