On 20–21 January 2026, an important TSI Open Days Technical Workshop will take place in the historical Fanta Hall at Prague Main Railway Station. The event is organised by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, ACRI – the Association of Czech Railway Industry Companies, and UNIFE – the European Rail Supply Industry Association. The workshop is one of the key expert platforms in the field of European interoperability, the deployment of ERTMS/ETCS and the interpretation of the TSI CCS specifications.
“We see the hosting of this ERA workshop in close cooperation with the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, UNIFE, ACRI and other partners as an important signal of the Czech Republic’s role in the implementation of ERTMS and European interoperability. For the Czech railway industry and the professional community, this is a unique opportunity to highlight the need for simplification of approval processes and greater predictability of technical standards,” said Marie Vopálenská, CEO of ACRI.
The regional technical workshop is focused on the practical application of TSI CCS (Technical Specification for Interoperability – Control-Command and Signalling) and on the implementation of ERTMS/ETCS (European Rail Traffic Management System / European Train Control System) in real infrastructure and rolling stock projects. It is intended for experts who work with these regulations and technologies in their daily practice – in investment preparation, design, approval procedures, construction, line modernisation and the commissioning of vehicles.
Interoperability of the railway system is a key prerequisite for the functioning of the Single European Railway Area. Its implementation includes technical harmonisation, removal of technical barriers and the introduction of common standards to ensure safe, transparent and efficient cross-border rail services within the EU.
Opening panel with leading figures from European and Czech institutions
The morning programme of the first day (Tuesday, 20 January 2026) will feature an opening panel with contributions from top representatives of European and Czech institutions and participating companies. From 10:00 to 12:00, the following speakers will take the floor:
- João Gaspar, European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) – ERA representative for ERTMS and interoperability
- Enno Wiebe, Secretary General of UNIFE (European Rail Supply Industry Association) – official opening
- Marie Vopálenská, CEO of ACRI – Association of Czech Railway Industry Companies
- Ivan Bednárik, Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic – strategic vision of ERTMS in the Czech Republic
- Oana Gherghinescu, Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) – ERA’s mandate for the next TSI CCS
- Jiří Kolář, Director of the Czech Railway Authority – perspective of the National Safety Authority
- Radek Čech, Railway Infrastructure Administration (Správa železnic) – infrastructure manager’s perspective
- Jiří Ješeta, Member of the Board of Directors, České dráhy – railway operator’s perspective
- Petr Novotný, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Škoda Group, and Zdeněk Chrdle, CEO of AŽD – perspectives of the supply industry and manufacturers of rolling stock and technologies
A significant European initiative by ERA
The TSI Open Days are a long-standing initiative of the European Union Agency for Railways aimed at harmonising the interpretation of European legislation, supporting the alignment of technical solutions and accelerating the deployment of interoperable systems across Europe. In recent years, these workshops have taken place, for example, in:
- January 2025 – Warsaw, Poland
- December 2024 – Bonn, Germany
- November 2024 – Budapest, Hungary
- May 2024 – Spain
- January 2024 – Portugal
The inclusion of Prague among these European venues confirms the growing importance of the Czech Republic in railway modernisation, ETCS deployment and cross-border interoperability.
From strategy to practical application
The main topics of the workshop will include:
- interpretation and practical application of TSI CCS,
- implementation of ERTMS/ETCS on national and cross-border lines,
- compatibility of infrastructure and rolling stock,
- the role of National Safety Authorities, infrastructure managers and railway undertakings,
- future direction of European regulation in railway control-command and signalling.
Participants will have the opportunity to consult their questions directly with ERA experts regarding both the legal text of TSI CCS and the ETCS/ERTMS specifications. Questions may be submitted in advance so that ERA specialists can address them in a targeted manner during the programme.
The workshop is primarily intended for:
- infrastructure managers and experts involved in the deployment of ERTMS, detection systems and line modernisation,
- representatives of notified and designated bodies (NoBo, DeBo) in the assessment of vehicles and CCS subsystems,
- railway undertakings, rolling stock manufacturers and technology suppliers,
- specialists in route and subsystem compatibility assessment,
- National Safety Authorities (NSA) and staff involved in subsystem authorisation.
More information about the workshop is available on the ERA website.
Technical visit to the Central Dispatching Centre in Prague
As part of the professional practical programme, participants will be offered a technical visit to the Central Dispatching Centre in Prague (CDP Prague), from where train operations, infrastructure and signalling systems are remotely controlled across a large part of the Czech railway network.
