Welcome to ERRAC
The European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC) was established in 2001 to serve as a much-needed single European body with both the competence and capability to help revitalise the EU’s rail sector and make it more competitive by fostering increased innovation and guiding research efforts at European level. Since its conception, ERRAC has managed to gather all major rail stakeholders in its ranks. The council brings together representatives from the sector such as manufacturers, operators and infrastructure managers as well as the European Commission, the European Union Agency for Railways, Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, EU Member States, academics and users’ groups. ERRAC covers all forms of rail transport, ranging from conventional, high speed and freight applications to urban and regional services.
Organisation
” ERRAC helps to bring rail stakeholders together, making sure research results fit our real-world needs. It speeds up innovations and their readiness for implementation we need for clean, smart and reliable transport across Europe. In addition, research coordinated between science, industry and users promotes the global competitiveness of the products and solutions developed”
– Dr Ralf Kaminsky – ERRAC Chair
“ERRAC is important for railway operators because it focuses research on practical issues we face daily. This helps us run trains more efficiently and sustainably.”
– Mr. Christophe Chéron – ERRAC Vice-Chair
” ERRAC connects academia directly with the rail sector and major European programs like ERJU, boosting academic participation through cross-sector cooperation. Within ERRAC’s activities, we’re planning specific actions like student competitions to encourage more young researchers and women to get involved in railway research.”
– Dr Marion Berbineau – ERRAC Vice-Chair / PAG Chair
Mission
The European Rail Research Advisory Council’s (ERRAC) primary objective is to communicate the railway sector’s common Research & Innovation vision to the European institutions and other important stakeholders. By doing so, the council aims to help shape a favourable funding landscape for railway research initiatives that drive innovation via calls for projects and joint undertakings like the influential Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking and its successor programme Europe’s Rail.
Publications
ERRAC News
TRA 2026 in Budapest: Shaping the future of European transport
The next edition of the Transport Research Arena (TRA) will take place in Budapest from 18 to 21 May 2026. Every two years, TRA, Europe’s leading event for transport research and innovation, brings together all the stakeholders shaping the mobility of tomorrow:...
Competition/2026 Call for abstracts/Rail
Are you a former #master student or #PhD student in the field of railway studies, who graduated your studies in 2024 or 2025 in Europe? - Yes? Then do not miss this opportunity! The European Rail Research Advisory Council (#ERRAC), #EURNEX, and Europe's Rail Joint...
Future Tracks: Vision and Goals for Rail Transport Research & Innovation in Changing Europe
✨ New ERRAC Publication Released! ✨ 🎉 We are excited to share the brand-new strategic publication from ERRAC (the European Rail Research Advisory Council): Future Tracks: Vision and Goals for Rail Transport Research & Innovation in Changing Europe. It outlines how...
TRA2026 – Abstract Submission Deadline Extended to 30 June 2025
The abstract submission deadline for both the Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2026 Conference and the TRA VISIONS Awards has been extended by two weeks. The new deadline is now 30 June 2025. TRA2026, co-organised by the European Commission and supported by leading...
ERRAC Plenary Meeting – 5 June 2025
The first ERRAC Plenary Meeting of 2025 is taking place on 5 June in the Maison Irène et Frédéric Joliot-Curie in Brussels and online. The event will bring together participants from across Europe’s rail research and innovation community to discuss ongoing work, share...
Student Competition ERRAC PAG, EURNEX, EUROPE’S RAIL – Call for abstracts – Extended deadline
ERRAC PAG, EURNEX, and EUROPE'S RAIL are announcing a call for abstracts for a student competition. The main goal of this competition is to highlight excellent scientific results in the railway domain and to facilitate the access of young practitioners and scholars to...
ERRAC Plenary Session held in Paris
On Wednesday 04 December 2024, the European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC) held its plenary meeting at the UIC headquarters in Paris. The Session was chaired by Dr Ralf Kaminsky (Siemens / UNIFE) who was appointed as ERRAC Chair, effective from July 2024 with...
ERRAC Rail Research and Innovation Agenda (RRIA) – September 2024
The ERRAC Rail Research and Innovation Agenda (RRIA) produced by ERRAC (Europe Rail Research Advisory Council) has been first presented at InnoTrans on 24 September 2024. Following the RAIL 2030 Vision and the Manifesto, this document is an important input of the rail...
All Transport Platforms advocate for Transport Research in FP10
The European Technology Platforms ACARE, ALICE, ERRAC, ERTRAC and Waterborne have adopted the attached joint position paper advocating for Transport Research in the next EU Framework Programme for Research (FP10). Together, they call to highlight Transport Research in...
ERRAC held its plenary meeting on 22 May 2024 in Brussels
The European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC) held a significant plenary meeting at the Maison Irène et Frédéric Joliot-Curie Auditorium in Brussels. The event began with a welcome from ERRAC Chairman Dr. Andrzej Massel and approval of the agenda. Judit Sandor,...