Global Rail 2025: Siemens powers the next leap in Middle East rail innovation

The global rail industry gathered in the UAE for one of the most anticipated infrastructure events of the year, as Siemens Mobility took center stage at Global Rail 2025, showcasing its latest innovations designed to reshape the future of mobility in the Middle East and beyond.

Held from September 30 to October 2 at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, the international rail exhibition and conference, hosted by Etihad Rail, highlighted the pivotal role of rail in global transport and sustainable infrastructure. Under the theme “Driving the Future of Transport and Global Connectivity,” the event welcomed more than 20,000 professionals from over 100 countries, along with 200+ exhibitors who defined the next chapter of mobility.

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Siemens Mobility’s participation reflected its broader commitment to advancing smart, scalable, and desert-resilient transport technologies that addressed both the infrastructure needs and environmental challenges of the region.

Siemens Mobility at booth 4B50: A vision for transforming UAE mobility

At Booth 4B50, visitors engaged with Siemens Mobility experts to explore how the company’s portfolio enabled safer, smarter, and more sustainable rail operations in some of the world’s most demanding climates.

Under the banner “Transform Mobility in the UAE,” Siemens spotlighted key rail solutions including:

• Velaro – A next-gen high-speed train engineered for hot, arid conditions

• Railigent X – An intelligent rail asset management platform

• Automatic Train Operation (ATO) over European Train Control System (ETCS)

• Signaling X – Advanced digital signaling

• Trainguard MT – Urban rail automation solution

• Sqills S3 Passenger – Cloud-based passenger reservation and ticketing system

• Mobility as a Service (MaaS) solution

• Siemens Xcelerator – A comprehensive digital platform to accelerate innovation

These technologies formed part of Siemens Mobility’s efforts to deliver more efficient, comfortable, and eco-friendly transportation, particularly as urban populations grew and governments worked to meet ambitious climate goals.

Velaro: A desert-proof game changer in high-speed rail

Deployed in Egypt, the Velaro exemplified Siemens Mobility’s commitment to building solutions for extreme conditions.

The train had been developed with enhanced cooling systems, low maintenance needs, high energy efficiency, and maximum availability, all of which contributed to its value proposition in hot, dusty, and remote environments.

Crucially, Velaro operated effectively in temperatures above 50°C, resisted sand infiltration, and withstood UV radiation, making it a robust solution for the desert rail networks planned across the Gulf and North Africa.

This marked a new milestone for high-speed mobility in the region, where reliable long-distance transport options were increasingly vital for economic integration, tourism development, and carbon footprint reduction.

Expert voices: The future of high-speed and sustainable transport

Siemens Mobility brought its top leadership and technical experts to the stage at Global Rail 2025 to share insights, strategies, and visions for the future of rail.

Among the speakers:

• Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, outlined what was next for high-speed rail technologies and their global impact.

• Léon Soulier, CEO of Siemens Mobility Middle East & Africa and CEO of the Turnkey Business Unit, presented collaborative frameworks essential for the successful implementation of complex rail systems.

• Ayman Ashour, CEO of Siemens Mobility Turnkey MEA and Siemens Mobility UAE, explored the role of next-generation rail technologies in enabling smart, resilient infrastructure across the region.

Additionally, Siemens experts presented technical sessions on AI-enabled rail infrastructure, cloud-based CBTC (Communications-Based Train Control), and the latest advancements in rolling stock, underlining Siemens Mobility’s leadership in end-to-end digital transformation.

Sustainability at the core: Enabling the UAE’s Net Zero vision

“At Siemens Mobility, we were committed to delivering sustainable rail solutions, driven by urbanisation, digitisation, globalisation, and demographic changes,” said Ayman Ashour.

He emphasised that the company’s vision went beyond efficiency, focusing on the decarbonisation and dematerialisation of the entire mobility value chain.

“We aimed to mitigate climate change and resource depletion by fast-tracking innovation that aligned with national visions, such as the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative,” he added.

Ashour also reaffirmed Siemens’ ambition to play a key role in delivering the first high-speed rail solution in the UAE. “Our participation in Global Rail 2025 reflected this excitement and our broader commitment to transforming mobility for everyone,” he noted.

Regional impact: Setting global benchmarks in rail innovation

Over the past decade, Siemens Mobility had been instrumental in advancing the region’s rail infrastructure with several regional and global firsts:

• GCC’s first ETCS Level 1 signaling system on the Dammam–Riyadh line in Saudi Arabia

• World’s first catenary- and third-rail-free LRT system, implemented in Qatar’s Education City

• A key role in building Egypt’s high-speed rail network

• Implementation of the first cross-border rail signaling system between the UAE and Oman

As countries across the Middle East and Africa continued investing in multi-billion-dollar transport infrastructure, Siemens Mobility was strategically positioned as a trusted partner, driving high-impact transformation across passenger mobility, freight logistics, and sustainable urban planning.