Rail-Airport Link and Connectivity Course
Online course of 300 hours in rail-airport links and connectivity, structured in 6 modules covering airport-city connectivity, demand estimation, rail infrastructure design, service integration, and appraisal and funding, with an assigned technical tutor.
Rail-Airport Link and Connectivity Course — studying from New Zealand
Civil engineering is one of New Zealand's largest engineering employers, driven by the need for earthquake-resilient infrastructure, roading, water and wastewater systems across a seismically active country. Major projects include Auckland's City Rail Link and Wellington's transport upgrades, with rail maintained largely by KiwiRail. Engineers work for consultancies, contractors and councils, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment administers the Building Act and related standards, while Waka Kotahi manages the national land transport network.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,580 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
What is the recognition pathway for civil and rail engineers in New Zealand?
Engineering New Zealand administers Chartered Professional Engineer registration, which is the main recognised professional standard for civil engineers. Rail is regulated through the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and the Ministry of Transport. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by a national body, so employers or the relevant body decide how much weight to give them.
Who hires civil, rail and smart city engineers in New Zealand?
Employers include city and regional councils, central government agencies, consultancies, contractors, and rail and transport operators. Smart city roles increasingly combine infrastructure knowledge with data and digital systems. Hiring usually depends on registration, experience and project records, so a private qualification is a supporting credential rather than a guaranteed entry point.
Will I need a visa, and how do fees and employer funding work?
No student visa is needed to study from home, because all programmes are 100% online and taught in English. Each programme includes an assigned technical tutor and a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Master's programmes take 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300, so check the time commitment against your workload.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse the landside connectivity of airports and their modal split.
Estimate demand for rail links using modal choice models.
Produce the functional design of airport railway stations.
Integrate air-rail intermodal products and services.
Appraise rail links economically using cost-benefit analysis.
Identify European and national funding sources.
Prepare an airport rail link study.
Who it's for
- Transport planners working on airport access strategies.
- Railway engineers involved in new links and stations.
- Intermodality consultants.
- Demand analysts building modal choice models.
- Airport planning technicians.
- Infrastructure project managers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into the rail sector.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 (guidelines for the trans-European transport network)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/782 (rail passengers' rights)
- Regulation (EU) 1300/2014 (TSI on rail accessibility)
- Law 38/2015 (Spanish Railway Sector Law)
- Royal Decree 584/1972 (Spanish aeronautical easements)
- European Commission Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis of Investment Projects (2014)
- Regulation (EU) 2016/919 (TSI for control-command and signalling)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 (Connecting Europe Facility)
- PTV Visum
- Biogeme
- OpenTrack
- QGIS
- AutoCAD Civil 3D
6 modules
1.1Modal share of airport access1.2Demand segments: passengers, employees and meeters and greeters1.3Types of rail link1.4Dedicated shuttles versus integrated services1.5High-speed rail and airports1.6Benchmark European experiences1.7Connections in Spain: Barajas and El Prat1.8Air-rail intermodality policies1.9Competition and complementarity between rail and air1.10Case study: comparison of European modal shares
2.1Passenger and employee surveys2.2Logit modal choice models2.3Value of time and willingness to pay2.4Air traffic forecasts2.5Elasticities and fare scenarios2.6Four-stage models2.7Mobile phone data and big data2.8Calibration and validation2.9Risks of overestimation2.10Lab: logit model of airport access
3.1Alignment and connection to the network3.2Airport station: location and type3.3Platforms, gauges and capacity3.4Interface with the terminal: distances and levels3.5Rolling stock and luggage3.6ERTMS signalling and operation3.7Tunnels and works under runways3.8Interface with aeronautical easements3.9Construction with the airport in operation3.10Workshop: functional layout of an airport station
4.1Combined tickets and air-rail codeshare4.2Remote baggage check-in4.3Timetables and guaranteed connections4.4Integrated passenger information4.5Station desks and processes4.6Accessibility of the intermodal chain4.7Air-rail hubs in Europe4.8Disruption management4.9Passenger experience4.10Case study: Lufthansa's AIRail product
5.1Cost-benefit analysis of rail links5.2The European Commission's cost-benefit analysis guide5.3Externalities and avoided emissions5.4Fare models and airport surcharges5.5CEF funding and European funds5.6Public-private partnerships in rail links5.7Demand risk5.8Planning within the trans-European network5.9Ex post evaluation of existing links5.10Practical exercise: simplified cost-benefit analysis
6.1Selection of the airport and diagnosis6.2Demand estimation6.3Alignment and service alternatives6.4Functional design of the station6.5Service integration6.6Economic appraisal of the link6.7Service implementation plan6.8Demand and construction risk analysis6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with your tutor
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, 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 job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is PTV Visum, Biogeme, OpenTrack, QGIS and AutoCAD Civil 3D, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures for estimating rail link demand, the functional design of an airport station and cost-benefit appraisal of alternatives. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: Regulation (EU) 2024/1679; Regulation (EU) 2021/782; Regulation (EU) 1300/2014; Law 38/2015; Royal Decree 584/1972; European Commission Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis of Investment Projects (2014); Regulation (EU) 2016/919; Regulation (EU) 2021/1153.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme 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.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with PTV Visum, Biogeme, OpenTrack, QGIS and AutoCAD Civil 3D, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. 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 are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme 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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