This programme trains engineers to take an integrated, system-level approach to rail transport — from vehicle design and electrical drives to track infrastructure and operational planning. You will explore how new vehicle concepts, network design, routing and rolling stock management can enable more efficient, safe and environmentally friendly rail services. The course addresses operational challenges such as dealing with stochastic disturbances to avoid congestion and optimise safety, and asks practical questions about shifting more passenger and freight flows onto rail and the feasibility of driverless operation across different rail modes.
Teaching combines the perspectives of civil, mechanical and electrical engineering so you learn to design and develop rail vehicles, transportation systems and infrastructure in a coordinated way. The curriculum covers the full “railway” system: infrastructure, operations and vehicles — including electrical drives and power supply. This specialisation focuses on advancing railway engineering and, notably, is the only specialisation within the Master’s programme in Transport Engineering and Mobility that can be completed entirely in English.
The programme prepares graduates for a sector undergoing rapid digital and energy transitions: opportunities include driverless operation, energy‑optimised and low‑emission driving, automated condition‑based monitoring and predictive maintenance, and improved use of track capacity. Railways remain one of the most sustainable transport modes and are critical to the functioning of megacities (metros, LRVs, trams) and freight logistics. Career paths include roles with rolling‑stock manufacturers, consultants and suppliers, operators and infrastructure managers, and positions in both the private and public sectors — delivering technically challenging, varied and rewarding work.
Key facts and application notes
This interdisciplinary master's track sits within a broader Transport Engineering and Mobility programme created jointly by the faculties of Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering together with the School of Business and Economics. The Railway Systems Engineering specialisation is taught in both English and German (Bahnsystemingenieurwesen) and is administered by the Research Center Railways — a collaboration of three institutes: the Institute of Transportation Science and Chair of Railway Engineering and Transport Economics (VIA), the Chair and Institute of Rail Vehicles and Transport Systems (IFS), and the Institute for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives (ISEA). The curriculum blends theory, simulation and hands‑on lab work to prepare students for technical and managerial roles in the rail sector.
The programme follows an exemplary four‑semester plan that builds from core technical foundations to specialised applications and a research or project thesis. In the first year students cover fundamentals such as rail vehicle technology, power electronics, energy storage, sustainability in transport and systems-level railway topics. The second semester emphasises control systems, mechatronics, advanced electrical drives and transport modelling. The third semester deepens track guiding technology, capacity management and operations, and includes a hands‑on Railway Operations Lab plus an 8–16 week internship. The fourth semester is dedicated to a master’s thesis (often supported by the Research Center Railways) and advanced topics like multibody dynamics.
Graduates leave with multidisciplinary engineering skills for railway systems: the ability to design and analyse rail vehicles and infrastructure components, apply power electronics and electrical drive solutions, develop control and mechatronic systems, model mobility and operations, and assess sustainability and policy implications. Practical lab work, industry internships and a research thesis ensure experience with real engineering tools and workflows, positioning alumni for roles in rolling stock and infrastructure engineering, signalling and control, energy systems for transport, consultancy, or further research.
Key modules and programme requirements
You must hold a first university degree (bachelor’s or equivalent) that demonstrates the engineering background required in the programme’s examination regulations. Admissions are based on the specific coursework and credit distribution described below. If your prior studies don’t fully meet these requirements, the examination board can grant conditional admission subject to completing additional coursework; any conditional requirements must be finished before you register for the Master’s thesis.
Note for international applicants: the credit amounts below are given in ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System). If your degree was completed outside the European system, your transcript will be evaluated for equivalence against these ECTS requirements. Also, the programme requires a GRE General Test result unless you are a national of an EU or EEA member state.
Admission requirements (bullet points)
Winter Semester (International)
1 March 2026
Summer Semester (International)
1 September 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
15 July 2026
Summer Semester (EU/EEA)
15 January 2027
Graduates are prepared for technical and engineering roles across the rail sector: rolling stock manufacturers, suppliers and consultants; infrastructure managers and railway operators; and public organisations involved in transportation planning. The multidisciplinary skill set — combining vehicle design, power electronics, control systems and operations planning — also suits positions in research and development, systems integration and project management.
Because the programme emphasises digitalisation, control and energy-efficient operation, alumni are particularly well placed to work on driverless systems, predictive maintenance programmes, and electrification/energy optimisation projects within both private companies and public agencies.
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