Over the last two weeks, timetabling experts from railway undertakings and infrastructure managers convened in Ljubljana for the FTE B Conferences to coordinate cross‑border path requests for the upcoming 2027 annual timetable. Infrastructure managers acted in an advisory role. The events highlighted the complexities of scheduling while fostering focused discussions among participants from across Europe.
The first week of the conferences was dedicated to passenger traffic, featuring 85 breakout sessions concentrated on specific cross‑border routes. The second week focused on freight traffic, with around 150 timetabling experts attending to align annual 2027 requests and ad‑hoc requests for the current period. The engagement underscored the importance of direct, route‑level communication in overcoming barriers to efficient train production coordination and in producing capacity‑aware path options.
A significant challenge discussed at both events was the impact of track and maintenance works on planning. While essential for infrastructure health, these activities complicate production planning and often force planners to prepare multiple traffic‑solution variants for the same train to accommodate disruptions. The exchange of ideas and operational experience among experts proved invaluable in developing workable compromises and contingency approaches.
Reminder: all path requests for the 2027 annual timetable must be submitted by 13 April. The 2027 timetable year will begin on Sunday, 13 December 2026.