The Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) will hold its 2026 Convention in Helsinki, Finland from 25 to 29 May 2026. Held every two years, this year’s convention returns to Europe having been held in Toronto, Canada in 2024. The Finnish rail community is looking forward to welcoming the Convention and participants for a dialogue on how signalling is evolving.
I have been a member of the Institution since the previous convention in Helsinki in 1997, and a Fellow since 2002. During my professional career I have enjoyed the networking and access to professional information offered by IRSE membership. This is why I am proud to be on the organising committee to invite everyone to this year’s convention in my hometown.
Packed itinerary
The programme includes a seminar day, where technical presentations will showcase the latest developments in the signalling industry in Finland. There will be opening addresses from senior leaders from the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, and Helsinki Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd. The seminar day also includes this year’s second presidential lecture entitled ‘The Impact of Human Factors on Designing Modern Train Control Systems’.
The rest of the week will consist of technical site visits. We will see examples of how signalling technology is evolving and the challenges faced in applying next-generation technology to existing railways, including the introduction of ETCS and the upgrade of the Helsinki Metro’s signalling system to a CBTC system.
In the field of ETCS, Finland’s Digirail programme is pursuing the results of the latest technological standardisation efforts, utilising, for example EULynx standards for subsystem integration, ATO over ETCS, and mobile cellular network-based FRMCS connections for ETCS Level 2+ system communications. Delegates will have an opportunity to ride on the ETCS test train to the site visit at Rail Technology College, housing a large collection of signalling technology available on Finnish Railways.
There will also be an opportunity to learn about the Metro Capacity Programme. Helsinki Metro is undergoing a signalling upgrade featuring, among other developments, a dual public/virtual private-private 5G network for the CBTC communications, and one of the latest implementation projects in the CBTC market.
The conference will be held from Monday 25 to Friday 29 May. The event starts with a welcome event and registration on Monday evening, and the seminar day is on Tuesday 26 May. The programme will also include evening networking events, and the convention will culminate with a gala dinner on Friday evening.
Delegates are warmly invited to bring their partners to Helsinki to participate in the supplementary guest programme focused on the historic sights and culture of the Helsinki area, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Verla Paper Mill and Suomenlinna Island Fort. There will also be a programme of evening social and networking events shared by delegates and partners alike.
The Scandic Grand Central hotel next to Helsinki Central Station is the premises of the former Finnish Railways headquarters and offers an excellent convention centre based on the railway theme, ideally located in the heart of the city.
Unique event
IRSE Conventions are unique events that combine insightful site visits and technical presentations. They provide a unique educational experience for people at all levels of the railway industry and attract high-calibre representatives from our international professional membership.
Events such as the IRSE Convention provide an essential opportunity to bring together professionals who want to expand their skills and personal networks in a way that can never be done otherwise. The Convention offers an unparalleled opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange in the fields of train control, rail transport, and related fields.
Railways have some unique characteristics and very long-lasting assets that require us to maintain many of our existing skills. The Convention provides an excellent opportunity to learn about how both mainline and metro organisations in Finland are responding to these challenges, as well as hearing from industry leaders, providing highly effective and enjoyable learning opportunities for staff at all levels.
You can register for the IRSE Convention at: https://irse.org/Get-Involved/Convention.
The author
Heikki Viika is programme director at City Transport Ltd, Helsinki.With 30+ years rail project business experience, Heikki began his rail career in product development, focusing on control and communication systems for railways. Over the next few years, he led a number of global research and development projects and became global head of product development at Adtranz Signal.
Subsequently, Heikki held positions at Bombardier signalling division, including senior project director, as general manager of Asia Pacific region, and the head of global sales and business development. He has also held a position as the president and CEO for a power electronics corporation in Finland.
Currently, Heikki is with City Transport authority of Helsinki as the programme director for the Metro Reliability and Capacity Improvement Programme.
Heikki holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering Helsinki University of Technology and has completed management studies at Helsinki School of Economics and IMD. He is Fellow of the Institute of Railway Signalling Engineering (FIRSE).
About IRSE
IRSE is an international institution founded in 1912. It is a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to encourage, develop, inspire, and advance all those interested in railway signalling, control and communications, and related fields. With over 5,000 members around the world, the IRSE has a global reach and the ability to support the development of critical resources needed by the industry.
If you are interested in joining or would like further information, please visit our website https://www.irse.org/ or contact us at [email protected].
Image credit: IRSE
