On April 8, 2025, Southwest Jiaotong University hosted the 2nd UIC TrainRail Hackathon Final on its Xipu Campus. Organized by the International Union of Railways (UIC), the event gathered young innovators from Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa to tackle a pivotal challenge: “WHAT IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE TO RAIL TRANSPORT to enhance the passenger experience, develop freight capacity and optimize rail operations?” SWJTU student teams secured both the first prize and a second prize in the final.

67 teams competed through time-limited prototyping, expert evaluations, onsite inspections, and roadshow presentations. 7 teams advanced to the global finals, with awards including 1 first prize, 2 second prizes, 1 third prize, and 3 regional awards.

 “NewGen: Automated Platform Accessibility System”, designed by a SWJTU team composed of local and international students, claimed the First Prize. Second prizes went to “HarmonicHawks: Proactive Catenary Maintenance - Arc Detection and Localization”, developed by a collaborative team of SWJTU students and engineers from Chengdu Metro Operation Co., Ltd., and “ATAS: Autonomous Travel Assistance System” created by a team from Morocco and Gabon. “RALogis: Smart Comfort Suspension Using AI”, designed by Iran University of Science and Technology (Middle East Region), secured the Third Prize.

A 15-member jury, composed of experts from UIC and industry leaders from Deutsche Bahn, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, Infraestruturas de Portugal, East Japan Railway Company, and China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., assessed the projects through live scoring and panel deliberations.

The competition aims to pool global wisdom, drive breakthroughs in railway technology, and cultivate future industry leaders. Solutions that integrate forward-looking vision with practicality not only showcase the innovative dynamism of young creators worldwide but also deliver effective strategies for the intelligent and green transformation of the railway sector. The top award-winning teams will present their projects at the 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail (WCHSR) in July 2025 in China, gaining international exposure and opportunities for industry application.

The 2nd UIC TrainRail Hackathon has not only created a platform for global railway innovators to exchange ideas and showcase their work, but also injected fresh momentum into the industry’s future development through groundbreaking innovations. Hackathon will propel the railway sector to new heights and solidify its pivotal role in global transportation.