1st UIC Congress on Rail Infrastructure
About
WHAT MAKES THIS CONGRESS UNIQUE
Attendance is limited to 200 participants, with priority given to infrastructure managers and a carefully balanced representation from academic institutions and industry experts, ensuring a highly technical and strategic forum of exceptional international calibre.
As the first UIC global congress dedicated to railway infrastructure, participation will be carefully curated by the Congress Organising Committee to preserve the event’s exclusive nature, while its strong practical focus will ensure that both the presentations and exhibition address the sector’s most pressing challenges with technical rigour, operational relevance, and clear implementation potential.
KEY TOPICS & CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
We warmly invite abstracts to be submitted from across the rail infrastructure community, highlighting the latest advancements, developments, and practical experiences related to the themes set out below.
The call is open to all interested contributors, although priority will be given to abstracts submitted by UIC members.
The abstract submission form is available here (Call For Abstracts), until 15 September.
Additionally, the document outlining the specific topics to be addressed during the congress can be downloaded at the following link.
As the congress is primarily focused on rail infrastructure and the practical challenges faced by infrastructure managers, contributors from the research community are kindly encouraged to frame their submissions with a clear emphasis on application, implementation, and an appropriate level of research maturity.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
We are pleased to offer sponsorship opportunities to organisations wishing to support the railway community and strengthen their visibility through this congress, providing an effective platform to showcase products, services and expertise to an exclusive audience.
Sponsorship packages are available to view and download, providing further details on the opportunities and benefits offered to partners and sponsors.
As their number is limited, organisations are encouraged to register their interest as soon as possible by completing the following form: SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
This form constitutes an expression of interest only. Detailed information and terms and conditions will be provided at a later stage, and the specific arrangements, including session allocation and topic, will be agreed upon with the Congress Organising Committee.
If you have any queries, please contact rsf@uic.org.
PROVISIONAL AGENDA
Day 1 – Opening
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 11:00 | Opening Ceremony |
| 11:15 – 12:45 | High-Level Round Table: Innovation and Resilience in Railway Infrastructure (Infrastructure Managers) |
| 12:45 – 14:00 | Lunch and Exhibition |
| 14:00 – 17:30 |
Parallel Technical Sessions Room 1 – Track: Digital Inspection Room 2 – Structures and Assets: Digital Asset Management |
| 17:30 | Day 1 Wrap-up |
| Evening | Networking Reception |
Day 2 – Infrastructure Fundamentals and Asset Resilience
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| Morning |
Parallel Technical Sessions Room 1 – Track: Rail Defects (Inspection Technologies) Room 2 – Structures and Assets: Design |
| Lunch | Exhibition and Networking |
| Afternoon |
Parallel Technical Sessions Room 1 – Track: Climate Adaptation Room 2 – Structures and Assets: Geotechnics |
| Late Afternoon | Track and Structure Session: Bridge-Track Interaction |
| 17:30 | Day 2 Wrap-up |
| Dinner | Gala Dinner |
Day 3 – Circular Economy and Sustainable Infrastructure
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| Morning |
Parallel Circular Economy and CO₂ Reduction Sessions Room 1 – Track: Circular Sleepers Room 2 – Structures and Assets: End-of-Life Asset Management |
| Lunch | Networking Lunch |
| Afternoon | Technical Visit – SNCF Railway Infrastructure Recycling Facilities |
| End of Day | Conference Closing |
STRATEGIC ADVISORY BOARD
The Congress is supported by a Strategic Advisory Board composed of senior experts from leading infrastructure managers worldwide. Board members are expected to attend the congress and contribute to the discussions, making the event a unique platform for networking between infrastructure leaders and industry partners.
The Strategic Advisory Board comprises:
| Name | Company | Country | Job title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernhard Knoll |
| Austria | Head of Superstructure Department |
| Anup Chalisey |
| United Kingdom | Professional Head of Infrastructure |
| David Villalmanzo |
| Spain | Head Manager Strategic Partnerships R+D+I & Coordination |
| Gabriel Papaiz |
| France | SURFO Program (Fiber-Optic monitoring) |
| Didier Van de Velde |
| Belgium | Manager Civil Engineering |
| Jose Villamarin |
| United Kingdom | CEng MICE - Railways & Bridges |
| Andrea Vecchi |
| Italy | Manager of Bridges and Structures |
| Ron van der Zwan |
| Netherlands | Manager of Civil Engineering Structures |
| Mitsuru Hosoda |
| Japan | Rail maintenance & Welding LB, Senior researcher |
| Dominik Dorder |
| Germany | Resource Management Specialist for Concrete Sleepers |
| Albert Wahba |
| Canada | Program Leader Resilient Ground Transportation |
| Caitlin SunHee Kim |
| Korea | Manager, Global Technology Commercialization Department |
| Wang Jijun |
| China | Director of the State Key Laboratory of High-Speed Railway Track Systems |
REGISTRATION
Registration for the congress will open in October 2026.
CONTACT
If you have any questions, please contact : rsf@uic.org