European Rail Infrastructure Managers

What European Rail Infrastructure Managers does

European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM) is a Brussels-based international non-profit association (aisbl) founded in October 2002 as a structural spin-off of the EU's first Railway Package. It is the only EU-level association exclusively representing rail infrastructure managers (IMs), and serves 12 full and 3 associate member IMs spanning 11 European countries — collectively managing 53% of the EU's railway lines, 40% of freight traffic, and 58% of passenger rail services. Member organizations include SNCF Réseau, Network Rail, Adif, DB Netz, ÖBB-Infrastruktur, SBB Infrastructure, ProRail, PKP PLK, RFI, Infrabel, and others, with Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) joining as the most recent full member in June 2024.

EIM operates through a Brussels secretariat of approximately eight staff under Executive Director Monika Heiming, led by President Alain Quinet (SNCF Réseau, elected June 2025) and Vice-President Piotr Wyborski (PKP PLK). Its operating model centers on industry Working Groups, a Knowledge Station digital library of factsheets, annual events, and structured engagement with the European Commission, the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), and RailNetEurope (RNE). The association co-chairs the PRIME platform with the European Commission and maintains MoUs with adjacent organizations such as 6G-IA (2024), European Hyperloop Industry Partners (2021), CER, UNIFE, and RNE. It also owns the Track Access Charges Glossary in cooperation with RNE and ERA.

EIM is funded entirely through annual membership fees from its full and associate members; it has no commercial revenue stream and is not engaged in lobbying for individual commercial gain. The organization's strategic direction is set out in the Strategic Vision 2024-2029, which frames engagement around market opening, innovation, sustainability, safety, security, and resilience for European rail infrastructure.

Name

European Rail Infrastructure Managers

Legal name

European Rail Infrastructure Managers aisbl

Website

https://eimrail.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM) is a Brussels-based non-profit association (aisbl) founded in 2002 that exclusively represents rail infrastructure managers at EU level, serving 12 full and 3 associate members across 11 European countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Infrastructure Association Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Rail Stations & Rail-Adjacent Infrastructure Interfaces (Platforms, Access, Depot Connections) (TLAJADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rail Asset & Infrastructure Status Monitoring within OCC (Condition/Alarm Management) (TLAJAEAK), Rail Signaling & Train Control Infrastructure (Interlockings, ETCS/CBTC Wayside) (TLAJADAB), Rail Infrastructure Authorities (Track, Stations, Grade Crossings) (BPAIALAG)

Keywords

• Rail infrastructure management
• EU transport policy advocacy
• Rail association membership
• Industry working groups
• Knowledge sharing network

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: EIM is funded through membership fees from its 12 full and 3 associate members, which include rail infrastructure managers from European countries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM) is a non-profit association that represents European rail infrastructure managers through policy advocacy, lobbying at the EU level, knowledge sharing, and coordination of industry working groups. It provides policy analysis, position papers, and a forum for its members to exchange technical and operational best practices.

Product overview

European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM) is a Brussels-based, international non-profit association (aisbl) that represents the common interests of European Rail Infrastructure Managers. Rather than offering commercial products, EIM provides advocacy services, lobbying representation, knowledge sharing platforms, and coordination among rail infrastructure managers. The organization facilitates exchange of best practices through Working Groups covering technical subjects including Infrastructure, Energy, ERTMS, Safety, Security, Environment, Asset Management, and Operations. EIM's services include pre-legislative and post-legislative analysis of railway policy issues, business activity assistance such as asset management, knowledge sharing on operational challenges, and cooperation on security issues. The association has 12 full and 3 associate members across 11 European countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Policy advocacy and EU lobbying Representation of rail infrastructure manager interests at EU level through policy positions, position papers, and engagement with EU institutions.
• Industry working groups Member-only working groups that bring together rail infrastructure managers to coordinate on technical, operational, and regulatory issues.
• Knowledge sharing platform A platform facilitating knowledge exchange and best-practice dissemination among European rail infrastructure managers, allowing members to share operational and technical experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 53% of EU railway lines managed by members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 6G-IA (6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2024EIM and 6G-IA signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation on future telecommunications needs for rail infrastructure, supporting digitalization and connectivity requirements.
• Multinational Support Ukraine Rail Task ForceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2022EIM joined as observer to support Ukrainian citizens and rail sector through coordination of technical, mechanical, and policy support, partnering with Ukrainian Railways, Ministry of Infrastructure, and international rail officials.
• European Hyperloop Industry PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2021Seven largest hyperloop industry players signed an agreement with EIM to support integration of hyperloop technology with existing rail infrastructure, exploring future transportation possibilities.
• CER (Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEIM and CER jointly organize High-Level Infrastructure Meetings (HLIM), collaborate on TEN-T policy positions, and work together on railway capacity management and digitalization initiatives.
• UNIFE (European Rail Supply Industry)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEIM collaborates with UNIFE on joint position papers regarding TEN-T regulation and other EU policy initiatives affecting the European railway ecosystem.
• Rail Net Europe (RNE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRNE is a body grouping European infrastructure managers to allow planning of international train paths, working with EIM members on cross-border capacity coordination.
• European Union Agency for Railways (ERA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEIM Working Groups contribute speakers to ERA working bodies and represent technical opinion on different Agency workstreams, including TSI development and safety matters.
• PRIME (Platform of European Railway Infrastructure Managers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRIME is co-chaired by EIM President and European Commission, serving as the platform for dialogue between infrastructure managers and EU policy makers.
• ERRAC (European Rail Research Advisory Council)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERRAC coordinates rail research at the European level, with EIM members participating in research advisory activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• UITP (International Association of Public Transport): UITP is the global Brussels-based association for public transport authorities and operators, covering urban rail, metro, and bus. It overlaps with EIM's passenger-rail stakeholders and competes for policy influence on EU sustainable urban mobility files.
• International Union of Railways (UIC): UIC is the worldwide rail industry association headquartered in Paris, standardizing technical specifications and coordinating across global rail systems. It is a broader rail-sector incumbent with overlapping technical coordination roles relative to EIM's working groups.
• European Union Agency for Railways (ERA): ERA is the EU regulatory agency for railways, responsible for vehicle authorizations, safety certification, and TSI development. EIM working groups feed into ERA workstreams, making ERA both a partner and a public-sector incumbent whose priorities frame EIM's policy agenda.

Direct peers

• ERRAC (European Rail Research Advisory Council): ERRAC coordinates European-level rail research strategy and programming with EIM members participating. It is a peer consortium in the same rail-innovation policy ecosystem, focused on R&I agenda setting.
• UNIFE (European Rail Supply Industry): UNIFE represents rail equipment suppliers and frequently co-publishes position papers with EIM on TEN-T and EU rail industrial policy. It is a peer rail-sector association with overlapping EU policy goals but a distinctly different stakeholder base.
• CER (Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies): CER is the broader Brussels-based association representing railway operators and historically also infrastructure managers, co-organizing HLIM events with EIM. It is the most direct peer in EU rail policy advocacy and often competes/collaborates with EIM on shared policy files like TEN-T.
• Rail Net Europe (RNE): RNE groups the same European infrastructure managers (many of them EIM members) to coordinate international train path planning and cross-border capacity allocation. It is a direct functional peer focused on operational coordination rather than policy advocacy.

Regional players

• European Transport Safety Council (ETSC): ETSC is a Brussels-based NGO promoting transport safety across all modes including rail. It is an EU-level policy peer engaging on rail safety and infrastructure risk topics in which EIM working groups (Safety, Security) also operate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EIMrail
• Facebookfacebook.com/EIMRail
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eim_3

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about European Rail Infrastructure Managers