CAF is a world leader in the design and delivery of integrated transportation systems and will be exhibiting at Train & Rail for the second time in 2025.
We spoke to Veronica Soares Yañez from Corporate Marketing at CAF about their participation at this year’s fair.
What type of company is CAF and what are you working on?
CAF is a world leader in the design and supply of integral transport systems and a benchmark in the sustainable mobility sector. Thus, in addition to designing and manufacturing a wide range of railway vehicles, such as high-speed trains, metros and trams, it is responsible for other key aspects such as signalling systems, maintenance, fleet modernisation and the integration of turnkey projects. It also produces buses, giving priority to zero-emission models.
As part of its expansion and consolidation strategy in the railway market, CAF acquired the Swedish company Euromaint, leader in the train maintenance sector in its country. This acquisition has strengthened CAF’s presence in the Nordic countries, a key region in the development of sustainable mobility. Euromaint has been a benchmark company in the Nordic railway market for many years, with a significant market share in the railway fleet maintenance sector, an activity which it combines with the supply of railway components for operators in the region.
Why have you chosen to participate in Train & Rail 2025?
This is the second time in which we participate. CAF has established a strong presence in the Nordic market through various projects and we are committed to being a major player in the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility in these regions.
It is an excellent opportunity to showcase our latest technologies and solutions in transport systems, connect with customers, partners and other key players in the railway sector, exchange ideas and knowledge to address the industry’s future challenges and strengthen our position as a leader in end-to-end mobility solutions.
What is your objective with Train & Rail?
We are very happy to be close to key players in the sector, such as Sporveien, Metro Oslo, SJ or Transitio, with whom we have ongoing projects. These collaborations allow us to bring our experience and innovation to the development of rail transport, improving efficiency, sustainability and user experience. We believe that working together with benchmark operators and entities is key to promoting solutions that respond to the current and future needs of the sector.
What is the most important issue from your perspective for the future of railways and how are you currently working on this issue?
The most important question for the future of the railway industry is how to achieve truly sustainable and decarbonised mobility while ensuring the efficiency and reliability of the systems. For CAF, the transition to clean energy sources through the development of battery and hydrogen-powered trains is key, along with the optimisation of the energy efficiency of its vehicles, seeking the recyclability of materials and applying efficient driving strategies.
In urban mobility, CAF has developed solutions such as on-board energy storage systems (OESS) to operate without catenary, reducing the visual impact on cities. As well as autonomous train operation technologies with our ALIVE platform and communications-based control systems (CBTC) with the OPTIO solution, which improve service efficiency and punctuality.
Last year, CAF successfully completed the FCH2RAIL demonstration project, which allowed us to prove that hydrogen technology is a reliable option in real-world conditions.
Digitalisation also plays a key role, with the LeadMind platform facilitating decision-making by analysing fleet and system data.
What do you want from industry colleagues and policy makers to enable society to meet the demand, financial constraints and climate goals of future rail transport?
CAF is fully committed to leading the future of sustainable mobility. Together, we are reshaping the way the world moves, striving to have a positive and lasting impact on the well-being of our planet and its people. We expect the industry to continue to invest in sustainable mobility, driving innovative solutions that will enable us to move towards a more efficient, environmentally friendly and accessible transport system for all.