The number one event to match buyer requirements with expert solutions during the rail sectors digital evolution
COLOGNE | 20th & 21st May 2026
Supported by in 2025
THE INTERNATIONAL TRUSTED MEETING PLACE FOR DIGITAL RAIL LEADERS
Returning to the conference calendar for an eighth consecutive year, The Rise of IoT, AI & Data in Rail has firmly established itself as the rail sector’s trusted meeting place for business rail leaders seeking a clear, pragmatic understanding of the industry’s digital challenges – and how data has become the key to unlocking new value.
Over the past eight years, we have built a genuine community of like-minded, passionate professionals who not only bring proven solutions, but also envision better ways to deploy data to create and protect value across the transport chain. It is thanks to the extraordinary passion, trust and technical expertise of these individuals, and their conviction to act on their vision, that the event has become so successful.
With a refreshed name for 2026, highlighting the emergence and importance of AI in the rail sector, this exclusive, highly focused meeting place will explore the full scope of predictive maintenance and asset optimisation applications of data. It will empower railway operators and infrastructure managers to implement tools that harness smart data, IoT and AI to increase capacity, improve reliability, minimise downtime and reduce maintenance costs.
If you are serious about creating future value for your shareholders and for the wider world, this is the most relevant stage to be on. This is where the rail sector’s leading strategists, technologists, engineers and visionaries meet to shape and accelerate digital transformation.
I am delighted to invite you to join us in Cologne at this first-class event, where we connect buyers’ real-world requirements with expert solutions to drive the rail sector’s digital evolution.
Ben Holliday
Managing Director | Rotaia Media
100%
of previous attendees would return
93%
of previous sponsors already rebooked for 2025
25%
increase in attendees year on year
I’ve been on the event circuit for a long time, and I’ve got to say that this event is by far the best one I’ve been to in ages! The breadth of information that was available was amazing, and the speakers and networking opportunities far exceeded my expectations. Well done Ben
Head of Strategy, Transformational Strategy Development | Network Rail
I truly believe this is the best Railway conference in the market. A well structured and organised event. I had the possibility to meet new potential customers and exchange relevant information with many participants which is why I am sponsoring the event for the 7th consecutive year. A perfect mix between rail operators and systems suppliers.
Head of Rail | SKF
This event has become the main pillar for exchange of IoT and data driven innovations across the rail sector. A must-attend event for your diary. I look forward to the next one!
Head of Asset Intelligence | DB Cargo
Key Topics Include
- Turning live IoT data into actionable predictive maintenance – from pilots to scale
- Using AI, machine learning and deep learning to anticipate failures and reduce disruption
- Applying deep reinforcement learning to capture and manage the complexity of rail networks
- Designing and deploying digital twins for assets, corridors and networks
- Moving from time-based to condition-based maintenance and proving the ROI
- Building a big-data platform to bring together rolling stock, infrastructure and operations data
- Extracting “smart data” from millions of sensors with on-board and trackside edge analytics
- Embedding asset intelligence into planning, engineering and front-line operations
- Strategies to improve reliability, availability and service life of critical assets
- Cyber security by design for IoT, OT and big-data platforms in an AI-enabled environment
- Modernising maintenance organisations through analytics, automation and insight
- Technology demands and roadmaps for future fleet and traffic management
- Building the culture, skills and partnerships needed to deliver data-driven transformation
- Harnessing IoT and trusted data (including distributed ledgers) to secure maintenance and inspection records
Highlights for 2026
DRINKS RECEPTION – Grab a drink, pick up those unfinished conversations and turn chance encounters into real opportunities.
NETWORKING DINNER & LIVE MUSIC – Turn introductions into relationships as you dine with key decision-makers in a relaxed, informal atmosphere.
ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION GROUPS – Join focused, small-group discussions with your peers to tackle real-world challenges and explore practical digital solutions.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS – Hear first-hand from railways and their partners as they unpack their most successful digitalisation case studies.
NEW HIGH-LEVEL SPEAKERS – Get fresh insights from even more of the industry’s leading experts, innovators and decision-makers from across the globe.
Why Now?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is reshaping the railway industry at speed, unlocking huge gains in operations and maintenance. By embedding IoT across networks, railways can move from reactive to predictive – building smarter, more efficient systems, especially in maintenance. Operators, maintainers and asset owners can finally “see” their assets in real time, using advanced connectivity, data analytics and AI-driven decision support. The payoff: higher availability, better passenger experiences and leaner, optimised operations.
At the heart of this shift is predictive maintenance. IoT-based remote monitoring can spot problems early and forecast failures before they occur, cutting downtime and driving down costs. The global digital-railway market is forecast to rise from around €71 billion in 2025 to €110 billion in 2030, reflecting a massive wave of investment in technologies like IoT and AI to optimise train operations and prevent costly maintenance failures. As this momentum builds, rail operators face a new challenge: keeping pace with innovation while tackling tough questions around data ownership and how data can be shared intelligently across all stakeholders.
And it doesn’t stop at maintenance. IoT is transforming rail logistics by delivering true end-to-end visibility, benefiting both freight and passenger services. Coupled with Industrial IoT and big data analytics, it gives rail a powerful platform to shift more freight from road to rail and finally achieve the long-discussed modal shift. As the sector embraces a digital future and competes with other transport modes, now is a critical moment for every stakeholder to fully engage with IoT, data and AI – or risk being left behind.
