GSMR

GSM-R, or Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway, is an international mobile communications standard designed specifically for railway operations. It adapts the GSM technology to provide voice and data services for train crews, signallers, maintenance staff, and railway control centers, with safety, reliability, and priority features required by rail systems. GSM-R is a key component of the European Rail Traffic Management System and the European Train Control System, but has been adopted in other regions as well.

The system uses dedicated rail spectrum, typically in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands, and operates as a closed user group for rail operators. It provides both traditional mobile voice services and data channels for signaling and operational data. To meet railway requirements, GSM-R includes mechanisms for prioritization, emergency communications, robust authentication, and encryption, along with specialized signaling interfaces to support train control processes.

Core network and air interface architecture follow GSM conventions while integrating railway-specific functions. On trains, mobile equipment (the Mobile Station) communicates with trackside base stations (BTS) and controllers (BSC/MSC) that connect to a railway core network. A railway-specific component, the Radio Block Centre (RBC), handles movement authority and other ETCS signaling messages between the trackside equipment and the train’s on-board unit. In addition to voice, the network supports data services used for train position reporting, status, and control messages.

Future developments include migration pathways to LTE-R and 5G-R technologies to increase capacity and data throughput while maintaining safety-critical communications.