What services does Efios Rail provide?

Efios Rail provides three core services: test management for railway infrastructure and rolling stock, project and programme management for complex railway programmes, and ERTMS advisory covering strategy, testing and human factors. Alongside these, the Frontier Services practice applies AI and LLM agents, social network analysis and LoRaWAN sensing.

What does a railway test manager do?

A railway test manager designs and runs the testing programme that proves a railway system is safe and fit for service — from master test plans and test campaign logistics to results analysis and verification against requirements (V&V). Efios Rail has managed test programmes for high-speed lines, metro rolling stock and ERTMS implementations since 2002.

Practice: Independent railway consultancy
Based: Netherlands · works NL / BE / EU
Founded: 2002 · KVK 34179907
Led by: Erik van Bekkum

Test management · Project management · ERTMS advisory

Railway systems, tested, proven and into service.

Q: When do organisations need ERTMS advisory?

Typically at transitions: preparing a national rollout strategy, planning a Level 1 or Level 2 implementation, running dual-signalling pilots, or assessing human factors and driver workload. Efios Rail managed the ERTMS pilot on the Amsterdam–Utrecht corridor and the ProRail ERTMS test track at Amersfoort.

Q: Where does Efios Rail operate?

Efios Rail is based in the Netherlands and works across Belgium and the rest of Europe. Clients and collaborating organisations include ProRail, NS, Infrabel, the Dutch Ministry of Public Works, Siemens and Gemeente Amsterdam.

Since 2002, Efios Rail has helped infrastructure managers and operators bring new trains, lines and signalling through testing and into revenue service. One senior consultant, who has run these programmes before, works directly with your team.

What we do 24 years of programmes

A Thalys high-speed train at a platform on the HSL-Zuid corridor — HSL-Zuid — verification, validation and train–track integration for the Ministry of Public Works2002–2009

Track record

Every rail engagement since the company was founded, by year and by type of work. Ongoing programmes run to today.

Twenty-four years of railway programmes, most of them overlapping.

Test management & V&V Programme / project management ERTMS & human factors Today

Services

Three kinds of work, one person accountable for each.

Whether you are proving a new train, delivering a multi-party programme or planning an ERTMS transition, the work is done by the founder, not delegated to a bench.

Test management
Since 2002 · HSL, metro, rolling stock

Planning and running the test campaigns that prove infrastructure and rolling stock are ready for service, from the master test plan through coordination and logistics to verified results.
- Test campaign set-up and master test plans
- Test coordination, logistics and track access
- Results analysis and requirements verification (V&V)
- Both the infrastructure and the rolling-stock perspective
Project management
Since 2014 · ProRail, NS, ERTMS-NL

Programme and project management for complex, multi-stakeholder railway programmes: governance, planning, risk, procurement and delivery, across infrastructure and operations.
- Programme and portfolio management
- Stakeholder and governance frameworks
- Risk management and procurement support
- Reporting and decision support for boards and ministries
ERTMS advisory
Since 2011 · L1, L2, dual signalling

Strategic advisory, test programme management and design thinking for ERTMS transitions, including national rollout programmes, dual-signalling pilots and the human factors of driving under ETCS.
- Strategic assessment and European tender support
- ERTMS test programme management
- Human factors, driver workload and simulation
- Design thinking for operational gaps the specification leaves open

Clients & collaborating organisations

ProRailNSMinistry of Public Works (NL)InfrabelSiemensAnsaldo STSThalys InternationalEurostarNS HiSpeedLloyd's Register RailKEMAGemeente Amsterdam

Selected projects

Three recent programmes.

A CAF M7 metro train of the Amsterdam metro

Gemeente Amsterdam · Test management2020–2023

Metro Amsterdam — CAF M7 signalling & control

Supervised the signalling and control component of the new CAF M7 rolling stock for the Amsterdam metro network, including system integration and acceptance.

Project detail

ERTMS-NL / ProRail · PM + ERTMS2019–2020

ERTMS test track Amersfoort

Specification, design, procurement and commissioning of a dedicated ERTMS test track within ProRail's innovation portfolio.

The ERTMS pilot on the Amsterdam–Utrecht corridor

Ministry / ProRail / NS · ERTMS + Test2013–2014

ERTMS pilot Amsterdam–Utrecht

Managed the full testing programme and supervised commercial operation of the ERTMS L2 dual-signalling pilot on the Amsterdam–Utrecht corridor.

All 16 railway reference projects, 2002–2026 →

Founder

“You work with the person who has run these programmes, not with an account team.”

Erik van BekkumFounder and principal consultant. Test management, programme delivery and ERTMS since HSL-Zuid in 2002; currently programme manager for Digitalising European Instructions at ProRail and part of the ERTMS-NL V&V team.

About Erik LinkedIn

Insight

Why a programme that changes a human procedure needs a different test strategy.

On digitalising the European Instructions at ProRail Verkeersleiding. Written by Erik van Bekkum, programme manager for DEI.

Read the insight →

Working with Efios Rail

What does a railway test manager actually do?

Designs and runs the testing programme that proves a railway system is safe and fit for service: master test plans, campaign logistics, results analysis and verification against requirements. Efios Rail has done this for high-speed lines, metro rolling stock and ERTMS implementations since 2002.

When do organisations need ERTMS advisory?

At transitions. Preparing a national rollout strategy, planning a Level 1 or Level 2 implementation, running dual-signalling pilots, or assessing driver workload. Efios Rail managed the Amsterdam–Utrecht pilot and the Amersfoort test track.

Where does Efios Rail operate?

Based in the Netherlands, working across Belgium and the rest of Europe, in Dutch and English. Clients and collaborating organisations include ProRail, NS, Infrabel, the Dutch Ministry of Public Works, Siemens and Gemeente Amsterdam.

How do I engage Efios Rail?

Send a message via the contact form or email info@efios.com. You deal directly with founder Erik van Bekkum — a short scoping conversation is usually enough to establish whether Efios Rail is the right fit for your programme.

Contact

Planning a test campaign or an ERTMS transition?

info@efios.com

Talk it through with someone who has run these programmes before. Your message goes directly to the founder, no sales team in between.

Contact Efios Rail View reference projects

Contact Efios Rail →