voestalpine Railway Systems receives €470m order for the new high-speed Rail Baltica line
Rail Baltica is one of the most significant high-speed railway infrastructure projects in Europe at present and will create a high-speed north-south connection between Northern and Central Europe. voestalpine Railway Systems has secured its largest contract to date for this major cross-border project, worth approximately €470 million, for the supply of high-tech turnouts and digital monitoring systems.
The framework agreement includes the supply of up to 1000 high-speed and standard turnouts, including digital monitoring technology for the fully electrified rail link.
The framework agreement includes the supply of up to 1000 high-speed and standard turnouts, including digital monitoring technology for the fully electrified rail link. Production will take place at the voestalpine sites in Lithuania and Latvia, with the first prototypes being delivered in 2027.
“As the global market leader in complete railway infrastructure systems, we are particularly pleased to be able to deliver an important contribution to the European flagship project Rail Baltica with our products,” said Herbert Eibensteiner, CEO of voestalpine.
High-speed turnouts from voestalpine Railway Systems are designed to handle speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. The intelligent turnouts equipped with diagnostic tools simplify maintenance, preventing breakdowns as a result. “We offer our customers a comprehensive product portfolio — from the planning and design of track and turnout systems to monitoring of the completed railway line,” said Franz Kainersdorfer, head of the metal engineering division.
A single high-speed turnout can be equipped with around 40 sensors that collect various data, ranging from weather conditions to information on the condition of the turnout. This data is transmitted in real time to the analysis software, enabling necessary measures to be initiated at an early stage.
Rail Baltica makes a significant contribution to connecting the Baltic states to the trans-European rail network. The cross-border construction project involves the five EU member states of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and indirectly Finland. It will create a high-speed north-south link between Helsinki and Warsaw.
The project is also of historical significance. With Rail Baltica, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will be reconnected to the European standard-gauge rail network for the first time since World War II and thus fully integrated into the EU rail system.