EU study: Fragmented ERTMS trackside deployment drives up costs

On October 1, 2026, the European Commission published a study pointing out that the fragmentation of ERTMS trackside deployment in Europe is the root cause of high costs and rising complexity: national rules and legacy systems force suppliers to customize solutions, and may lead to supplier lock-in and restrict competition. The study says that currently only about 10% of the trans-European rail network has completed ERTMS deployment, and full completion is expected to require an investment of 75 billion to 85 billion euros. The study recommends deploying ERTMS without relying on Class B legacy systems, and strengthening project management, promoting modern engineering tools, unifying and simplifying engineering rules, and streamlining approval processes.