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.