Safer tracks with the European Train Control System (ETCS)
15 December 2025Safer tracks with the European Train Control System (ETCS)
15 December 2025
Equans installs the ETCS system on the Belgian railway network, contributing to safer railways across Europe.
More efficient, safer, and harmonized rail transport across Europe: that is the goal of the European Train Control System (ETCS). The Belgian railway infrastructure manager Infrabel decided to deploy this advanced communication system to prevent accidents on the rail network. In 2015, Infrabel signed a contract with Equans and its partner Siemens to install the ETCS system on 2,274 kilometers of track. This made Belgium one of the first European countries to implement the new safety system on its rail network.
What is the ETCS?
The ETCS (European Train Control System) is a signalling, control, and safety system for trains designed to replace the often incompatible systems currently used by various European railways. This European safety system enables train drivers to do their jobs with total peace of mind, thanks to automatic speed control, the receipt of warning signals, and the repetition of side signalling on their control screen.
How does it work?
The system has several levels. Level 1, already in place in Belgium, corrects potential driver errors by automatically adapting the train’s speed when approaching a red light. At level 2, the data is sent continuously from the track to the train via a GSM-R radio communication system specific to railways that provides a permanent two-way connection between the vehicle and the side of the track.
A few key figures
Equans’s contribution
Civil engineering works, computer cabinets, on-track equipment, cabling, testing, quality control, etc. TThe installation of ETCS Level 2 has now been completed across large parts of our country.
“In collaboration with Siemens, the technology manager, our teams are ensuring that the works are carried out smoothly along and on the railway tracks, focusing on the assembly and electricity part,” explains Alexis Assoignon, Section Manager at Equans. “We worked in zones of around ten kilometres, partly at night and on the weekend, during disconnections, in which periods alternative transport solutions are, of course, put in place for passengers.”
