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Press Release22 September 2026Siemens MobilityBerlin
Siemens to supply Signaling X for Austria’s rail infrastructure
Siemens Mobility has been awarded a contract worth
approximately €1.3 billion by ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG to digitalize Austria’s
interlocking technology. The contract was awarded as part of a long-term
framework agreement with a total volume of €2.6 billion. This agreement forms
the basis for the phased, nationwide rollout of digital interlockings (DSTW) in
Austria, starting with a pilot project in the fourth quarter of 2030. At the
heart of this modernization is Signaling X, Siemens Mobility’s integrated
technology platform for the digital transformation of signaling and control
systems. The software-based, cloud-ready architecture integrates interlockings,
the ETCS train control system, and cybersecurity applications on a common
technological foundation. As such, Signaling X creates the necessary conditions
for the step-by-step modernization of the ÖBB rail network. By consistently
decoupling software and hardware, the technology enables greater operational
flexibility, significantly increases capacity, and strengthens the digital
resilience of the rail network.
Siemens Mobility awarded major framework agreement to digitalize ÖBB’s interlocking technology
Siemens to supply Signaling X for Austria’s rail infrastructure
“We are proud to partner with ÖBB in shaping the future of
Austria’s rail network. At the heart of this transformation is Signaling X, our
software-based and cloud-ready technology for the next generation of signaling
and control systems. It intelligently moves interlocking logic into centralized
data centers, thereby digitalizing rail operations from the ground up,” said
Michael
Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility. “What we successfully began in 2020 with
the pilot project in Achau, we are now bringing this solution or “it” into
nationwide application together. By doing so, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG is taking an
international pioneering role and creating the foundation for increased
capacity, maximum reliability, and a sustainable and more resilient rail
operation in Austria.”
“Digital interlocking technology is a key technology for the
railway of the future. With this contract award, we are setting the course for
the comprehensive digitalization of our signaling systems and creating the
foundation for making rail transport in Austria even more efficient, robust,
and high-performing. In doing so, ÖBB is also setting new international
standards in digital traffic management,“ said
Johann Pluy, Member of the
Board of ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG.
The framework agreement covers the entire spectrum of modern
interlocking technology: from indoor systems, where the safety-critical logic
based on Signaling X runs on standard IT servers, to outdoor equipment. Here,
state-of-the-art object controllers are used to ensure the precise control of
signals, switches, and other critical infrastructure elements. The contract is
set for a term of at least ten years and is supplemented by a comprehensive
service agreement. This ensures technical support, maintenance, and maximum
system availability over the entire 25-year system lifecycle.
The implementation of this major project will follow a
structured, multi-stage process. Following the planned commissioning of the
first pilot project in the fourth quarter of 2030, further pilot phases will
follow to optimally adapt the technology to the entire network. Once this phase
is successfully completed, the nationwide rollout will begin with the long-term
goal of replacing all existing interlocking systems with the new digital
generation.
About Signaling X
Signaling X is Siemens Mobility’s innovative, software-based,
and virtualized architecture for digital rail infrastructure. The system
provides an integrated technology platform that brings together previously
separate functions - such as interlocking technology, the ETCS train control
system, diagnostic systems, and cybersecurity applications - in a digital and
cloud-ready environment. By consistently decoupling safety logic from
proprietary hardware, Signaling X enables the use of standard IT components
(Commercial Off-the-Shelf, COTS) and the centralization of control in modern
data centers. For infrastructure operators, this means significantly greater
flexibility, simplified maintenance, and a substantial increase in rail network
capacity and reliability - all while maintaining the highest safety standards
through an integrated Zero-Trust cybersecurity model.
Pioneering work as the foundation for the
nationwide rollout
The now-finalized rollout builds on a successful
technological history: As early as 2020, Siemens Mobility smoothly commissioned
a digital interlocking as a pilot project in Achau, just outside Vienna,
proving the technology's practical viability. This pioneering work, combined
with the ongoing deployment of ETCS Level 2 across the entire ÖBB rail network
by 2038, forms the basis for digital transformation. By combining ETCS and
digital interlockings based on Signaling X, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG is taking an
international pioneering role and creating one of the most modern and
high-performance rail networks in the world.
For this press release
Siemens Mobility
is a separately managed company of Siemens AG. As a leader in intelligent transport solutions for more than 175 years, Siemens Mobility is constantly innovating its portfolio. Its core areas include rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, a comprehensive software portfolio, turnkey systems as well as related services. With digital products and solutions, and the use of industrial AI, Siemens Mobility is enabling mobility operators worldwide to make their infrastructure intelligent, increase value sustainably over the entire lifecycle, enhance passenger experience, and guarantee availability. In fiscal year 2025, which ended on September 30, 2025, Siemens Mobility posted revenue of €12.4 billion and employed around 43,400 people worldwide. Further information is available at:
www.siemens.com/mobility