European Rail jobs
The rail industry is one of Europe’s key sectors, providing vital employment, economic growth, and valuable transport for passengers and freight across the continent. The European rail industry is characterised by a diverse infrastructure consisting of high speed rail, rapid transit systems, light rail, freight trains, and trams.
European rail infrastructure
European high speed rail networks
High speed rail has grown to become an efficient and popular way of transport in Europe, and there are now large high speed networks in operation in various countries. There are also several cross-border high speed rail links built between countries, such as France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Engineering work is required in the maintenance of these existing high speed networks, and also in the implementation of new ones.
Existing high speed rail networks include the Eurostar and Eurotunnel Shuttle trains which travel through the Channel Tunnel linking the United Kingdom to France. In Spain, the Alta Velocidad Espanola high speed rail system has been operational for over 20 years providing connections across the country from cities such as Madrid to Barcelona. In Germany the Intercity-Express (ICE) routes connect cities such as Hamburg, and Munich as well as international connections to neighbouring countries such as Austria, and Denmark.
European rapid transit systems
Rapid transit systems are commonly found in urban areas, operating in tunnels or elevated railways. They are found in cities throughout Europe, with the largest being the London Underground in the United Kingdom which is approximately 402 km in length. Other large rapid transit systems in Europe include the:
- Berlin S-Bahn network, Germany
- Madrid Metro, Spain
- Paris Metro, France
European light rail systems
Light rail systems operate along exclusive rights of way, using similar rolling stock to trams. There are several light rail systems in Europe including the:
- Wuppertal Suspension Railway, Germany
- Docklands Light Railway, United Kingdom
- Kiev Light Railway, Ukraine
Freight trains in Europe
Rail systems provide a useful means of transporting freight across Europe, and there are several networks in the region that operate freight trains. There are also a number of freight-only routes in Europe such as the Betuweroute, which runs between Rotterdam and Germany, and the Brevik Line which runs in Norway.
Tram systems in Europe
Europe is home to an extensive number of tram networks, which can be found in several major cities. Some of the tram networks in Europe are listed below:
- Lisbon Tramway, Portugal
- London Tramlink, United Kingdom
- Lyon Tramway, France
- Oslo Tramway, Norway
Rail careers in Europe
With such a varied rail network infrastructure, there are job opportunities for engineers in all corners of Europe. Jobs in the rail industry may include:
- Track engineer rail jobs
- Signalling engineer rail jobs
- Electrical engineer rail jobs
- Rolling Stock engineer rail jobs
- Planning engineer rail jobs
- Civil engineer rail jobs
- Mechanical engineer rail jobs
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