High speed rail

Fast track to sustainable mobility

Foreword
High speed rail encompasses a complex
reality involving many technical aspects such
as infrastructure, rolling stock and operatons,
as well as strategic and cross-sector issues
including human factors and fnancial,
commercial, and managerial aspects.
In additon, the high speed rail system
combines all these various elements by using
the highest level of technology and the most
advanced concepton for each of them.
High speed is a rapidly expanding new
transport mode and is ofen described
as the transport mode of the future.
This is due to the three main and very
important characteristcs ofered to customers
and society: safety, capacity (within velocity),
and sustainability (in partcular respect
to the environment).
However high speed is not always well
understood as a transport system and its
performance is not fully taken advantage
of, which limits the potental development
of high speed, the development of classic
rail, and all other transport modes.
UIC has for a long tme been paying partcular
atenton to high speed and has prioritsed
among other objectves: the communicaton
and disseminaton of high speed performances,
characteristcs and applicaton possibilites.
This brochure, published every two years
on the occasion of the World Congress
on High Speed (organised by UIC together
with a natonal high speed member) is
intended to shed some light on the principles
and possibilites of high speed rail, in view
of a beter and more logical development.
HIGH SPEED SIGNIFIES OPERATIONS
OF AT LEAST 250KM/H.
BUT IN FACT IT IS THE PERFORMANCE
AS PERCEIVED BY CUSTOMERS IN TERMS OF
TRAVEL TIME, FREQUENCY, AND COMFORT
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
HIGH SPEED RAIL GENERAL OVERVIEW
3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
Summary
High speed rail principles > fap
Foreword > 3
High speed rail and sustainability > 4
High speed rail and the environment > 6
Technical aspects - Infrastructure > 8
Technical aspects - Rolling stock > 10
Technical aspects - Operatons > 12
Statons - High speed and the city > 16
Commercial aspects > 18
Economy and fnances for high speed > 20
High speed around the world > 22
High speed at UIC > 26
High speed towards the future > 28
V > 250 km/h in operation
V < 250 km/h in operation
High speed in project
FIRST PRINCIPLE: HIGH SPEED IS A SYSTEM
High speed railways are very complex systems
which are comprised of the state of the art of
many diferent elements:
> Infrastructure (including civil engineering
works, track, catenary)
> Statons (locaton, functonal design,
equipment)
> Rolling stock (technology, comfort, design)
> Operatons (design and planning, control, rules)
> Signalling systems
> Maintenance policy and systems
> Financing
> Marketng procedures
> Management
> Legal issues
It is essental that each and every one of these
components is considered, so as to save even
a minute and be compettve. None may be
neglected and it is absolutely vital to consider
all these aspects simultaneously and ensure
that each tes in correctly with the others.
The tme spent by customers buying a tcket,
entering the staton or waitng for a taxi on
arrival, must be consistent with the tme saved
by using a high speed system containing high-
level technology and signifcant investments.
SECOND PRINCIPLE: HIGH SPEED SYSTEMS
ARE (EQUAL BUT) DIFFERENT EVERYWHERE
High speed systems depend on how all
the composite elements are considered
and adapted. The fnal system obtained
(in terms of cost and performances) could
be very diferent from one country to another
depending on, among other things, commercial
approach, operaton criteria, and cost.
High speed rail principles
OPERATING AT HIGH SPEED REQUIRES:
> Special trains. High speed operatons
require train sets instead of conventonal
trains (locomotve and cars), because
of the power-to-weight rato and various
other technical reasons, such as aerodynamic
conditons, reliability and safety.
> Special dedicated lines. Conventonal
lines, even with major upgrades, are unable
to operate at more than 200-220km/h.
The layout parameters, transverse sectons,
track quality, catenary and power supply,
and special environmental conditons must
be able to sustain high operatonal speeds.
> Special signalling system.
One partcular aspect of the operatng
conditons is the signalling system. Line side
signals are no longer useable at more than
200km/h because they may not always be
observed in tme. In-cab signalling is absolutely
necessary for high speed operaton.
2010
HIGH SPEED RAIL SYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD
1,400 million passengers carried by TGV trains since 1981
400,000 passengers per day on the Tokaido Shinkansen (Tokyo to Osaka, 515km)
1964 1st October: Worlds frst high speed train service from Tokyo to Osaka
80%
Modal split obtained by high speed trains in relaton to air transport
when travel tme by train is less than 2.5 hours

