Deutsches Zentrum für Schienenverkehrsforschung (DZSF)

What Deutsches Zentrum für Schienenverkehrsforschung (DZSF) does

Deutsches Zentrum für Schienenverkehrsforschung (DZSF) is the German Federal Government's departmental research institution for rail transport, established in 2019 and organizationally located under the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA) within the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). Headquartered in Dresden with a secondary office in Bonn and ~50 employees, DZSF conducts independent, mission-oriented research to support evidence-based rail policy in Germany — covering safety, digitalization, automation, environmental performance, climate resilience, noise protection, and mobility economics. It serves federal and state transportation authorities, infrastructure managers (notably DB InfraGO), railway undertakings (DB Cargo), and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), and operates under a Scientific Advisory Board chaired by Prof. Dr. Martina Schraudner.

DZSF's core technical footprint is a portfolio of specialized research infrastructure: the Open Digital Test Field (ODT) spanning Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Saxony between Halle (Saale), Cottbus, and Niesky; the ETCS simulation laboratory; the Cybersecurity Laboratory for digital train control and safety technology; the LärmLab for noise and vibration reduction; a nationwide five-station environmental measurement network; and a three-station railway bridge measurement network using fiber optic and displacement sensors. Research programs include ATO-Sense and ATO-Risk (with Siemens Mobility, TU Berlin, DLR, TÜV Rheinland, DB Systemtechnik), the ATO Cargo Betuweroute freight automation project (with DB Cargo), and predictive maintenance research for vehicles and infrastructure.

The business model is non-commercial: DZSF is fully government-owned and funded through the Federal Railway Research Programme, does not sell products or services, and distributes its research outputs free of charge via publications, research reports (Forschungsberichte), seminars, the Zukunftsforum ATO conference series, and direct engagement with industry and policy stakeholders. Cooperation agreements — for example with DB InfraGO for the ~800m noise protection test wall to be completed in 2027 — function as joint research arrangements rather than revenue contracts.

Name

Deutsches Zentrum für Schienenverkehrsforschung (DZSF)

Legal name

Deutsches Zentrum für Schienenverkehrsforschung beim Eisenbahn-Bundesamt

Website

https://dzsf.bund.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DZSF is the German Federal Government's departmental research institution for rail transport, founded 2019 and embedded within the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt. It conducts independent rail research across safety, automation, digitalization, and environmental performance, operating the Open Digital Test Field and specialized laboratories, funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway Research Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Rolling Stock Testing, Inspection & Certification (NDT, commissioning, compliance) (TLAKAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Work Zone Intelligent Transportation Systems (WZ-ITS) & Temporary Signal Systems (TLAJACAN), Leak Detection, Emissions & LDAR Testing (OGI, methane, fugitive emissions) (EUAEAHAL)

Keywords

• Rail transport research
• Railway safety testing
• Automated train operation
• Railway cybersecurity research
• Railway environmental monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Dresden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding: DZSF is a government research institution under the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (Federal Railway Authority). It receives funding from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) through the Bundesforschungsprogramm Schiene (Federal Railway Research Programme) to conduct research in the public interest.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DZSF is a German federal departmental research institution under the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (Federal Railway Authority) that conducts applied scientific research for the rail transport sector on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). It operates specialized research infrastructure including the Open Digital Test Field (ODT), ETCS Laboratory, Cybersecurity Laboratory, LärmLab (noise laboratory), and nationwide environmental and bridge measurement networks. Outputs include research reports, technical studies, expert advisory services, and testing/certification support covering railway safety, automation, digitalization, climate resilience, and noise/environmental protection.

