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Master’s in Railway & Metro Engineering (Advanced)

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in advanced railway and metro engineering. 12 modules covering railway and metro systems, alignment design, infrastructure and earthworks, track superstructure, rolling stock, signalling and control, electrification, operations, stations, safety and RAMS, and planning and projects, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Understand the structure and operation of railway systems.

02

Design railway and metro alignments and infrastructure.

03

Integrate track, rolling stock, signalling and power.

04

Plan operations and calculate line capacity.

05

Design safe and accessible stations and interchanges.

06

Apply RAMS management and common safety methods.

07

Appraise railway projects from demand through to entry into service.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Railway systems engineers.
  • Operations planners.
  • Metro project engineers.
  • Railway RAMS specialists.
  • Station design engineers.
  • Rail transport consultants.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to move into the railway sector.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • Directive (EU) 2016/797 (interoperability of the rail system within the EU)
  • Regulation (EU) No 1299/2014 (INF TSI) (technical specification for interoperability: infrastructure)
  • EN 50126-1:2017 (railway RAMS: generic RAMS process)
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) No 402/2013 (common safety method for risk evaluation and assessment)
  • Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 (PRM TSI) (accessibility for persons with disabilities and reduced mobility)
  • NFPA 130 (standard for fixed guideway transit and passenger rail systems)
  • UIC Leaflet 406 (railway capacity)
  • CLC/TS 50701:2021 (railway cybersecurity)
  • OpenTrack
  • RailSys
  • Autodesk Civil 3D
  • Legion
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1High-speed rail, commuter rail, metro and tram
  2. 1.2Infrastructure managers and operators
  3. 1.3Liberalisation of the European rail market
  4. 1.4Interoperability and Directive (EU) 2016/797
  5. 1.5Capacity of lines and stations
  6. 1.6Metro network planning
  7. 1.7Railway operating indicators
  8. 1.8Financing of railway networks
  9. 1.9Rail and the decarbonisation of transport
  10. 1.10Case study: analysis of the Madrid commuter rail network
  1. 2.1Horizontal alignment parameters
  2. 2.2Cant and cant deficiency
  3. 2.3Transition curves in railways
  4. 2.4Railway gradients and vertical curves
  5. 2.5Railway gauges and clearances
  6. 2.6Metro alignment in urban environments
  7. 2.7Switches and crossings in the alignment
  8. 2.8Railway alignment design standards
  9. 2.9Optimisation of railway alignments
  10. 2.10Lab: alignment of a section in Civil 3D
  1. 3.1Formation and sub-ballast layers
  2. 3.2Railway embankments and cuttings
  3. 3.3Formation drainage
  4. 3.4High-speed railway viaducts
  5. 3.5Metro and railway tunnels
  6. 3.6Track-structure interaction on viaducts
  7. 3.7Transitions between structures and embankments
  8. 3.8Underground stations between diaphragm walls
  9. 3.9Level crossings and their removal
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: design of an embankment-structure transition
  1. 4.1Components of ballasted track
  2. 4.2Slab track for metro
  3. 4.3Rail, fastenings and sleepers
  4. 4.4Turnouts in depots and lines
  5. 4.5Iberian, standard and metre gauge
  6. 4.6Track geometry quality
  7. 4.7Vibration and noise in metro
  8. 4.8Night-time track maintenance in metro
  9. 4.9Track inspection in urban networks
  10. 4.10Case study: anti-vibration slab track in a metro
  1. 5.1Types of trains and metro units
  2. 5.2Longitudinal dynamics and tractive effort
  3. 5.3Bogies and suspensions
  4. 5.4Railway braking systems
  5. 5.5Car bodies and comfort
  6. 5.6Accessibility under the PRM TSI
  7. 5.7Compatibility between rolling stock and gauge
  8. 5.8Fleet maintenance
  9. 5.9Metro workshops and depots
  10. 5.10Workshop: fleet sizing for a metro line
  1. 6.1Fixed block and block sections
  2. 6.2Interlockings in metro networks
  3. 6.3Train detection by track circuits and axle counters
  4. 6.4ERTMS and ETCS on conventional lines
  5. 6.5CBTC in metro networks
  6. 6.6ATP, ATO and ATS functions