574.8km/h World speed record - France 2007
THE POSSIBILITIES OF CLASSIC
RAILWAYs
Generally speaking, conventonal railways
can only run trains up to speeds of around
200-220km/h (with certain rare exceptons).
This is not only due to technical reasons but
also due to the capacity problems which arise
when atemptng to operate trains running
at speeds difering by more than 50km/h.
Revenue services at higher speeds require
special consideraton and it is at this moment
that the concept of a high speed system
starts to be of fundamental importance.
Sustainability = environment
+ economy + social
ECONOMY Average external costs per transport modes
(Euros per 1,000 passenger-kilometres)
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
HIGH SPEED AND SUSTAINABILITY HIGH SPEED AND SUSTAINABILITY
SOCIETY
High speed rail is a tool for politcal integraton:
linking territories, encouraging the modernisaton
of other transport modes, and improving
accessibility to broader geographic areas.
High speed increases the mobility of people
and, as a metro network organises the city,
high speed rail organises the territory.
High speed performance invites people to move
by a cleaner means of transport and improves
quality of life.
HIGH SPEED IS SAFE!
60
70
80
30
40
10
0
20
50
52.5
76.0
37.7
22.9
Climate change
(difference low/high scenario)
Accidents
Noise
Air pollution
Nature & landscape
Up and downstream processes
Urban effects
Climate change low scenario

UIC study on High Speed Rail contributon

to Environment and Sustainable Mobility
is available on the UIC-High Speed website:
www.uic.org/highspeed
HIGH SPEED RAIL AND THE ENVIRONMENT HIGH SPEED RAIL AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Land use
Due to high speed rails very high transport
capacity, the land needed for the large
trafc volumes carried is much reduced.
AS AN EXAMPLE, SOME LAND USE
RATIOS
> An average high speed line uses 3.2ha/km
> An average motorway uses 9.3ha/km
In additon, the impact on land use can be
signifcantly reduced if new high speed lines
are laid out parallel to existng motorways
(where layout parameters permit).
EXAMPLES OF PARALLEL LAYOUTS
> Paris - Lyon (1981 - 1983) 60km (14%)
> Paris - Lille (1993) 135km (41%)
> Cologne - Frankfurt (2002) 140km (71%)
> Milan - Bologna (2008) 130km (72%)
The constructon of a new high speed line is
sometmes a good opportunity to upgrade
and renovate spaces and landscapes.
Comparisons in land use

Motorway <> HS Railway

2 x 3 lanes Double track

75m

25m
2 x 7,650 passengers / h 2 x 8,000 passengers / h

2 x 1.7 passengers / car

2 x 666 passengers / train



h
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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666
2 x 4,500 cars per hour 2 x 12 trains per hour
12
4,500
1.7
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High
Speed Railway
Motorway
CO2 emissions Kilogrammes of CO2
emissions per 100 passenger-kilometres
Energy effciency Passenger-kilometres
carried per unit of energy (1kwh = 0.086kep)
0
180
0 20
180
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TYPICAL PARAMETERS
FoR NEW HIgH spEED LINEs
Layout specifcatons
Maximum gradient (depending on geographic
characteristc and operatng conditons):
> Passenger trafc only: up to 35/40mm/m
(with suitable rolling stock)
> Mixed trafc: up to 12/15mm/m
Track superstructure components (typical
ballasted track)
> Rail type: Usually 60kg/m, welded
> Type and number of tes: Concrete monobloc
or bi-bloc, 1,666 per km
> Fastening types: Elastc, many types
> Turnouts: Depending on the functonality of the
line, they can have movable or fxed crossings
Electrifcaton: Single phase. The most common
voltages are 25kV, 50 or 60Hz or 15kV, 16 2/3Hz.
Signalling, communicatons and other equipment:
above 200km/h, a full on-board signalling system
is necessary.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS TECHNICAL ASPECTS
Infrastructure
The extent of the worlds high-performance railway
network is dramatcally increasing.
> High speed rail infrastructure must be designed,
inspected and maintained in optmum
conditons.
> Layout requires large radius curves and limited
gradients and track centre distances.
> Track geometric parameters must meet exactng
tolerances.
> Slab track is in principle much more expensive
than ballasted track, but it can be permanently
operated with reduced maintenance frequency.
> Though slab track can be recommended
in certain cases for viaducts and tunnels,
discussion of the ideal track system must
proceed on a case-by-case basis.
> Special catenary system and power supply
system are required.
> On-board signalling system is required.
Development of the world high speed network
40,000
35,000
25,000
30,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
1964
2014
2024
1974
1984
1994
2004
km
2010
Horizontal Minimum Ideal
curve radius recommanded
200km/h 2,500m 3,500m
300km/h 5,500m 7,000m
Track centre distance
200km/h: 4m
300km/h: 4.5/5m
Maximum cant
150/170mm
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
UIC study on Maintenance on high speed
lines is available on the UIC-High Speed
website: www.uic.org/highspeed
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
Years for inauguraton of new
design high speed rolling stock:
3-5 years for new technical
development,
2-5 years for design and test
Number of manufactures of high
speed rolling stock in the world: 14
By the end of 2010, more than 2,100
high speed train sets (able to operate
at least at 250km/h) were in operation
across the world
Asia .............................................................. 839
Europe ...................................................... 1,243
North America ............................................... 20
TOTAL ....................................................... 2,102
Number of train sets operated per 100km
of high speed line
Forecast for the number of train sets
in 2025
0
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20
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>
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604
Europe
3,100
World
2,500
5,600
1,677
Europe
1,073
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
Rolling stock
The number of train sets in operaton for a single
line depends on the level of trafc scheduled
and expected, the type of service and the use
of conventonal lines.
The need to manufacture high speed trains
