World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR)

The Global innovation summit is established by UIC R&I as a strategic bridge between laboratory-level research and industrial deployment. It functions as a dedicated forum for the presentation and discussion of innovations gathered and developed through the Regional Competence Hubs. This summit facilitates a high-level dialogue on the scalability of regional projects within a global context.

By engaging with this platform, IRRB members and partners are enabled to:

• Benchmark regional breakthroughs against global industrial standards
• Drive-cross pollination between researchers, operators and technology providers
• Elevate the profile of regional R&I projects within the wider rail sector

The summit also hosts a dedicated awards ceremony, where the most promising regional projects are recognised and granted a spotlight for further dissemination at the World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR).

The WCRR is a global event platform bringing together railway operators, industry and research institutions. The World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR) is the world’s largest cross-thematic international congress dedicated to the subject of innovation in the railway sector, open to all stakeholders, from railway companies to industry and research institutions.

The event was initiated in 1994 by SNCF (France), DB AG (Germany), Trenitalia (Italy), RTRI (Japan), RSSB (UK), TTCI (USA) and UIC. WCRR’s ambition has always been to offer an overview of technical railway development and innovation to facilitate ideas for future orientation from a management perspective.

In its current evolution, the WCRR has transitioned to a triennial format. This shift was made to align with intensified regional activities, allowing for a more rigorous selection of high maturity projects.

Community of Practitioners

A collaboration and networking platform for scientists, enthusiasts, practitioners, and professionals in selected fields related to the areas of focus of the R&I Unit.