Rail infrastructure
Solutions for an efficient and sustainable rail network
Why Rehabilitation is Critical Now
Railway infrastructure faces massive pressure. Many existing routes, signal boxes, and stations require significant upgrades. Urbanization, rising commuter numbers, and growing freight traffic demand a substantial increase in capacity. You need a comprehensive approach rather than isolated measures to eliminate bottlenecks, drive reactivations, and roll out digital systems like ETCS nationwide. Teams must also execute these upgrades rapidly while accounting for limited resources, highly sensitive freight traffic, and the lessons learned from previous projects
Most of these critical projects upgrade existing rail networks and facilities. This work introduces unique challenges, such as engaging local communities and managing active utility lines.
End-to-End Project Management for Complex Rehabilitation Programs
Railway renovation projects are highly complex due to the interplay of many different trades. They require detailed technical expertise across planning, management, implementation, and commissioning. Upgrading entire rail corridors, for example, consistently places the highest demands on project management. Drees & Sommer's approach combines technical expertise, digital methods, and years of experience managing large-scale infrastructure projects.
We support you with solutions designed specifically for your organization and project, from initial analysis and planning through to final implementation. Our expert team focuses consistently on hitting schedule and cost targets while allocating resources early in the process. We cover areas that are critical for future success together with our traditional project management services. We understand new wireless standards just as well as we understand ecological renovation and building material reuse.
Our Approach: Structured, Digital, and Resilient
We begin by analyzing the project, asking key questions, such as:
- How should we involve stakeholders?
- How will you achieve your project goals?
- Where are the critical interfaces?
We use a digitally supported, proven methodology to conduct this analysis.
We advise you on how to refine your organizational structure to handle both routine operations and complex modernization projects. We work with your team to establish clear roles, efficient processes, and practical operating models.
We use modern, flexible IT tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and draw on extensive experience with our clients' established systems. We train our teams on a project-by-project basis to meet specific requirements. We also deploy AI-supported applications where appropriate to enhance planning, management, and data analysis.
Construction measures often require implementation within fixed, non-negotiable track closure periods. We rely on proven lean methodologies to reliably meet these requirements:
- Lean Construction Management (LCM) for comprehensive project control
- Agile Design Management (ADM) for efficient planning and coordination
- Lean Site Management (LSM) for managing on-site construction execution.
We handle planning, engineering, as well as general technical planning, so you can execute your station and terminal projects safely and on schedule. We support you across all project phases as the client's technical advisor. Digital construction phase simulations and proactive construction logistics ensure safe and efficient execution for linear construction sites.
We lay the foundation for a true circular economy in infrastructure construction, from roads and railways to social facilities.
Learn moreYour Benefits
- A technically focused consulting firm with years of project experience supports you across all project phases
- Robust project management based on IPMA/GPM standards ensures reliable schedule security
- Strict adherence to budget frameworks and mitigation of financing risks
- Objective evaluation of your organizational and operational structures based on decades of client and industry experience
- A holistic approach rather than isolated measures for sustainable renovation success
- Early resource planning applied as core learning from previous rehabilitation projects
The Result: A high-performance, future-proof, and environmentally-friendly rail network that handles growing traffic flows, reduces bottlenecks, and actively supports the mobility transition.
Our References
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