represents an important challenge for industry,
both in terms of the quantty and quality
of trains to be produced and the technological
developments to be achieved in coming years.
Partnerships between industry and operators
to manufacture and maintain high speed trains
are a new formula for the future.
COMMON BASIC CHARACTERISTICS
OF HIGH SPEED TRAINS
> Self propelled, fxed compositon
and bi-directonal
> High level of technology
> Limited axle load (11 to 17 tons
for 300km/h)
> High tracton power (approx. 11
to 24kW per ton)
> Power electronic equipment: GTO, IGBT
> Control circuits. Computer network.
Automatc diagnostc system
> Optmized aerodynamics shape
> In-cab signalling system/s
> Several braking systems
> Improved commercial performance
> High level of RAMS (Reliability,
Availability, Maintainability and Safety)
> Airtght structure (sometmes)
> Technical and safety requirements
(compliance with standards)
> Compatbility with infrastructure
(track gauge, loading gauge, platorms,
catenary, etc.)
TYPES OF HIGH SPEED TRAINS
> Artculated or non-artculated trains
> Concentrated or distributed power
> Tiltng or non-tltng
> Single or multple gauges
> Single or double deck body structure
> Hybrid trains (electric and diesel engines)
ROLLING STOCK MAINTENANCE
> Fixed inspecton tme interval for
preventve maintenance is broadly
applied
> Several graded maintenance levels,
from daily inspecton to overhaul,
are determined
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
UIC study on Necessites for future
high speed rolling stock is available
on the UIC-High Speed website:
www.uic.org/highspeed
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
SAFETY REGARDING NATURAL HAZARDS
> Earthquakes
> Extreme climate conditons:
snow, cold weather, typhoons, etc.
> Cross wind
Safety record
No fatal accident on high speed lines since
the beginning of high speed history
Maximum density of operaton:
15 trains/hours
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
Operations
PLANNING HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC
oN NEW LINEs REQUIREs
> Highly structured train path matrices
> Regular intervals (an asset commercially, but
also efcient from an operatonal standpoint)
> Maximum use of available capacity
> High quality of service targeted
MIssIoNs oF CoNTRoL-CoMMAND CENTRE
Trafc management
> Operatonal tme table
> Calculate diference between scheduled/actual
tmes
> Display as distance/tme graph or staton survey
Dispatching
> Automatc intrusion detecton
> Computer-aided confict resoluton with
dynamic train running tme calculatons
> Preventve measures
> Power supply control
> Passenger informaton
> Staton equipment control
> Video security
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
SECURITY
As a consttuent part of society and a
signifcant public investment, high speed
systems need to be protected. Also,
the demand for quality from customers
is higher than for other train services.
Consequently, a very high level of security
is essental to ensure that customers choose
this mode of transport.
Security concerns range from simple cases
of graft to more serious problems
afectng customers, employees, equipment,
installatons, etc.
Opportunites are created from the
implementaton of new systems, tracks,
statons and rolling stock.
Evolution of maximum speeds on rails
WoRLD spEED RECoRD: On 3
rd
April 2007 the world speed record
for rail transport was set at 574.8km/h by a special TGV trainset
on the French TGV East high speed line
Balancing capacity
when operating in mixed traffc
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Km/h
> Maximum speed in tests
> Maximum speed in operation
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
9
1
9
5
5
1
9
6
5
1
9
7
5
1
9
8
5
1
9
9
5
NUMBER OF TRAINS
DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAINS
L1
L2
L4
L3
L1 + L2 + L3 + L4 = Constant UIC Leaflet 406
STABILITY
(Impact of 1
minute delay
of one train
on other trains)
SPEED

