July 06, 2020, Andalusia, Spain |

ADIF makes headway towards the “station of the future”: sustainable, resilient, and connected

The Board of Directors of ADIF Alta Velocidad has granted SICE the contract to draft the construction projects, the execution of the construction works, and the maintenance of the fixed and WiFi telecommunications networks in the ADIF passenger stations of Córdoba, Málaga María Zambrano, and Sevilla Santa Justa.

This project is part of ADIF’s goal to achieve an exchange of information between the smart platforms of the station and the city, which will be based on five pillars, resulting in better services for citizens. It will focus on inter-mobility (choosing the best means of transport); tourism (focusing on obtaining the best offer); hyper-connectivity (interacting to improve the value of the service); sustainability (contributing to the sustainable city); and safety (perceiving a safer train station and environment).

The contract includes a new last-generation communications network that will provide services to new train operators following the liberalization of the sector. They will have the latest technology, providing an exponential increase in the available bandwidth, as well as the installation of WiFi access points with cutting edge technology and extensive coverage for operators in the main stations. A fixed telecommunications network will be designed and deployed in each station to implement a network to access data within the station. This network will have a fiber optics network to interconnect switching devices distributed throughout the station, as well as the configuration to host new services securely.

This project also includes the implementation of a WiFi-based wireless telecommunications network, which will provide connectivity to the internal services of ADIF and the rail operators rendering service at the station. This project will also involve an improvement of our anti-COVID safety protocols at stations, since it will facilitate check-ins for new operators at these stations, minimizing contact with passengers (thanks to new wireless technologies) and expediting boarding processes. The use of paper-less or electronic train tickets will also be promoted, in a clear commitment to sustainability and minimization of waste.

With this contract, ADIF is making headway towards the “station of the future”, which requires a communications’ infrastructure over which the different agents of the station can provide and enjoy the services of smart buildings, configured as IoT (Internet of Things) nodes within Smart Station Platforms and integrated with the Smart ecosystem (cities, territories and other stakeholders).