Global Railway Review Issue 2 2026 – a look ahead at InnoTrans

GRR Issue 2 previews InnoTrans 2026, where the show marks 30 years and gives AI a hall of its own. Inside: escaping rail’s AI pilot graveyard, why Eurostar wins on experience not speed, and where green traction actually pays.

GRR Issue 2 2026

Every two years the whole of rail heads to Berlin. This September InnoTrans marks 30 years, gives artificial intelligence (AI) a hall of its own and signals its next move, with InnoTrans Asia launching in Singapore in 2027. The current running through Issue 2 is less about what the railway can now do than whether it can do it everywhere, at scale and together.

Artificial intelligence and the pilot graveyard

Britain’s railway has no shortage of good AI ideas, only a way to scale them. Sarah Schlobohm of GBRX sets out the pathfinder model built to drive proven ideas out of rail’s pilot graveyard and into daily service.

Europe’s rail strategy at a decision point

On the eve of the EU’s next budget, Europe’s Rail’s Giorgio Travaini argues the hardest part of innovation is the system, not the technology, and explains why pre-deployment has to become part of the plan.

Passenger experience over journey time

Eurostar’s fastest-growing route is one where flying is quicker. Chief Customer Experience Officer Emmanuelle Scemama explains why passengers now choose comfort and reliability over saved minutes.

Green traction and the route that decides it

Rail freight keeps asking which fuel replaces diesel. Antoine Belleguie of Rail Logistics Europe says the right answer depends on the route, not the fuel, and that a portfolio beats a single winner.

Regional focus: Germany and Austria

Germany and Austria are investing at a scale not seen in decades. Gabriel Higgins reports on how DB and ÖBB are delivering digital signalling, electrification and station renewal as one infrastructure strategy in 2026.