STABILITY
TYPES
KM/H
NUMBER OF TRAINS
French TGV line
Metro line
HS line with mixed traffic
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
Europe
ERTMS (European Rail Trafc Management
System):
> ETCS (European Train Control System)
> GSM-R (Global System for Mobile
Communicatons - Railways)
> TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT LAYER
(and Automatc Centralised Trafc Control)
Japan ATC (Automatc Train Control)
China CTCS (Chinese Train Control System)
SIGNALLING SYSTEMS
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
Operations
PERFORMANCE OF THE SIGNALLING SYSTEM
Scope
Safe train management, avoiding any collisions
and/or accidents.
Principle
A train can proceed only when the track ahead
is free of other trains/vehicles/obstacles.
Means
Automatc systems, manual procedures, specifc
rules or a combinaton of the above.
Magnitude of usual braking distance (m)
1, 900m
200km/ h
3, 100m
250km/h
4, 700m
5, 800m
6, 700m
300km/h
330km/h
350km/h
MAGNITUDES
Some order of magnitude and distances
concerning speed
Distance to accelerate
from 0 to 300km/h > 10 - 20km
Operatng at 300km/h:
1km > 12sec
5km > 1min
7 main goals for ERTMS:
> Interoperability
> Safety
> Capacity
> Availability
> Cost-efectveness
> Less on-board equipment
> Open market
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
The maintenance and renewal of all the
elements involved in a high speed system
is essental to ensure the main operatonal
parameters at the optmum level, in any
moment and under any conditon.
Monitoring, inspecton, current maintenance
and major renewal must be compatble with
current operatons.
STATIONS, HIGH SPEED AND THE CITY
HIGH SPEED ALSO MEANS HIGH CAPACITY.
Consequently, its to be expected that high speed
statons are high trafc volume statons. Volume
must be understood in terms of trains, customers,
private cars, taxis, and public transport.
In many cases, statons are the locaton in which
railway operators clean their trains, replace their
crews, check the trains, replace the catering, etc.
This industrial actvity involves sharing space with
passengers.
Removing this actvity from city centres can
be positve due to the use of lower-cost land
and because it can release important land
(and industrial actvity) in city centres.
HIGH SPEED SERVICES: high speed statons
can be used to promote a high level of architecture
and the revitalisaton of abandoned city areas.
The costs and benefts of this approach can be
carefully studied.
The locaton of high speed statons is an important
and strategic aspect for the success of the system
as a whole.
They must be well located to beneft from the
advantages of the reduced travel tmes ofered,
and they must be well connected with airports,
mass transit systems and private transport.
The criteria for the staton (one or more statons)
in a given city must consider the optmal
requirements of city and citzens, as well
as those of the railway system.
A functonal design is absolutely essental,
and parallel business actvites are a common
feature of high speed statons.
STATIONS, HIGH SPEED AND THE CITY
Strategic value of stations
UIC study on High speed and the city
is available on the UIC high speed website:
www.uic.org/highspeed
HIGH SPEED
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
High speed and the city
SEPTEMBER 2010 - Final Draft
High speed and the city
SEPTEMBER 2010
COMMERCIAL ASPECTS
PRICING SYSTEMS
High speed railway undertakings increasingly use
variable prices for diferent types of service.
Depending on motve (business or private), travel
periods or other circumstances infuencing demand,
the prices ofered (and the conditons of purchase)
can vary considerably.
Various procedures, some imported from the airlines
like yield management (which aims to the
maximise the income per train), widespread use of
the Internet, the use of tcketless procedures and
the introducton of innovatve ideas (like iD TGV in
France) are consistent with the high-level technology
used in trains, lines and signalling systems.
DISTRIBUTION
High speed travellers expect high speed access to
informaton, reservaton and fare transactons.
MARKET SHARE
If a new high speed rail system is well designed and
implemented, customer response is, as a rule, very
positve and trafc will reliably grow.
Trafc growth can be increased by the mobility
gains created and the network efect.
The consequence of the network efect is that
the total number of kilometres of the network
can be increased by 20% (as an example) and
passenger trafc can increase by 100%.
Also, the introducton of a new high speed corridor
varies the modal split.
DESIGN FOR CUSTOMERS
New customer requirements demand new designs:
working and meetng areas, spaces for families, full
accessibility, special consideraton for luggage
(larger capacity for tourist trips, but limited spaces
for business trips).
From the technical point of view, as more customers
are using mobile phones and computers, new
facilites such as electric plug sockets for power
supply and on-board WI-FI are required.
Paris - Brussels (320 km / 1.25 hour)
Madrid - Seville (471 km / 2.15 hours)
24 %
BEFORE
THALYS
AFTER
THALYS
BEFORE
AVE
AFTER
AVE
CAR TRAIN PLANE COACH
61 % 7% 8%
50 % 43 % 2%5%
33 % 67 %
84 % 16 %
COMMERCIAL ASPECTS
SERVICES THAT HIGH SPEED CAN OFFER
TO CUSTOMERS:
Commercial speed
Frequency
Accessibility
Comfort
Atractve travel tme (door to door)
Reliability
Price
Safety
Freedom (*)
(*) Freedom means that high speed rail is the only passenger
transport mode in which it is not obligatory to be seated, use
seat belts or listen to safety instructions. While travelling in a high
speed train it is possible to stand or sit, walk around the train, have
a coffee, work on a laptop or use a mobile phone at any time.
UIC study on High speed and territory
management is available on the UIC-High
Speed website: www.uic.org/highspeed
Design concepts
for high speed services
In terms of commercial concepts, a broad range of
criteria may underpin high-performance passenger
rail transport systems:
> Marketng procedures, including trademarks,
and advertsing
> Informaton, reservaton and tcketng systems
> Ticket control (including the possibility of access
control)
> On-board customer services, including WI-FI,
and computer aids
> Post-travel services
Some examples of travel time reduction
n Before high speed n With high speed
Paris - Amsterdam
Paris - Brussels
Paris - Marseille
Paris - Stuttgart
Cologne - Frankfurt
Madrid - Seville
Madrid - Barcelona
Rome - Milan
Rome Naples
Time travel (hours) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
World high speed trafc evoluton
0
50
100
150
200
Asia Europe
2003 2004 2005 2006 1999 2000 2001 2002 2007 2008 2009
BILLION-PASSEGERS-KM
FISCAL YEAR
ECONOMY AND FINANCES FOR HIGH SPEED
FUNDING / CALCULATING COSTS
> High speed requires signifcant investment,
including public funding
> Consequently, detailed studies on trafc
forecastng, costs and benefts which
examine all the positve and negatve impacts
of a project including calculatng the costs
of doing nothing are needed

