Rail Concept

What Rail Concept does

Rail Concept is a French independent railway engineering consultancy founded in 2006 by former SNCF cheminots Alain Richard and André Vertodusic, structured as a SARL with €80,000 share capital and headquartered in Les Angles (near Avignon) with a second office in Paris. The firm specializes in upstream railway studies and project management oversight, serving railway infrastructure managers (notably SNCF Réseau and RFF), government ministries (Côte d'Ivoire, Niger), regional authorities (Occitanie, Bourgogne, Île-de-France Mobilités), and selected private operators (Eurotunnel, LISEA, Keolis). Its service portfolio spans capacity analysis, traffic forecasting and socio-economic evaluation, timetable construction, ERTMS deployment strategy, network regeneration studies, and Mission AMO (Assistance à Maîtrise d'Ouvrage) for flagship projects such as the Abidjan Metro Line 1.

Beyond consulting, Rail Concept operates a proprietary software division that has built three tools over more than a decade of R&D: RailLab, a microscopic and macroscopic railway simulation platform with built-in interoperability to THOR, Viriato, HOUAT, CAT, and RailML; IngeTime, a transport plan management tool sold under license (notably 9 licenses to Eurotunnel and additional licenses to SNCF Réseau PRI de Lyon) with TVM430 and ERTMS N2 integration; and ADEB, an analytical front-end for SNCF Réseau's e-BREHAT data warehouse. RailLab has its own subsidiary site (raillab.fr), indicating a distinct brand and productized offering.

The business model combines professional services revenue from project-based contracts (typically multi-month to multi-year mandates competed through direct tenders and public procurement) with software licensing and customization revenue from RailLab, IngeTime, and ADEB. Rail Concept operates as a B2B enterprise field-sales organization with no resellers or consumer channels, relying on direct relationships, repeat clients, and a referral network within the French and international railway sector. The firm has grown to approximately 30 employees distributed across its two French offices and has executed projects in France, multiple African countries, Spain, and Iran, with particularly strong positioning on EU ERTMS corridor deployments and African metro/concession advisory.

Name

Rail Concept

Legal name

RAIL CONCEPT SARL

Website

https://railconcept.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rail Concept is an independent French railway engineering consultancy founded in 2006, providing upstream studies, capacity and timetabling analysis, ERTMS deployment strategy, and project management oversight to infrastructure managers and government ministries in France, Africa, and Europe, supported by proprietary software tools RailLab, IngeTime, and ADEB.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway Engineering Consulting

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Rail Civil Structures & Right-of-Way Management (Earthworks, Drainage, Vegetation) (TLAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rail Infrastructure Authorities (Track, Stations, Grade Crossings) (BPAIALAG)

Keywords

• Railway engineering consultancy
• Rail infrastructure studies
• Transport planning services
• Railway operations consulting
• Rail simulation software

Headquarters

HQ city

Anglès

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering and Consulting Studies: Rail Concept generates revenue by providing specialized engineering and consulting services for railway infrastructure projects. This includes upstream feasibility studies, operational studies, socio-economic analyses, capacity studies, traffic forecasting, infrastructure design, and project management oversight. Revenue is project-based, typically through direct contracts with railway infrastructure managers, government ministries, and regional authorities.
2. Software Licensing and Support (RailLab, IngeTime, ADEB): The company develops and sells proprietary railway software tools. IngeTime has been sold to Eurotunnel (9 licenses with custom development) and to the PRI de Lyon (1 license with training). Software licensing includes ongoing support and customization, generating recurring and one-time revenue streams.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rail Concept is an independent French engineering consultancy that delivers upstream railway studies, project ownership assistance (AMO), and technical expertise to railway infrastructure managers, operators, and government authorities. The firm combines domain consulting with three proprietary software tools — RailLab (microscopic/macroscopic circulation modeling), IngeTime (transport plan management), and ADEB (e-BREHAT data analysis) — to support capacity analysis, timetable construction, ERTMS deployment strategy, socio-economic evaluations, and large-project oversight across France, Africa, and Europe.

Product overview

Rail Concept offers a portfolio of specialized railway engineering services and proprietary software tools. The core software products include RailLab (a comprehensive railway simulation and modeling platform for both microscopic and macroscopic analysis), IngeTime (a transport plan management software sold as licenses to clients like Eurotunnel), and ADEB (a data analysis tool interfacing with e-BREHAT). These software tools are developed through Rail Concept's Research & Innovation division and are used both internally for studies and sold directly to clients. Beyond software, Rail Concept provides professional services including Mission AMO (project ownership assistance for major railway projects), Études d'Exploitation (railway operations studies), and Expertise/Conseil (technical consulting). The company operates as both a software vendor and a consulting firm serving railway infrastructure owners, operators, and authorities across France and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RailLab: RailLab is a specialized railway modeling and simulation software developed by Rail Concept's team of railway experts and developers over 10 years. It provides infrastructure modeling, timetable construction, microscopic studies, and robustness analysis capabilities. Functions at both microscopic and macroscopic scales.
• IngeTime
• ADEB

