The Smart Rail Via Vindobona conference is an international conference focussing on the Vienna-Prague-Dresden-Berlin rail axis. It is organised in cooperation with the TU Wien, TU Prague and TU Dresden and, in addition to highly interesting specialist presentations with reference to and ongoing insights and up-to-date information about the important corridor and with the necessary complementary view beyond the horizon, it also aims to create an active network of stakeholders from the three countries along the axis as well as from neighbouring countries and all interested parties.

The conference takes place annually, alternating between one of the three university locations. The first conference in 2025 will take place at TU-Wien (Vienna University of Technology). On the first day, the programme includes highly interesting specialist presentations and plenty of time for networking. The second day offers two highly interesting excursions. In the morning, a tunnel construction site of the Semmering Base Tunnel will be visited and in the afternoon the ÖBB Train Tech (Technical Services) site in Vienna Simmering.  

Key data on the conference

  • 28./29. 1. 2025
  • Conference language German/English
  • Participation fee 150 EUR (for registration until 20.12., thereafter 190 EUR)

Programme

Tue, 28.1.2025 –  presentations with dinner afterwards

9:30 – Arrival, Networking/Breakfast

10:00 – Introduction

  • 10:00  Welcome (Bernhard Rüger – TU Wien)
  • 10:10  Historical and current significance of the "Via Vindobona" corridor (Rudolf Heidu – TU Prague)

10:40 – Block 1: Classification in European corridors and corresponding national plans

  • 10:40  European perspective (Radek Cech – SŽ [International])
  • 11:05  Expansion plans in Austria (Viktor Plank – ÖBB Infrastruktur AG)
  • 11:30  Expansion plans in the Czech Republic (Roman Sterba – SŽ [Strategie])
  • 11:55  Expansion plans in Germany (NN – Project team New Line Dresden-Prague, DB InfraGO)

12:20 – Networking/lunch

13:30 – Block 2: Measures for high-frequency corridors

  • 13:30  Strategic capacity planning in mixed operation (Michal Drabek – TU Prague)
  • 13:55  Measures to increase capacity (NN - SBB)
  • 14:20  Noise prediction of increased traffic according to the European model (Thomas Maly – TU Wien)
  • 14:45  Control and safety technology (Ulrich Maschek – TU Dresden)

15:10 – Networking/coffee break

15:30 – Block 3: Infrastructure measures and test tracks

  • 15:30  Maintenance and predictive maintenance for busy corridors (Andreas Oberhauser – Global Rail, Peter Juel Jensen – Plasser & Theurer)
  • 15:55  Special challenges in tunnel construction for long tunnels travelling at high speeds (NN – ÖBB or IGT)
  • 16:20  DZSF test field and international test track Annaberg (still being clarified)

17:05 – Conference conclusion

from 17:15 Networking/Dinner

 

Wed., 29.1.2025 Excursions

Excursion to the Semmering Base Tunnel:

Meeting point at Mürzzuschlag railway station: 10:30 (arrival from Vienna main station 8:58)

Project presentation and excursion into the tunnel (limited number of participants: max. 40 people)

Duration: approx. 3 h

Return journey to Vienna: Mürzzuschlag from 13:33 / Vienna main station to 15:02

ÖBB Technical Services Vienna Simmering 15:30 - 17:00

 

Registration for the conference

Please send an e-mail to conference.rail@tuwien.ac.at with following information:

  • Name of the participating person(s)
  • Invoice address
  • Language German / English (required due to simultaneous translation)
  • Participation in the excursion to the Semmering Base Tunnel desired
    (Attention, limited number of participants: participation possible for the first 40 registered persons registered, further persons will be put on the waiting list)
  • Participation in the excursion to ÖBB Technische Services desired
    (Attention,  limited number of participants: participation possible for the first 40 registered persons registered, further persons will be put on the waiting list)

After registration you will receive an invoice by e-mail. The registration is valid with the transfer of the participation fee of 150 EUR (until 20.12., thereafter 190 EUR).