Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking has launched its first call for proposals for this year, with a total contribution from the European Union of EUR 6.1 million.
The call focuses on future-oriented transport concepts, targeting:
- the development of lightweight and cost-efficient rolling stock, as well as automated multimodal mobility systems with ‘mobile infrastructures’;
- the development of hyperloop technology, by supporting the development of safety and certification guidelines, including the functional validation of safety components.
The call for proposals, together with the two topics included, is open for submission of proposals until May 7, 2026. The 2026 call for proposals will be presented at Europe’s Rail Info Day, which will take place online on February 9, 2026.
Lightweight and efficient rolling stock
This aims to further develop a small, lightweight regional rail vehicle that is adapted to the specific requirements influenced by the particularities of different lines and the corresponding categories of regional lines. The main objectives are to reduce costs and adapt to the infrastructure of branch lines, which are characterized by poor superstructure, tight curves, and other similar constraints. These factors have a significant impact on the mechanical and electrical architecture of the vehicle and, implicitly, on the design of the body and running gear.
Automated multimodal mobility systems
This call aims to further develop the design of an automated multimodal mobility system, building on the results of the EU-Rail Pods4Rail project, which defined the fundamentals of such a system. Design concepts for the carrier vehicle, both for use on rail and road, have been developed, as well as a conceptual design for a selected sample of transport units, including their related components and equipment.
In this case, it is necessary to define the technical requirements of the main subsystems of a pod-type system, with a special focus on the Carrier, the transport unit, and the handling system. The main focus will remain on the rail application, but intramodality must be ensured by also taking into account road transport and cable mobility. The Mobility Management System, already initiated within the Pods4Rail project, will be further developed and will further detail the technical basis for the autonomous operation of the system, including by investigating the components of the Mobility Management System in a laboratory environment.
The project resulting from this topic should develop, within the following capabilities, the enabling factors and any other elements that can contribute to the achievement of the expected result.
Call for Hyperloop
With regard to support for safety and certification guidelines for the hyperloop system, this component is even more essential, given that it is a completely new mode of transport, not only to gain public acceptance, but above all to demonstrate the safety and reliability of this unconventional rapid transport mode, which operates in a low-pressure environment. In this regard, safety guidelines and safety and performance requirements need to be developed to support future European standardization activities. Since hyperloop is considered a cross-border transport solution, there is a need for a coherent and harmonized safety framework. This should specify the regulatory requirements and certification procedures for hyperloop with relevant authorities, institutions, and technical committees.
With regard to the validation of safety components for hyperloop, it should be noted that key technologies must be validated in a laboratory environment in accordance with safety requirements and procedures so that their compliance can be assessed. In addition, a complete proof of concept must be developed and tested to validate safety requirements and demonstrate that the certification procedures developed can be successfully applied and verified in practice. This approach can further support hyperloop promoters in creating a solid regulatory framework for an unconventional fast mode of transport.
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