Rail Expert Consult

What Rail Expert Consult does

Rail Expert Consult GmbH is a Vienna-headquartered railway engineering consultancy founded in 2013 by Erich Grünberger, a former signalling and operational management executive at Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) who spent two decades at the state operator before establishing the firm. The company delivers specialist professional services across ten railway domains — signalling and control-command (ETCS, interlockings, level crossings, track warning systems), telecommunications and IT (GSM-R, LTE, passenger information), operations, logistics, testing and safety approvals, training, electrical and mechanical components, IT security, rolling stock, and RAMSS — to European national infrastructure managers (SBB, DB, Network Rail), industrial partners (Thales), and regulators (Rail Safety Regulator of South Africa). Its certified verification capability under EN 50126, EN 50128, EN 50129, and EN 50159, combined with ISO 9001 quality management certification and Ingenieurbüro status, positions it as an independent assessor and engineering partner for safety-critical rail modernization work.

The firm's revenue model is project-based professional services, with engagement scope ranging from feasibility studies and tendering support through engineering, testing, commissioning, and post-implementation safety assessments, all priced per project rather than via disclosed rate cards or subscription terms. Distribution is direct enterprise sales via consulting service agreements, supported by a multilingual website (German, English, French) and industry event participation. The company operates four legal entities: the Viennese headquarters plus wholly-owned subsidiaries in Leipzig (Germany), Gurgaon (India), and Melville/Gauteng (South Africa), giving it a delivery footprint across DACH, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Ownership is concentrated in the founder, who serves as Geschäftsführender Gesellschafter (Managing Director and Partner); the firm is privately held with no disclosed external institutional investment.

Name

Rail Expert Consult

Legal name

RAIL Expert Consult GmbH

Website

https://railexpertconsult.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rail Expert Consult is a Vienna-based railway engineering consultancy founded in 2013, delivering signalling, telecom, operations, testing, rolling stock, and RAMSS services to European national rail operators, industrial partners, and regulators from offices in Austria, Germany, India, and South Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway Engineering Consulting Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Transportation & Traffic Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automatic Train Control / Protection Supervision (ATP/ETCS/PTC Oversight) (TLAJAEAC), Rolling Stock Testing, Inspection & Certification (NDT, commissioning, compliance) (TLAKAIAM)

Keywords

• Railway engineering consulting
• Signalling system services
• Railway safety consulting
• ETCS implementation services
• Rolling stock engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Engineering Services: The company provides technical consulting services including feasibility studies, railway network design, specification of functional or technical requirements, organization and execution of tendering processes, engineering, testing and commissioning of railway signalling installations and components. Revenue is generated through project-based professional service engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Rail Expert Consult is an engineering consulting firm (Ingenieurbüro für Verkehrstechnologien) that delivers professional services for the railway industry across ten core areas: signalling, telecom and IT, operations, logistics, testing and approvals, training, electrical and mechanical components, IT security, rolling stock, and RAMSS. The firm provides strategic, operational, and technical support including feasibility studies, network design, requirement specification, tendering, engineering, testing and commissioning of railway signalling installations. Services are delivered to railway infrastructure managers, operators, industrial partners, and public institutions from Vienna with a worldwide perspective.

Product overview

Rail Expert Consult is an engineering consulting firm (Ingenieurbüro) offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional services for the railway industry. The company provides a unified suite of consulting services organized around ten core areas: Signalling, Telecom & IT, Operations, Logistics, Testing/Approvals, Training, Electrical and Mechanical Components, IT Security, Rolling Stock, and RAMSS. These services span the entire railway system lifecycle including planning, engineering, implementation, testing, certification, and operation. The company also offers strategic consulting, project management, and verification and approval services according to EN50126, EN50128, EN50129, and EN50159 standards. All services are delivered by a team of railway specialists operating from Vienna with a worldwide perspective.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Signalling Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Verification of ETCS functionality for railway infrastructure managers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)coreOthersRail infrastructure manager client. The company has provided verification services for ETCS functionality and other signalling projects for SBB.
• DB (Deutsche Bahn)coreOthersGerman rail infrastructure manager. Client relationship for railway signalling and control system consulting services.
• Network RailcoreOthersUK rail infrastructure manager. Client for railway signalling and infrastructure consulting services.
• Thales Rail Signalling Solutions AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial partner in railway signalling solutions. Collaborative projects for signalling system development and implementation.
• RSR (Rail Safety Regulator) - South AfricacoreOthersPublic institution/regulatory body in South Africa. Client for railway safety consulting and regulatory compliance services.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ineco: Spanish state-owned engineering consultancy delivering rail, transport, and infrastructure services across Europe, LATAM, and the Middle East. Closely comparable to REC as a specialised rail signalling, ETCS, and operations consultancy with similar scope across the rail lifecycle.
• DB Engineering & Consulting: Wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn providing rail engineering, consulting, and project management services globally. Highly comparable as a specialised rail engineering consultancy with signalling, ETCS, and operations capabilities, though significantly larger and integrated with a state-owned rail group.
• TÜV SÜD Rail: Rail services arm of TÜV SÜD providing testing, certification, RAMS, and independent safety assessment for rail signalling and rolling stock. Directly comparable certification and safety assessment capability, but operating as part of a much larger TIC conglomerate.
• WSP Rail: Global professional services firm with a substantial rail and transit practice covering signalling, systems engineering, and project management. Comparable only at the practice level — much larger and broader than REC but competes for the same infrastructure manager mandates.
• Siemens Mobility Consulting: Consulting and services arm of Siemens Mobility, a global signalling OEM. Provides rail systems engineering, ETCS deployment, and operations consulting as part of a broader portfolio. Adjacent competitor that bundles consulting with proprietary signalling products.
• Egis Rail: French engineering group with a dedicated rail practice delivering signalling, systems integration, and operational consulting across Europe and emerging markets. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary rail engineering consultancy with similar signalling and operations offerings.
• SYSTRA: French-headquartered global engineering and consulting group specialising in rail and public transport infrastructure. Directly comparable as a railway engineering consultancy offering signalling, operations, and systems integration services, but with substantially broader scope and headcount.

Direct peers

• SETEC ferroviaire: French independent engineering consultancy specialised in rail systems, signalling, and operations. Closely comparable mid-sized specialist with overlapping ETCS, interlocking, and operations consulting offerings, primarily serving French and European clients.
• DEKRA Rail: Rail division of DEKRA providing testing, inspection, certification, and rail safety consulting across Europe. Highly comparable as a specialised rail safety, signalling, and certification consultancy with overlapping ETCS and EN-standard expertise.
• Ricardo Rail: UK-based specialist rail consultancy (part of Ricardo plc) providing signalling, rolling stock, and RAMS consulting to operators and infrastructure managers across Europe. Highly comparable niche player with similar ETCS, safety case, and EN-standard verification services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RailExpert
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rail-expert-consult-gmbh

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Expert Consult