  7. 6.7SIL safety of signalling systems
  8. 6.8Capacity and the signalling system
  9. 6.9Migration of legacy systems
  10. 6.10Lab: minimum headway calculation with CBTC
  1. 7.1DC and AC electrification
  2. 7.2Rigid and flexible overhead contact lines
  3. 7.3Third rail in metros
  4. 7.4Metro traction substations
  5. 7.5Rail return circuit
  6. 7.6Stray currents and corrosion
  7. 7.7Regenerative braking energy recovery
  8. 7.8Supercapacitor energy storage
  9. 7.9Energy simulation of lines
  10. 7.10Practical exercise: energy balance of a metro line
  1. 8.1Timetable and graph design
  2. 8.2Capacity according to UIC Leaflet 406
  3. 8.3Real-time traffic regulation
  4. 8.4Incident and degraded mode management
  5. 8.5Centralised traffic control centres
  6. 8.6Staff rostering
  7. 8.7Punctuality indicators
  8. 8.8Operations simulation with OpenTrack
  9. 8.9Driverless automatic operation
  10. 8.10Case study: clock-face timetable for a commuter line
  1. 9.1Functional sizing of stations
  2. 9.2Passenger flows and levels of service
  3. 9.3Platforms, stairs and lifts
  4. 9.4Universal accessibility in stations
  5. 9.5Evacuation according to NFPA 130
  6. 9.6Ventilation and smoke control
  7. 9.7Retail spaces and services
  8. 9.8Intermodality with buses and parking
  9. 9.9Signage and passenger wayfinding
  10. 9.10Workshop: pedestrian flow simulation in a station
  1. 10.1Railway RAMS according to EN 50126
  2. 10.2Common safety method for risk assessment
  3. 10.3Safety management systems
  4. 10.4Railway cybersecurity under TS 50701
  5. 10.5Metro emergency self-protection plans
  6. 10.6Railway accident investigation
  7. 10.7Human factors in operations
  8. 10.8Independent safety assessment
  9. 10.9Authorisation for placing in service
  10. 10.10Lab: hazard analysis of a station
  1. 11.1Railway demand studies
  2. 11.2Socio-economic appraisal of lines
  3. 11.3Strategic railway plans
  4. 11.4Phases of a railway project
  5. 11.5BIM in railway projects
  6. 11.6Construction of metro lines
  7. 11.7Testing and commissioning
  8. 11.8Extensions with the network in service
  9. 11.9TEN-T European corridors
  10. 11.10Practical exercise: feasibility study for a new line
  1. 12.1Definition of the railway corridor
  2. 12.2Demand and operations study
  3. 12.3Alignment and typical cross-section
  4. 12.4Infrastructure and stations
  5. 12.5Signalling and power systems
  6. 12.6Rolling stock and fleet
  7. 12.7System safety analysis
  8. 12.8Economic appraisal of the line
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. You work with OpenTrack, RailSys, Autodesk Civil 3D and Legion, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: simulation of line operations and capacity, pedestrian flow studies in stations and hazard analysis of railway systems. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: Directive (EU) 2016/797, Regulation (EU) No 1299/2014 (INF TSI), EN 50126-1:2017, Implementing Regulation (EU) No 402/2013, Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 (PRM TSI), NFPA 130, UIC Leaflet 406, CLC/TS 50701:2021.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of Directive (EU) 2016/797, the INF TSI and EN 50126-1 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:OpenTrack, RailSys, Autodesk Civil 3D and Legion, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:A complete railway corridor project, from demand and operations study to alignment, stations, signalling, power, rolling stock, safety analysis and economic appraisal, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Corridor and demand
Define the railway corridor and carry out the demand and operations study.
Alignment and infrastructure
Design the alignment, typical cross-section, infrastructure and stations.
Systems and fleet
Specify the signalling and power systems and size the rolling stock fleet.
Safety and economics
Carry out the system safety analysis and the economic appraisal of the line.
Master's Thesis
Integrate the full corridor design into a final report, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Railway systems engineerOperations plannerMetro project engineerRailway RAMS specialistStation engineerRail transport consultant
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with OpenTrack, RailSys, Autodesk Civil 3D and Legion, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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