Alstom has invested more than €1 million to renovate and expand its Field Integration and Validation Platform (FIVP) laboratory in Bucharest, strengthening its engineering capabilities in railway signalling, electrification and digital rail systems. The upgraded facility, part of Alstom’s Digital and Integrated Systems (D&IS) organisation, will support the development, integration and testing of railway technologies for projects in Romania, Europe and other international markets.
The laboratory provides an environment in which engineers can simulate railway operating conditions and test signalling, electrification and digital systems before their deployment on operational networks. The process helps verify system performance, assess interoperability and identify potential issues before installation.
The expanded facility will allow engineers to test complete signalling systems incorporating the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), interlocking, train control and traffic management technologies. It will also support Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) solutions used in urban transport networks.
Testing can be carried out at the complete system level or on individual subsystems, including their interaction with field equipment. This enables engineering teams to assess how different components operate together before systems are introduced into railway networks.
The expansion will increase testing capacity substantially. The laboratory will be able to conduct two complete system tests or up to six subsystem tests simultaneously, compared with the previous arrangement, which was limited by available equipment and workstations.
Bogdan Cozoș, Managing Director of Alstom’s Digital and Integrated Systems business in Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova, said the investment reflected the company’s long-term commitment to engineering development in Romania. He added that the facility would help teams validate new signalling and electrification technologies and support railway modernisation projects. Alstom said the laboratory would also provide a collaborative working environment for specialists from different engineering disciplines, helping improve coordination and testing efficiency across projects.
The facility will be operated by Alstom Romania’s signalling engineering community, which comprises more than 200 engineers, software specialists, testers and railway signalling experts. The team supports projects in Romania and international markets, contributing to the development of systems intended to improve railway safety, reliability, capacity and operational efficiency.
The investment builds on Alstom’s more than 30 years of involvement in Romania’s railway sector. The company works across railway signalling, electrification, rolling stock and maintenance services, supporting the modernisation of the country’s transport infrastructure. Alstom said the upgraded laboratory would strengthen Romania’s position within its international engineering network while providing additional capacity for testing and validating advanced railway systems.
