Shaping the future of urban rail

As cities around the world look to manage urban growth, operational budgets and ageing infrastructure, one challenge stands out: how to move more people safely and reliably without building entirely new networks. Advanced signalling has become the quiet enabler of this next chapter in urban mobility.

Hitachi Rail, and its global competence centre for Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) technology in Canada, is playing an increasingly important role in that story. Toronto has been at the forefront of CBTC development since the 1970s, when the technology was first conceived by Hitachi Rail. It was also where the foundations were laid for the world’s first driverless metro, later deployed on Vancouver’s SkyTrain in 1986. Today, the business remains central to the evolution of CBTC, with Hitachi Rail developing the ninth generation of the technology from its Canadian base.

Modern signalling offers one of the most effective ways to increase capacity and reliability without large-scale physical expansion.”

Hitachi Rail’s CBTC expertise supports some of the world’s most complex metro environments. Its technology is deployed in cities including London, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Cairo, San Francisco, Toronto, Dubai, Doha, Hong Kong and Singapore, each with unique operational and capacity challenges.

Meeting urban growth with digital capacity

More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities, a figure expected to reach two-thirds by 2050. Urban rail systems must accommodate growing ridership while managing infrastructure that is often decades old. Modern signalling offers one of the most effective ways to increase capacity and reliability without large-scale physical expansion.

A clear example is London Underground’s Four Lines Modernisation, the most complex re-signalling programme currently underway. The project replaces systems between 50 and 150 years old across 40 per cent of the network. When complete, it will boost peak passenger capacity by 30%, increasing from 24 to 32 trains per hour. Crucially, this is being delivered while minimising disruption to passengers, with a strong focus on keeping line closures to an absolute minimum.

Rail’s digital upgrade

While delivering globally, the pace of technological advancement continues to accelerate. Hitachi Rail is investing C$100 million in the next generation of its CBTC technology, SelTrac. This will integrate artificial intelligence (AI), 5G and cloud computing, delivering higher capacity, improved safety and enhanced reliability.

At the core of any CBTC system is communications technology. The latest generation of SelTrac is transitioning from legacy radio and Wi-Fi to 5G, unlocking a step change in performance.

Each train can now generate up to 50,000 data points every fifth of a second. With 5G, that data reaches signalling systems in milliseconds, enabling tighter headways, higher throughput and improved resilience. The network also offers enhanced cybersecurity and reliability.

New York’s Crosstown Line is among the first in the world to adopt 5G-based CBTC, replacing mechanical signalling on a line that carries around 70,000 passengers per day. Fewer radio access points are required compared with Wi-Fi, reducing trackside equipment and long-term maintenance demands. As a globally supported standard, 5G also future-proofs systems, supporting software upgrades without major hardware replacement.

From fixed timetables to intelligent operations

High-bandwidth, low-latency data opens the door to AI-enabled operations. Real-time analytics allow signalling systems to dynamically adjust train spacing and dwell times as demand fluctuates, improving punctuality while reducing operating costs.

In Singapore, Hitachi Rail has worked with SMRT to analyse data across the North–South and East–West Lines. More precise control has increased capacity, while improved fault detection has delivered a sixfold improvement in reliability.

Energy efficiency is another area delivering tangible benefits. Through the latest generation of Green CBTC, advanced analytics and machine learning optimise train movements, driving patterns and energy use. As a result, energy consumption has already fallen by 8% in Singapore, with a target of 15%.

Partnerships with universities help co-create courses and curricula, strengthening the pipeline of future signalling and urban mobility specialists.”

AI-driven asset management is also a fast-growing area. Hitachi Rail’s HMAX for Rail platform uses sensors and real-time analytics to identify anomalies before failures occur. Predictive maintenance can cost up to seven times less than reactive repairs. NVIDIA-powered processing has significantly reduced analysis times, flagging only relevant data rather than requiring days of manual review. The company is exploring the deployment of this technology on Toronto’s Ontario Line, where it is the lead consortium member on the RSSOM package.

Building the next generation of rail talent

Technology leadership depends as much on people as it does on platforms. Hitachi Rail has made skills development and long-term capability building a core focus across its business.

In February 2026, the company announced a C$30 million investment in a new state-of-the-art office in Toronto, bringing together more than 1,100 engineers and technology specialists. The facility will serve as its global competence centre for CBTC signalling, anchoring product development and innovation for metro systems worldwide.

This complements other centres of urban signalling engineering expertise in the US, France, Italy, China and Japan. Together, these teams design and deliver solutions tailored to customers across the globe.

The company is also investing in future talent. Each year, it hosts paid interns, many of whom progress into full-time roles. Partnerships with universities help co-create courses and curricula, strengthening the pipeline of future signalling and urban mobility specialists.

Growing role in global rail

Signalling and digital systems are playing an increasingly critical role in the global rail industry, as cities seek to maximise the capacity of existing infrastructure. This trend is evident not only in traditionally dense rail markets across Europe and Asia, but globally, with the Americas, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific all adopting advanced technologies to meet rising demand.

This creates positive demand signals that enable companies such as Hitachi Rail to invest in next-generation products and capabilities. It strengthens the focus on delivering high-performance solutions, attracting global talent and supporting long-term innovation.

In doing so, the industry is better positioned to help cities move more people safely, efficiently and sustainably through technology-led solutions.