> The costs of high speed lines are generally
paid for out of public funds (Japan, Europe,
and Korea)
> The trend is to share funding and
responsibilites between diferent public bodies
(French TGV)
> In some cases, private funding can be atracted
for part of the investment
> PPP (Public-Private Partnership) or BOT
(Build - Operate - Transfer) are two possible
ways of coordinatng to combine public
and private resources:
- Private funder obtains Return On Investment
- (ROI)
- Public funder ensures social benefts
ECONOMY AND FINANCES FOR HIGH SPEED
MAGNITUDE OF COSTS OF HIGH SPEED
SYSTEMS:
Average costs in Europe
Construction of 1 km
of new high speed line 12-30M
Maintenance of 1 km
of new high speed line 70,000 per year
Cost of a high speed train
(350 places) 20-25M
Maintenance of a high
speed train 1M per year
(2/km - 500,000km / train & year)
The costs of high speed rail
systems
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Optimal
High Speed Rail System
Standardisation
Definition
of max. speed
& performance
Knowledge
of High Speed
Systems
& Elements
Financing
Market
procedures
Key elements to reduce costs
HIGH SPEED AROUND THE WORLD HIGH SPEED AROUND THE WORLD
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
more than 250km/h
in operation
more than 250km/h
in development
180 < v < 250km/h
Other lines
Oujda
Essaouira
Marrakech
Agadir
Tangier
Rabat
Casablanca
Meknes
Taza
Hamburg
Strasbourg
Hannover
Gothenburg
Oulu
Tampere
Seinjoki
Turku
Saint Petersburg
Gdask
Pozna
Krakow
Katowice
Podgorica
Corunna
Vigo
Porto
Seville
Malaga
Alicante
Valencia
Valladolid
Vitoria
Saragossa
Barcelona
Bordeaux
Toulouse
Nantes
Marseille
Nice
Turin
Lyon
Bristol
Glasgow Edinburgh
Cologne
Salerno
Naples
Bari
Thessaloniki Bursa
Izmir
Ankara Sivas
Kayseri
Zurich
Milan Venice
Florence
Genoa
Munich
Nuremberg
Konya
Bologna
Frankfurt
Copenhagen
Stockholm Tallinn
Riga
Vilnius
Minsk
Moscow
Chisinau
Berlin
Warsaw
Prague
Bratislava
Budapest
Ljubljana
Zagreb
Belgrade
Sarajevo Bucharest
Sofa
Skopje
Tirana
Athens
Istanbul
Vienna
Kiev
Oslo
Helsinki
London
Rome
Amsterdam
Brussels
Luxembourg
Paris
Dublin
Madrid
Lisbon
more than 250km/h
in operation
180 < v < 250km/h
Other lines
Oujda
Essaouira
Marrakech
Agadir
Tangier
Rabat
Casablanca
Meknes
Taza
Hamburg
Strasbourg
Hannover
Gothenburg
Oulu
Tampere
Seinjoki
Turku
Saint Petersburg
Gdask
Pozna
Krakow
Katowice
Podgorica
Corunna
Vigo
Porto
Seville
Malaga
Alicante
Valencia
Valladolid
Vitoria
Saragossa
Barcelona
Bordeaux
Toulouse
Nantes
Marseille
Nice
Turin
Lyon
Bristol
Glasgow Edinburgh
Cologne
Salerno
Naples
Bari
Thessaloniki Bursa
Izmir
Ankara Sivas
Kayseri
Zurich
Milan Venice
Florence
Genoa
Munich
Nuremberg
Konya
Bologna
Frankfurt
Copenhagen
Stockholm Tallinn
Riga
Vilnius
Minsk
Moscow
Chisinau
Berlin
Warsaw
Prague
Bratislava
Budapest
Ljubljana
Zagreb
Belgrade
Sarajevo Bucharest
Sofa
Skopje
Tirana
Athens
Istanbul
Vienna
Kiev
Oslo
Helsinki
London
Rome
Amsterdam
Brussels
Luxembourg
Paris
Dublin
Madrid
Lisbon
High Speed System in Europe Area
2010
Situation as at 12.2010
Information given by the Railways
Forcasting 2025
Information given by the Railways
2025
400km / 250 miles 400km / 250 miles
HIGH SPEED AROUND THE WORLD HIGH SPEED AROUND THE WORLD
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Chengdu
Zhengzhou
Wuhan
Xuzhou
Beijing
Taiyuan
Changsha
Fuzhou
Qiqihaer
Harbin
Jilin
Shenyang
Hangzhou
Xiamen
Xian
Guangzhou
Zhuzhou
Shenzen
Shanghai
Ningbo
Dalian
Nanjing
Tianjin
Jinan
Qingdao
Taipei
Kaohsiung
Seoul
Busan
Daejeon
Isfahan
Qom
Tehran
Riyadh
Medina
Mecca
Jeddah
Mumbai
Ahmedabad
Mysore
Bangalore
Chennai
Visakhapatnam
Kolkata
Dhanbad
Kanpur
Jaipur
Agra
Delhi
Amritsar
Hyderabad
High Speed System in Americas High Speed System in Asia
400km / 250 miles 400km / 250 miles
400km / 250 miles

