As part of the Rhine-Alpine Corridor project, Alstom has been awarded the contract to implement ETCS on the Ratingen–Leverkusen line, which is part of the North Sea–Rhine–Mediterranean corridor within Germany.
The project involves equipping 43 km of track with ETCS Level 2 with signals, with work scheduled for completion by the end of 2029. The contract was awarded through the framework agreement for digital signaling and railway safety technology concluded by DB InfraGO.
The modernization aims to replace and expand the current German PZB point-to-point train control system with European ETCS technology, considered essential for the interoperability of European rail networks and for increasing the efficiency of international traffic.
As part of the project, ETCS balises will be installed and two radio control centres, known as Radio Block Centres (RBCs), will be built. These centres enable continuous data exchange between the railway infrastructure and trains, ensuring digital traffic supervision and control.
The first RBC, located in Düsseldorf-Rath, will cover the section between Ratingen West and Immigrath, representing approximately 43 km equipped with ETCS. Its commissioning is scheduled for the end of 2029. Subsequently, the Solingen RBC center will be built, along with the extension of the system on the Opladen–Leverkusen Morsbroich section, totaling another 21 km.
Control of signaling installations and ETCS functions will be carried out from the new digital control center in Wuppertal, via the integrated iBS operating system. This enables the centralized and interoperable management of various types of modern signaling systems.
ETCS Installation, a Priority for Germany
The implementation of ETCS is considered one of the most important steps toward the standardization of European rail transport, as it facilitates the movement of trains between countries without changing national safety and signaling systems.
DB InfraGO’s Rhine-Alpine Corridor project covers most of the German segment of the European North Sea–Rhine–Mediterranean corridor and extends from Oberhausen-Sterkrade to Haltingen, near Basel.
To accelerate the digitalization of the railway infrastructure, DB InfraGO has signed a framework agreement worth a total of 6.3 billion euros with four major groups in the railway industry: Alstom, Hitachi Rail, MerMec, and the consortium formed by Siemens Mobility and Leonhard Weiss. In this context, the installation of ETCS on the Ratingen–Leverkusen line is a step forward toward the digitization of the corridor.
The agreement includes the supply of digital signaling equipment, ETCS, and integrated control and operation systems, making it one of the most extensive railway digitization programs underway in Europe.
It should be noted that the Federal Ministry of Transport recently established an ERTMS Coordination Office to coordinate activities and projects aimed at accelerating the installation of the digital system.
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