Europe’s Rail 2026 call for proposals: pods, rolling stock, hyperloop

Europe’s Rail 2026 call for proposals is now open, with a total European Union contribution of EUR 6.1 million, as set out in the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking press release.

In broad terms, the call spans two areas. One looks at lightweight and cost-efficient rolling stock and automated multimodal mobility systems built around “mobile infrastructures.” The other supports hyperloop technology, focusing on hyperloop safety and certification guidelines as well as the functional validation of hyperloop safety components, as reported by Railway Pro.

Submissions for both topics are accepted until May 7, 2026. The same package will be presented at Europe’s Rail Info Day—held online on February 9, 2026—according to the Europe’s Rail Info Day event page.

Europe’s Rail 2026 call for proposals: lightweight rolling stock

Under the lightweight and efficient rolling stock topic, the goal is to take forward the concept of a small, lightweight regional rail vehicle and tailor it to the needs that vary from line to line and across different categories of regional services. The emphasis is on lowering costs while making the design fit for branch-line infrastructure.

Don’t miss…MTA fare gates pilot brings final gates to 23 St–Baruch

Those branch lines are described as operating with constraints such as poor superstructure and tight curves, among other similar limits. As the call frames it, these conditions shape the mechanical and electrical architecture of the vehicle and, in turn, influence the body design and running gear.

Automated multimodal mobility systems and EU-Rail Pods4Rail

A second topic within the Europe’s Rail 2026 call for proposals aims to advance an automated multimodal mobility system, drawing on work already done under the EU-Rail Pods4Rail project. Pods4Rail established the fundamentals of the concept and developed design ideas for the carrier vehicle that could operate on both rail and road.

Alongside that, the project produced a conceptual design for a selected sample of transport units, including the components and equipment tied to them. The new call asks for the technical requirements of the main subsystems in a pod-type system to be defined, with particular focus on the Carrier, the transport unit and the handling system.

Rail remains the main application, but the text also says intramodality must be ensured by considering road transport and cable mobility. The Mobility Management System initiated in Pods4Rail is due to be further developed, detailing the technical basis for autonomous operation and examining its components in a laboratory environment.

Hyperloop safety and certification guidelines

The call for Hyperloop highlights support for hyperloop safety and certification guidelines, describing this as especially important because hyperloop is a completely new mode of transport that operates in a low-pressure environment. The stated purpose is to help gain public acceptance and, above all, to demonstrate safety and reliability.

To support future European standardization activities, the call points to the need for safety guidelines and for safety and performance requirements. Because hyperloop is considered a cross-border transport solution, it also stresses the need for a coherent and harmonized safety framework, setting out regulatory requirements and certification procedures with relevant authorities, institutions and technical committees.

Functional validation of hyperloop safety components

Beyond the framework itself, the Europe’s Rail 2026 call for proposals also addresses the validation of safety components for hyperloop. It notes that key technologies should be validated in a laboratory environment under defined safety requirements and procedures so that compliance can be assessed.

The call also requires a complete proof of concept to be developed and tested—both to validate safety requirements and to show that the certification procedures can be applied and verified in practice. As described, this approach can further support hyperloop promoters in building a solid regulatory framework for an unconventional fast mode of transport.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed: