📋 Tender Overview
NewsNewsRead before October 24 2025 Average reading time: 1 minuteAverage reading time: {time} minutesThe future of rail will run on the Betuwe route from today. ProRail officially kicked off the one-year test phase with Automatic Train Operation at the Kijfhoek railway yard on October 24. The test phase is a close collaboration between the Dutch and German Ministries of Infrastructure. A smarter more sustainable and efficient railway Imagine: a train that can drive itself. A bit like a car with cruise control - but even smarter. Automatic Train Operation (ATO) means that the train automatically accelerates brakes and stops without the driver having to do everything manually. The train receives a digital route map from the railway. And computers in the train ensure that it runs exactly on time and stops neatly where necessary. Safety systems such as ERTMS always remain alert. What is being tested? Freight carrier DB Cargo is testing the locomotive specially prepared for ATO for a year. It pulls a number of wagons partly weighted but in all cases without commercial loads. For the first time GoA2 (semi-autonomous driving with a driver on board) and GoA4 (fully autonomous driving with remote supervision) are being tested integrated for freight transport. There is always a test team in the cabin. New technologies such as Remote Supervision & Control are also used. Concrete advantagesThe (semi-)automated running of trains brings a number of concrete advantages. Namely: Up to 20-30 percent extra capacity on certain corridors with full rollout of GoA4. GoA4 means semi-autonomous driving with an operator on board. Maximum 10-15 percent less energy consumption depending on route and load. Up to 20 percent savings on operating costs due to more consistent driving behavior and less unplanned downtime. In the cabin of the locomotive specially prepared for ATO Kick-off by Norbert Kahl (DB Cargo) Marina Koster (German Ministry) CFO Mirjam van Velthuizen and State Secretary Thierry Aartsen Go to slide 1Go to slide 2ProudMirjam van Velthuizen CFO of ProRail is incredibly proud of this milestone. This innovation not only marks a technological breakthrough but also a new standard for sustainable and efficient rail freight transport. This is the future of mobility - and we are at the forefront. State Secretary Thierry Aartsen of Public Transport and the Environment agrees. Thanks to innovative technologies we make the railway safer more efficient and more sustainable. With this pilot we show that autonomous driving with freight trains is not a matter of tomorrow but will become a reality today. In this way we prepare the railway for the future. Why the Betuwe Route? The test phase takes place on the Betuwe Route. This is a closed freight corridor without level crossings equipped with the train safety system ERTMS and crucial for freight transport from Germany to the Netherlands. This makes it a safe and controlled environment for large-scale ATO testing. Next stepsAfter the test phase an extensive evaluation follows. The results are used for standardization and certification of ATO technology. This is done with a view to broader rollout within Europe including the Rhine-Alpine Corridor. More about: ATO More newsFreight locomotive shunts independently in OosterhoutDecember 1 2022New results for automatically controlled trainMarch 17 2022Rail sector chooses ATOOctober 14 2021 Are you satisfied with the information on this page? Yes No Track Work Check Do you live or work within 300 meters of the track? Then use our track work check. You can immediately see which work is planned in your area. Postal code No valid house number only enter the number. House number No valid postal code only enter numbers and letters without spaces. View work