Product overview

DZSF operates as a research institution under the German Federal Railway Authority (EBA), offering a portfolio of research laboratories and test infrastructures including the Offenes Digitales Testfeld (ODT) as its flagship open digital test field, specialized laboratories (ETCS-Labor, Cybersecurity-Labor, LärmLab), and measurement networks (Umweltmessstellennetz, Messstellennetz an Eisenbahnbrücken). The institution conducts research across five thematic departments: Strategy, Mobility and Society, Climate Protection/Environment/Sustainability, Security and Critical Infrastructure, and Digitization and Technology. Key research programs include Automatic Train Operation (ATO) research projects focused on automated and autonomous train operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Offenes Digitales Testfeld (ODT) A publicly accessible open digital research and test field for rail transport spanning Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, and Saxony between Halle (Saale), Cottbus, and Niesky, enabling real-condition testing of rail innovations and technologies for industry, researchers, and policymakers.
• ETCS-Labor (ETCS Laboratory) Simulation laboratory jointly operated with the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt to investigate interactions between train control and safety technology components and vehicles/rail infrastructure through complex simulated line runs, supporting ETCS research and certification.
• Cybersecurity-Labor (Cybersecurity Laboratory) Test infrastructure supporting cybersecurity and digital train control and safety technology research, including security testing, LST simulation, and RaSTA protocol development for the railway sector.
• LärmLab (Noise Laboratory) Research laboratory integrated into the Open Digital Test Field that investigates technologies for the effective reduction of rail noise and vibration, including innovative noise barriers and vibration damping measures.
• Umweltmessstellennetz (Environmental Measurement Network) Nationwide measurement network that characterizes rail transport emissions in track, soil, and groundwater compartments through five permanent measurement stations to support approval processes and environmental research.
• Messstellennetz an Eisenbahnbrücken (Railway Bridge Measurement Network) Measuring network installed at three railway bridges in the Open Digital Test Field that uses fiber optic sensors and displacement transducers to measure structural data from train passages and environmental influences, supporting lifecycle assessment and predictive maintenance.
• Automatic Train Operation (ATO) Research Program Research program establishing functional requirements for ATO sensor technology and logic (ATO-Sense) and risk acceptance criteria for automated rail driving (ATO-Risk), providing the scientific foundation for testing, validation, and approval of automated train systems in partnership with Siemens Mobility, TU Berlin, DLR, DB Systemtechnik, TÜV Rheinland, and DB Cargo.
• Predictive Maintenance (PM) Research Cross-departmental research area developing predictive maintenance concepts for both vehicles and rail infrastructure, including data management, evaluation methods, and forecasting procedures to increase failure resilience and improve maintenance planning.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research on ATO systems to establish functional requirements and risk acceptance criteria for automated train operation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature7 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DB InfraGO AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2024EBA and DB InfraGO signed a cooperation agreement at InnoTrans 2024 for the construction and operation of a noise protection test wall (Erprobungs-SSW) in the Open Digital Test Field. DB InfraGO is responsible for planning, approval, and construction of the approximately 800m long facility planned for completion in 2027. This represents a unique testing facility for improved noise protection technologies in Germany.
• European Union Agency for Railways (ERA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDZSF cooperates with ERA on European regulations development including Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) and participates in research and development activities with the agency.
• Siemens MobilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ATO-Risk project for determining risk acceptance criteria for automated driving on railways. Also involved in ATO-Zukunftsforum events and research coordination.
• TU BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ATO-Sense project for functional requirements of automated train operation sensor systems, and ATO-Risk project.
• DLR Braunschweig (German Aerospace Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ATO-Sense project, contributing to automated train operation research.
• DB SystemtechnikcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in ATO-Sense project for automated train operation research.
• DB CargocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ATO Cargo Betuweroute project investigating automated freight train operations with trial runs planned from 2025 under the Z-SGV funding program.
• TÜV RheinlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ATO-Risk project for determining risk acceptance criteria for automated rail driving.
• iSEA Tec GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContractor for bridge monitoring systems installation at ODT railway bridges.
• Revotec zt GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering partner for bridge measurement network installation together with TU Darmstadt.
• TU Darmstadt (Institute for Structural Engineering)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for bridge monitoring research and sensor installation.
• NEXTRAIL GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContractor for infrastructure and environmental data acquisition for the Open Digital Test Field.
• Havelländische Eisenbahn AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContractor for analysis of energy consumption of refrigerated containers on rail (Kühlcontainer project).
• Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDZSF is organizationally located under the EBA. Joint operation of ETCS Laboratory at EBA locations in Munich and DZSF in Dresden.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• European Union Agency for Railways (ERA): EU agency responsible for railway interoperability and safety; shares DZSF's mandate of producing technical standards (TSIs) and cooperating on regulation development, making it the closest institutional peer at the European level.
• TÜV Rheinland: Certified rail testing and inspection partner in DZSF's ATO-Risk project; broader competitor in rail certification, testing, and cybersecurity services across Germany and the EU.
• Fraunhofer IVI (Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems): German applied research institute with rail transport projects (vehicle systems, traffic management, automation); competes for similar funding streams and partners with industry on topics overlapping DZSF's mandate.
• RSSB (Rail Safety and Standards Board): UK rail research and standards body with similar cross-industry research, safety standards, and infrastructure testing remit — a directly comparable national-level rail research institution serving a single country's regulator.
• DLR Institute of Vehicle System Technology: German Aerospace Center's rail research arm (Co-Director Prof. Bikker sits on DZSF's Scientific Advisory Board); conducts similar rail automation, safety, and systems research for the German federal government.

Regional players

• SNCF Réseau — ITE (Innovation & Research): French rail infrastructure research function focused on network performance, climate adaptation, and automation; structurally similar to DZSF as the national research arm of the infrastructure manager-adjacent body.
• ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG (R&D Division): Austrian rail infrastructure manager with internal R&D capabilities; pursues comparable digitalization, noise protection, and climate resilience research but restricted to national scope.

Broad incumbents

• UIC (International Union of Railways): Global rail industry association coordinating cross-border research, standards, and innovation — operates at higher geographic scope than DZSF but on overlapping themes (digitalization, automation, sustainability).
• Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) / Volpe Center: US federal rail safety regulator and its research arm (Volpe) perform the closest North American equivalent of DZSF's safety, automation, and infrastructure research mandate.

Emerging players

• RWTH Aachen — Institute of Rail Vehicles and Transport Systems: Leading academic rail research group in Germany with frequent BMDV-funded projects; competes with DZSF for talent and project consortium leadership in rail automation and modeling.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deutsches-zentrum-f%C3%BCr-schienenverkehrsforschung

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Deutsches Zentrum für Schienenverkehrsforschung (DZSF)