Thales wins major ETCS Level 2 project in Hungary

Thales Austria recently signed the contract with the Hungarian infrastructure company NIF to provide modern electronic train control technology for the 101 km electrified Boba-Bajánsenye line. The contract includes the design, supply, installation and commissioning of a complete European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 solution and adaptations to the existing ETCS Level 1 system.

The project is worth 18 million euros and is 85% funded by the European Union. It is the first complete ETCS Level 2 project for the Hungarian State Railway MÁV.

Six years after deploying Europe’s first cross-border ETCS project in the Vienna-Budapest corridor, Thales Austria has again underscored its leadership in the field of European train control technology.

The project takes Hungary a further step towards its goal of increased safety and capacity to support faster and more efficient rail transport. ETCS technology enables speeds of 160-200 km/h on the MÁV network. Travel speeds will be increased by 20 km/h on the Boba- Bajánsenye line and journey times noticeably reduced.

“I am especially pleased that through strong Austrian-Hungarian cooperation we have managed to establish the latest train control technology in Hungary. In terms of infrastructure and operations management, the new contract creates the conditions for rail transport to become more efficient and more attractive for both passengers and freight,” said Dr Alfred Veider, CEO of Thales Austria.

ETCS technology is being deployed on a growing number of rail lines throughout Europe. The implementation of ETCS Level 2 on the Boba-Bajánsenye line, which is part of Corridor V* of the Trans-European Network, also underlines the European integration of Hungary. Corridor V runs from Turin via Venice/Trieste, Ljubljana and Budapest to Kiev, with branches to Bratislava, Rijeka and Ploče.

Numerous successful train control and signalling technology projects for the operators MÁV, GySEV and BKV underpin the market leadership of Thales in Hungary.

About ETCS (European Train Control System)

Train control systems ensure the safe transportation of passengers and goods by train. There are currently more than 14 different train control systems in use throughout Europe that are not compatible with each other. ETCS is modular and consists of three different levels; in this case, Level 2 is being used. The main difference between ETCS Level 1 and ETCS Level 2 lies in the technology used to communicate between the train and the trackside infrastructure.

The European Union issued a directive in 1996 to solve this compatibility problem, obliging European railway operators to equip their lines with the European Train Control System (ETCS) as part of efforts to harmonise the European rail network, unify train control and ensure interoperability between signalling systems. The next-generation train control system is not just designed for use in Europe and is being adopted for a growing number of railway projects around the world.

* : The Corridor V goes from Turin to Kiev, through Venice/Trieste, Ljubljana and Budapest, and extends to Bratislava, Rijeka and Ploče.