event archive
9th Schienen-Control Symposium
On November 24, 2025, after a one-year hiatus, the 9th Schienen-Control Symposium took place Schienen-Control Dachsaal hall of the Urania Vienna.
The main topics focused onmaintenance windows, construction management, barriers to market entry in passenger transport, the significance of technological developments for rail freight transport, legal innovations, and the international framework of the new capacity regulation.
presentations
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- The future on rails—regulation promotes diversity and quality (Schienen-Control Röhsler)
- Closure break management with increasing traffic load (Graz University of Technology / Schatzl)
- Efficient construction site coordination (ÖBB Infrastructure / Pavel)
- Maintenance window from the customer's perspective (State of Styria / Walter)
- Competitive challenges (Westbahn / Pettauer)
- Barriers and difficulties in entering the Austrian market (Silverstar Railways / Kröll)
- Barriers to the expansion of international long-distance transport (ÖBB Passenger Transport / Kellermann)
- New technologies and their impact on small energy suppliers (FV der Schienenbahnen / Mandl)
- Challenges in rail freight transport (NEEÖ / Hecking)
- New case law from the ECJ, Administrative Court, etc. – Significance for the industry (University of Passau / Kramer)
- NEW Capacity Regulation – what can we expect? (Rail Net Europe / Hochhold)
Pictures from the 9th Schienen-Control Symposium
8th Schienen-Control Symposium
On October 5, 2023, the 8th Schienen-Control Symposium took place Schienen-Control Dachsaal hall at Urania Vienna. The symposium on "Current Issues in Competition Regulation" in rail transport once again proved to be an informative and important industry event.
The main topics focused on European developments, developments in rail freight transport, innovations in passenger rights, and insights into railway regulatory law.
presentations
- What is needed to strengthen competition in the railway sector (Haller)
- Role of regulators and IRG-Rail in the European Commission's reform plans (Otte)
- Barriers to rail freight transport from a regulatory perspective (Felber/Himmel)
- Barriers to rail freight transport from a business perspective (Hecking)
- Passenger rights New (Schadler)
- New developments in railway regulatory law (Kramer)
7th Schienen-Control Symposium
On October 4, 2022, the 7th symposium of Schienen-Control took place at the Urania in Vienna.
presentations
- What is needed to strengthen competition in the railway sector?
- Standardization and interoperability: ERA efforts
- Recent judgments of the ECJ in preliminary ruling proceedings in the field of rail transport market regulation
- European integration in the railway sector: Passenger transport - Through tickets
- Bookability of international train tickets: Quantification of a problem
- Rail travel in Austria: satisfaction, development, and changes
6th Schienen-Control Symposium
16.06.2021
On June 16, 2021, Schienen-Control held its sixth symposium, for the first time in a virtual space. This year, the specialist event on current topics in competition regulation was divided into the main topics of "current access issues," "fee regulation," and "opening up the traction power market."
About the presentations:
- Current issues facing Schienen-Control the railway regulatory authority
- Market premiums for 2018 and 2019
- SCK decision on station fees – legal situation prior to Directive 2012/34/EU
- Impact of the ECJ ruling on passenger platforms in Germany
- Station fee model – ECJ ruling and challenges in practical implementation
- Five years of a liberalized railway power market in Austria
5th Schienen-Control Symposium
9.10.2019
This year's Schienen-Control symposium Schienen-Control particularly significant: "20 years Schienen-Control . How much competition regulation does the railway need?" Numerous guests accepted the invitation. After the presentations and panel discussion, as well as an intensive exchange of ideas with the audience, the anniversary celebrations continued into the evening with a cabaret performance and a cocktail reception with culinary delicacies.
About the presentations:
- 20 years of railway regulation in Austria
- Regulation of network industries in comparison
- The role of regulation in the governance of the railway infrastructure company
- How can competition in the rail sector help shift traffic from road to rail? What regulatory approaches are needed to achieve this, and what is the current situation in Europe?
- Railways do not need more regulation, but effective and timely competition regulation
4th Schienen-Control Symposium
5.10.2017
The Schienen-Control symposium Schienen-Control already established itself as a permanent fixture. Over 130 guests accepted this year's invitation. The topic "Track access charges after RECAST – track access charges as a competitive factor" was discussed in a combination of presentations and panel discussions, as well as intensive exchanges of ideas with the audience. The full-day event also provided ample opportunity to examine and discuss certain aspects in greater depth. The day came to a pleasant close with a get-together accompanied by culinary delicacies.
About the presentations:
- Determination of the direct costs of a train journey and their modulation
- Legal basis - Surcharges and market segments
- The importance of public funding of railways for setting track access charges
- Decision of the Federal Network Agency on market segments and surcharges
- Different national remuneration systems as a challenge for an internationally active company
- The challenge of the 2018 road pricing model
- Remuneration system in Switzerland
3rd Schienen-Control Symposium
27.9.2016
The focus of the 2016 symposium, which was organized in cooperation with ÖVG, was on the topic of "Challenges of single wagon transport." The topic was discussed in depth in the usual manner, with a combination of presentations and a panel discussion. Numerous railway companies and decision-makers from the logistics and transport sectors accepted the invitation. During and after the symposium, participants had ample time for technical discussions to explore various aspects of railway law in greater depth.
About the presentations:
- Introduction and problem definition
- The future of single-carriage transport
- The future of single-carriage transport from the perspective of the European Commission
- Ways to strengthen single-carriage transport—the starting point in Austria and Germany
- Significance of single wagon transport and future prospects
- Economic conditions for single-carriage transport from a private individual's perspective
- Challenges in single-carriage transport for a private individual
2nd Schienen-Control Symposium
29.9.2015
As part of the 2nd Schienen-Control Symposium, in cooperation with ÖVG, the topic of "Recast: Changes in Regulation" was intensively discussed and debated in a combination of presentations and a panel discussion. In particular, the topics of fees and service facilities as well as other issues from the recast that are relevant to regulation were addressed. As in the previous year, the more than 120 participants had ample opportunity for technical discussions during and after the symposium to delve deeper into various aspects of railway law.
About the presentations:
- The new obligations regarding service facilities from the recast
- Regarding the independence requirements for service facility operators in accordance with Recast
- Implementing act "Direct costs" – initial experiences from France
- New remuneration system 2017—two perspectives on market segmentation and surcharges
- DB Netz perspective
- Perspective of the Federal Network Agency
- The planned implementation of the recast – a comparison of German and Austrian law
- Consultation with transport company users
1st Schienen-Control Symposium
30.9.2014
With this year's event focusing on the topic of "remuneration regulation" and the motto: "Not just informing, but also discussing," the independent regulator had its finger on the pulse.
On September 30, Schienen-Control cooperation with ÖVG, hosted its first symposium in the Dachsaal hall at Urania Vienna. Numerous renowned railway companies, transport associations, and decision-makers from the transport and business sectors accepted the invitation. The topic of fare regulation was intensively discussed and debated in a combination of presentations and a panel discussion with experts from Vienna, Brussels, Germany, and France. With over 120 participants, the event succeeded in creating a platform that enabled all stakeholders to meet and exchange ideas.
About the presentations:
- The development of IBE in light of the 1st Railway Pact to date
- Recast and implementing act on the calculation of direct costs
- Remuneration regulation in Austria in light of case law
- Case law on remuneration regulation in Germany
- Remuneration regulation in Germany
- Fare regulation from the perspective of a rail transport company