Osaka
Tokyo
Sapporo
Aomori
Hakodate
Hachinoche
Morioka
Shinjo
Akita
Niigata
Nagano
Fukushima
Kagoshima
Nagasaki
Hakata
Yasushiro
Takasaki
Yamagata
Okayama
Nagoya
Omiya
Kanazawa
400km / 250 miles
More than 250km/h
in operation
More than 250km/h
in development
Less than 250km/h
in operation
Others
Campinas
Brasilia
So Paulo
Rio de Janeiro
Eugene
Portland
Seattle
Cleveland
Pittsburgh
Sacramento
San Francisco
Los Angeles
San Diego
San Antonio
Austin
Oklahomma City
Tulsa
Dallas
Kansas City
St Louis
Minneapolis
Milwaukee
Chicago
Little Rock
Louisville
Cincinnati
Houston
New Orleans
Mobile
Birmingham
Tampa
Miami
Orlando
Jacksonville
Columbia
Atlanta
Raleigh
Washington
New York
Boston
Detroit
Portland
Buffalo
Vancouver
Ottawa
Montreal
Toronto
Quebec
Edmonton
Calgary
400km / 250 miles
400km / 250 miles
High speed
in operation
High speed
in development
Incremental speed
PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES
> Coordinate high speed actvites
of UIC members
> Contribute to logical development
of high speed systems
ACTIVITIES
> Updatng databases: lines, rolling stock,
trafc, etc.
> World high speed maps
> Benchmarking
and other working teams
> Communicatons and contacts
> Website
> High speed brochure and other publicatons
STUDIES
> High speed and the city
> High speed and territory management
> High speed contributon to sustainable
development
> Maintenance of high speed lines
> Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for high speed
> ...
PREVIOUS STUDIES
> Reducton of travel tme on classic lines
> Tiltng trains
> Mixed trafc on high speed lines
> Design of lines for speeds of 300-350 km/h
> Approval of new high speed lines
> High speed rail compared to low cost
competton
> Infrastructure charges for high speed services
in Europe
> Modelling of regional trafc on high speed
internatonal lines
> Necessites for future high speed rolling stock
WoRksHops (some examples)
Daejeon City (Korea) 2009: 1st UIC World High
Speed Interacton Workshop.
Marrakech (Morocco) 2009: Safety and Security
requirements of High Speed Rail.
Paris (France) 2010: 1st Workshop on Global
Standards for High Speed Rail Systems.
Mumbai (India) 2010: Security challenges
and High Speed development.
WoRLD CoNgREss oN HIgH spEED
In the past, it was called Eurailspeed
Previous events: Lille (1992), Brussels (1995), Berlin
(1998), Madrid (2002), Milan (2005), Amsterdam
(2008), Beijing (2010).
TRAINING ON HIGH SPEED SYSTEMS
UIC members cooperaton helps ensure that 50 or
so partcipants interact with around 55 speakers
during a week-long session (from Monday to
Friday), reviewing in detail all the components
of a high speed rail system.
The training is aimed at decision-makers and
is held every year during the month of June.
HIGH SPEED AT UIC
UIC High Speed Department www.uic.org/highspeed
HIGH SPEED AT UIC
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4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
FUTURE REQUIREMENTS FOR ROLLING STOCK
To BE CoNsIDERED (FRoM REpoRT oN
FUTURE NECESSITIES AND REQUIREMENTS
FoR RoLLINg sToCk)
> Business and technical management issue
(development-procurement-approval-
deployment, LCC*, RAMS*, standardisaton
and modularity, etc)
> Basic dimension and performance (capacity,
loading gauge, axle load, train and car length,
confguraton of train set, compatbility with
infrastructure, maximum speed, acceleraton
and deceleraton)
> Safety and security (stability, crash resistance,
fre safety, crosswind)
> Environment (CO2 and energy, EMC*, noise,
LCA*, extreme climate)
> Aerodynamics (aerodynamic resistance,
tunnel micro-pressure wave, fying ballast)
> Comfort (ride comfort, noise abatement, tltng
system, airtght structure, air conditoning,
passenger service)
> Human factors (ergonomics, accessibility for