Products and services

• RailLab
• IngeTime
• ADEB
• Saturation Analysis Tool for DAC
• Mission AMO Grands Projets (Project Ownership Assistance)
• Études Ferroviaires (Railway Studies)
• Expertise / Conseil (Technical Consulting)

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• GEIE Atlantic CorridorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Rail Concept was commissioned by GEIE Atlantic Corridor to conduct a feasibility study for ERTMS deployment on the transborder Vitoria-Bordeaux section. This partnership positions Rail Concept as a key actor in European rail corridor studies and aligns with EU objectives to deploy ERTMS on nine corridors by 2030.
• Fundación de los Ferrocarriles EspañolesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Rail Concept partnered with the Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles as part of the GEIE Atlantic Corridor feasibility study for ERTMS deployment on the Vitoria-Bordeaux section. The foundation provided expertise on the Spanish railway system as part of the cross-border analysis.
• Groupement STAR (Bouygues Travaux Publics, DTP, Hyundai Rotem, DongSan Engineering, Keolis)flagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2017Rail Concept was appointed by the Ivorian Ministry of Transport to serve as Project Director and AMO Cell Coordinator for the Abidjan Metro Line 1 project, working within the STAR consortium. The project involves a 37.5 km urban metro line, with Rail Concept providing AMO and technical assistance to consortium members Hyundai Rotem and DongSan Engineering.
• OC'VIA MAINTENANCEcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2014Rail Concept provided AMO support to OC'VIA Maintenance for drafting maintenance reference documents related to the Nîmes-Montpellier bypass (CNM), a €2.28 billion public-private partnership covering 80 km of new mixed-use line operating at 220 km/h.
• Hogan LovellsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Rail Concept provided technical expertise to Hogan Lovells (representing the Government of Niger) in the context of the international arbitration over the Transgabonais concession. Rail Concept contributed technical maintenance expertise that informed the legal proceedings.
• GEIE SEA VITORIA DAXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRail Concept worked with GEIE SEA VITORIA DAX to study conditions for implementing a cross-border passenger rail service between Bayonne and Saint Sébastien. The study included demand modeling, infrastructure diagnostics, and economic assessment for cross-border rail services.
• SNCF RéseauflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNCF Réseau is Rail Concept's most frequent client, commissioning numerous studies including strategic hourly planning, ERTMS deployment strategy, capacity studies, regeneration analyses, network audits, and major project feasibility assessments. The relationship spans hundreds of projects over more than a decade.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• COWI: International engineering consultancy with a substantial rail practice covering feasibility, design, and project management for European rail programs. Overlaps with Rail Concept on European rail infrastructure consulting.
• DB Engineering & Consulting: Consulting arm of Deutsche Bahn providing rail operations, infrastructure, and planning services across Europe. Larger incumbent offering overlapping upstream rail studies, capacity analysis, and timetable consulting.

Direct peers

• Egis: Major French engineering group with a dedicated rail practice covering infrastructure studies, project direction, and operations advisory. Comparable offering to Rail Concept for French-speaking public clients and international rail programs.
• Ingerop: French independent engineering consultancy active in transport infrastructure studies, including rail capacity and operations. Comparable profile of an independent French firm serving SNCF Réseau and regional authorities.
• SMA und Partner: Independent German rail operations and capacity consultancy with proprietary simulation expertise, serving infrastructure managers across Europe. Comparable niche positioning as an independent specialist in rail operations studies.
• Tractebel: International engineering consultancy (part of ENGIE) with a strong rail practice offering feasibility, operations, and project management services. Comparable on European rail infrastructure consulting for public clients.
• Systra: French-headquartered global rail engineering consultancy (owned by SNCF and RATP) providing feasibility studies, project management, and detailed design for rail infrastructure. Closest comparable in terms of upstream railway studies for infrastructure managers and governments.
• Artelia: French engineering group with a transport practice covering rail studies, project direction, and infrastructure design. Competes with Rail Concept for upstream rail mandates from infrastructure managers and ministries.
• Setec: Independent French engineering consultancy with a transport and rail practice providing feasibility, capacity, and infrastructure studies for operators and authorities. Competes with Rail Concept on French rail upstream studies and project management.

Emerging players

• RMCon (RailSys / OpenTrack): Vendor of rail simulation software (RailSys, OpenTrack) used for capacity, timetable, and robustness studies. Adjacent competitor/alternative to Rail Concept's RailLab and IngeTime software stack for rail planning tooling.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/railconcept

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rail Concept