Expo Ferroviaria 2023 Closes Reaching New Heights

Expo Ferroviaria 2023 Closes Reaching New Heights With Over 11’000 Visitors

October 9, 2023
, Rail

Expo Ferroviaria 2023 Closes Reaching New Heights With Over 11’000 Visitors

The Italian international exhibition of the railway industry closed at Rho Fiera Milano

Record edition for the most important event of the sector, which brought together railway companies, service providers from all over the world and government representatives.

Appointment taken from 30 September to 2 October 2025 for the 12^th edition.

The 11^th edition of EXPO Ferroviaria, the leading exhibition in Italy and Europe for railway technologies, products and systems, closed last Thursday at Rho Fiera Milano. During three days, the fair has been the beating heart of railway innovation, reaching a record result with 11,157 visitors.

The event is renowned for being a unique platform for the exchange of knowledge and technology in the railway field, and this year it brought together railway companies, service providers from around the world and important Italian government representatives.

A renewed trust in the Italian railway sector

The presence of Sen. Matteo Salvini, Vice-President of the Italian Council of Ministers and Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, underlined the crucial importance of the railway sector for the country, with a strong emphasis on the most innovative technologies and environmental sustainability.

Proof of the continuous development of the industry is the strong increase in the number of visitors, which saw unprecedented growth, surpassing pre-pandemic participation. Among them managers, executives and engineers coming from different areas of the railway field to learn about the latest market trends and to expand their business.

The show welcomed the main multinational groups and big players in the sector, as well as new companies, with a total of 274 exhibitors from 15 countries, of which 80 were present for the first time. Present among the exhibitors were the main industry groups Siemens, Alstom Ferroviaria, ABB, Stadler Rail, and Knorr Bremse Rail Systems, but also companies like CZ Loko, Duagon, Margaritelli Ferroviaria, EAO, Eredi Giuseppe Mercuri, ETS and FerLog. Great satisfaction for RX, organiser of the event, not only in regard to the numbers, but also for exhibitors of EXPO Ferroviaria 2023 qualifying the event as a unique and privileged place of business and innovation for the industry in Italy.

“The entire railway community participates in EXPO Ferroviaria. During these three days, we managed to concentrate meetings that would normally have required months of planning” commented Paolo Covoni, CEO of Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, one of the major suppliers of rolling stock, solutions and technologies for infrastructures on a global level. “Participation in the fair was certainly positive for us and the fact of having set up a complete and functioning miniature railway system in our stand allowed us to record a large turnout and interest in our products”.

The participation of foreign visitors highlighted, once again, the increasingly international spirit of the exhibition. Thanks to a project aimed at promoting international relationships, coordinated by ICE Agenzia, ANIE Federation, and in collaboration with SACE and Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, an international delegation of 12 operators from Georgia, Turkey and Hungary visited the fair and participated in B2B meetings.

An exhibition full of events and innovations

The show witnessed the presentation of several important technological innovations. The first hydrogen train for Italy was shown for the first time by Alstom and FNM Group in the Outdoor Area Fiorenza Trenord. Also present on the outdoor tracks was the electric locomotive E-L0 from ELEN MACHINES for the maintenance of railway lines.

Other great innovations were also showcased in the indoor area, with Stadler unveiling the mock-up of the central car of the new EAV electric trains for the Circumvesuviana line. Stadler again, with FAL (Ferrovie Appulo Lucane) presented the first trains powered exclusively by battery, which will be operated in 2026 on the railway service of the Altamura-Matera route.

DITECFER offered on their stand an exclusive preview of the prototype of the DAC-IE (Digital Automatic Coulping Italy-Europe), the only native Type 5 (Fully Automatic Coupling) DAC currently under development in Europe.

New feature of the fair, the Aerospace Technology Hub was an opportunity for exchange and networking between important exhibitors. Among these, Ente Autonomo Volturno (EAV) and the Aerospace Technological District of Campania (DAC), who carried out important research projects using aerospace-derived technologies applied to the railway field, a synergy between two pillars of the Italian manufacturing sector.

The Tunnelling Area gathered great enthusiasm and satisfaction from visitors. “The sustainable future is rail transport, and we are ready to support our partners with experience and reliability” commented Segula Technologies, leading group in engineering consultancy who was present as an exhibitor in the Tunnelling area.

In addition to the exhibition area, the fair saw large numbers of visitors flock to the various conferences organised during the three days of the event. The rich programme allowed participants to discuss key topics of the railway industry, such as the ERTMS National Plan, the next phase of the Turin-Lyon connection, sustainable mobility, competitivity of the sector or touristic trains.

EXPO Ferroviaria 2023 was supported by the following partners: Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, FNM Group, ANIE-ASSIFER – Italian Railway Industry Association, ANIAF – Italian Association of Railway Contractors, ASSTRA – Italian National Transport Association, CIFI – Italian Railway Engineers Association, UNIFE – European Rail Supply Industry, TELT – Tunnel Euralpin Lyon Turin, DR Ferroviaria Italia and CTNA – Italy’s National Aerospace Technology Cluster. Outdoor Area Host Partner: Trenord.