PRM*, cab design, cabin design, i.e. seatng,
toilet, luggage space)
> Technology (body and bogie structure, power
and braking system, on board train control and
informaton system, new auxiliary power units,
coupling system)
* LCC = Life Cycle Cost
* RAMS = Reliability, Availability, Maintenability, Safety
* EMC = ElectroMagnetc Compatbility
* LCA = Life Cycle Assessment
* PRM = People with Reduced Mobility
HIGH SPEED TOWARDS THE FUTURE
Research & development
3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
HIGH SPEED TOWARDS THE FUTURE
UIC report on Necessites for future
high speed rolling stock is available
on the UIC-High Speed website:
www.uic.org/highspeed
Todays technology is fully compettve.
However it will not contnue to be compettve
beyond the next 20 years if we do not invest
in research and development today.
Research and development for future high speed
systems (infrastructure, tracks, electric power
supply, signalling, rolling stock, operaton and
control elements, safety and security devices, etc.)
must take into account requirements from
customers, society, operators, etc.
IN THE COMING YEARS,
HIgH spEED WILL MAkE pRogREss oN:
> Higher service speeds
- Maximum speeds in the range of 320 -
- 360km/h
- More availability tme for infrastructure
> New concepton of infrastructure elements:
- Ballasted or unballasted track, new fastening
- systems
- New materials (i.e. catenary wires)
> Standardisaton and modularity of rolling stock
> New braking systems
> More environmentally-friendly (noise, energy
efciency)
- Improvements on safety, security and comfort
- Cross winds, typhoons and earthquake
- detecton, etc.
> New technologies (telecommunicatons, WI-FI,
etc.)
IN THE COMING YEARS, HIGH SPEED RAIL
opERAToRs WILL REQUIRE BUsINEss
CoNCEpTs To DEAL WITH THE FoLLoWINg:
> More capacity (double deck &/or 2 + 3 instead
of 2 + 2)
> Greater availability and maintainability of trains
(RAMS)
> Further reductons in costs of procurement
and maintenance (LCC)
> Further reductons in fees for infrastructure use
> More energy efciency and less energy
consumpton
> Optmisaton of operatng costs (i.e. during
low occupancy)
> Globalisaton
>
HIGH SPEED TOWARDS THE FUTURE
Technology for the future
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
2025
publicaton > Passenger & High Speed Department, UIC
Director > Iaki Barrn de Angoit, Director
of the Passenger and High Speed Department
Coordinaton team>Naoto Yanase, Begoa Cabo,
Isabel Guilln, Passenger and High Speed Department
Herv Aubert, Communicatons Department
Henning Schwartz, Margrethe Sagevik,
Sustainable Development Division
With special thanks to UIC High Speed Plenary
Commitee members for their contributon
Graphic design > LUCIOLE, Paris
Print > Printed by SIC. Printed with vegetable ink on Satmat
Green (60% recycled fbres, 40% virgin FSC fbre), FSC,
ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certfed paper,
for the sustainable management of forests.
All diagrams and graphics by UIC
Photo Credits > JR-Central, RZD, FS, VR, DB AG, Korail, SNCF,
Renfe, THSRC, CR, JR-Kyushu, SNCB-Group, TCDD, EUROSTAR,
THALYS, UIC, ALSTOM, JR-East, NTV, CAF, Bonbardier,
Siemens, Amtrack, TUC RAIL. Photographers: J.-J. dAngelo,
M. Fauvelle, J.-M. Fabbro, S. Cambon, C. Recoura, D. Moinil.
ISBN 978-2-7461-1887-4
Copyright deposit > November 2010 - UIC Paris
V > 250 km/h in operation
High speed in development
HIGH SPEED RAIL SYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD
This brochure is a publicaton of the
INTERNATIoNAL UNIoN oF RAILWAYs (UIC)
16 rue Jean Rey F-75015 Paris
PASSENGER AND HIGH SPEED DEPARTMENT
Phone + 33 1 44 49 20 20
E-mail highspeed@uic.org
www.uic.org/highspeed
www.uic.org
ISBN 978-2-7461-1887-4
NOVEMBER 2010