The CBRNe4rail project recently carried out two security study visits, one in Spain and another in Slovenia. The visits focused on analysing actual railway station environments and assessing how operators manage risks associated with chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNe) threats. These visits, led by University of Łódź (Poland), are a core element of the project’s methodology, combing a review of security documentation, technical analysis, on site observation and interviews with local stakeholders to enhance CBRNe preparedness of passenger rail transport hubs.
On 13 January 2026, a visit was organised in San Sebastián, Spain, hosted by Euskotren and Euskal Trenbide Sarea (ETS) in collaboration with the Basque autonomous police force (Ertzaintza). It included interviews at police headquarters and tours of the Intxaurrondo, Amara, and Bentaberri stations. Intxaurrondo was the main focus, while the Amara command centre illustrated regional coordination, and Bentaberri, still under construction, showed how new infrastructure can embed CBRNe resilience measures from the design stage.
Another visit was organised on 22 January 2026 in Slovenia, hosted by Slovenian Railways and the Municipality of Grosuplje. The visit started in Ljubljana with interviews with targeted local experts in charge of fire and safety, security, infrastructure protection, emergency and civil protection to assess detection, coordination, and response capacities. The visit continued in Grosuplje with a detailed inspection of the main station and its control room, aiming to identify vulnerabilities and areas of improvement against CBRNe threats. Lastly, a trip to the local firefighting station allowed the project to assess intervention capabilities and discuss possible exercise and training scenarios.
These visits complement the previous two carried out in Poland and in Italy, and a final study visit is planned in February at the railway station of Malmö, Sweden, hosted by Jernhusen.
Together, these field activities illustrate the CBRNe4rail commitment to connect research with operational practice. They are aimed at providing first hand evidence of the current preparedness levels, support scenario development, and shape practical, evidence-based CBRNe security guidance for the railways. The long-term goal is to assist UIC members in achieving a better level of preparedness against CBRNe threats at railway stations.
