Best Train Operating Systems (TOS) for Rail

Train Operating Systems (TOS) is a broad term that can refer to software supporting train operations, service planning, dispatching, traffic management and the coordination of railway resources. Unlike passenger information systems, which communicate journey details to passengers, these platforms primarily support the operational teams responsible for delivering train services.

Depending on the supplier and deployment, a TOS-related platform may combine timetable planning, real-time train monitoring, disruption management, traffic conflict resolution, crew and rolling-stock planning, and decision support for control-room staff. Some systems focus on the railway network and its traffic controllers, while others concentrate on the train operating company's daily service delivery and resource management.

The products below cover these related but distinct areas. The term TOS is not a single standardised product category, so railway operators should compare each platform against their specific operational requirements and distinguish traffic management and control systems from planning, workforce and fleet-management software.

#1 | Onvia Vision Traffic Management System — Alstom

Onvia Vision is Alstom’s railway Traffic Management System (TMS), designed to provide a consolidated view of train movements and support operational control across railway networks. Formerly known as ICONIS, the platform integrates real-time operational information to help controllers monitor services, identify traffic conflicts, manage disruptions and coordinate train movements.

The system supports traffic regulation, scheduling and operational decision-making, helping railway organisations make more effective use of network capacity. It can be deployed across control centres and expanded to cover larger operational areas, depending on the network architecture and project scope.

Known product customers | KiwiRail in New Zealand. Alstom's TMS was activated on the Wairarapa Line in May 2025, with subsequent rollout planned across additional regions. The platform is also deployed in railway control environments internationally.

Company information | Alstom is a global railway technology supplier headquartered in France, with activities spanning rolling stock, signalling, infrastructure, services and digital railway systems.

Editorial note | Onvia Vision is relevant for infrastructure managers and railway organisations seeking integrated, network-level traffic management. Its scope is broader than an operator-only planning tool and should be assessed against existing signalling, control-centre and operational systems.

Sources: Onvia Vision and KiwiRail deployment; Alstom traffic management system announcement; Alstom railway solutions

#2 | Controlguide Iltis N and Train Planning System (TPS) Suite — Siemens Mobility

Siemens Mobility's Controlguide Iltis N and Train Planning System (TPS) portfolio supports railway traffic control, timetable planning and operational management. The solutions provide railway operators and infrastructure managers with tools for monitoring train movements, managing routes and coordinating activities across local control areas and wider networks.

The TPS Suite covers functions such as timetable creation, real-time train dispatching and track-work planning. Controlguide Iltis N supports operational control ranging from individual interlockings to large-scale network environments. Depending on the configuration, the portfolio can help operators identify conflicts, assess traffic conditions and improve coordination between planning and live operations.

Known product customers | Siemens Mobility identifies Swiss railway operators among the users of its railway digitalisation and operations solutions. Specific references should be checked against the individual Iltis N or TPS modules being considered.

Company information | Siemens Mobility is a railway technology business within Siemens, supplying rolling stock, rail infrastructure, signalling, electrification and digital mobility solutions.

Editorial note | This portfolio is relevant where traffic control and train planning need to work together. Buyers should clarify which functions are included in the proposed configuration and whether the requirement is for infrastructure-level traffic management, operator timetable planning or both.

Sources: Controlguide Iltis N and TPS Suite; Siemens Mobility

#3 | Traffic Management System — Hitachi Rail

Hitachi Rail develops digital railway solutions for monitoring and managing train traffic on mainline, high-speed and urban rail networks. Its Traffic Management System is designed to help controllers understand network conditions, detect operational conflicts and evaluate possible responses to disruptions.

The company's traffic-management offering includes AI-supported tools for identifying conflicts and assessing potential resolutions. Hitachi Rail also develops automatic train supervision technologies for metro, mainline and tram operations. The applicable functions and level of automation depend on the system and deployment.

Known product customers | Hitachi Rail has a broad international railway signalling and digital operations portfolio. Publicly available information reviewed for this overview does not establish a sufficiently specific customer list for the particular TMS offering described here.

Company information | Hitachi Rail is an international railway technology supplier providing rolling stock, signalling, digital systems, services and integrated transport solutions.

Editorial note | Hitachi Rail is relevant for operators and infrastructure managers considering advanced traffic supervision and decision support. During procurement, it is important to distinguish the TMS from automatic train supervision and safety-critical signalling products, which may have different functions and approval requirements.

Sources: Hitachi Rail operations and digital intelligence; Hitachi Rail

#4 | PSItraffic Train Management System — PSI Software

PSItraffic TMS is a railway operations platform designed to support the monitoring, coordination and management of train traffic. It consolidates operational information for dispatchers and provides tools to identify disturbances, assess their effects and support responses intended to restore planned operations.

The platform focuses on real-time situational awareness and operational decision support. By integrating information about train movements, infrastructure conditions and operational events, it helps control-room teams respond to delays and other disruptions. The system is intended for railway and metro environments, with integration requirements depending on the existing signalling and control architecture.

Known product customers | PSI markets its railway traffic management software for railway and metro applications. The public product material reviewed for this overview does not provide a comprehensive list of named customers tied specifically to the PSItraffic TMS product.

Company information | PSI Software SE is a German software provider specialising in control systems and optimisation solutions for energy, production and infrastructure industries, including rail transport.

Editorial note | PSItraffic TMS is relevant for organisations seeking centralised operational visibility and support for disruption management. Buyers should evaluate its integration with existing control systems, data feeds and dispatching processes.

Sources: PSItraffic TMS product brochure; PSI Software

#5 | Railway Traffic Management System — OnAIR

OnAIR develops railway traffic management software for real-time monitoring and optimisation of train movements across complex and congested networks. Its TMS uses operational information to identify potential conflicts caused by delays, restrictions or other disruptions, then calculates revised traffic plans to help controllers manage the resulting situation.

The system can support changes to train ordering, travel times and route allocation, with the aim of reducing conflicts and improving the use of available network capacity. OnAIR also describes links to simulation tools and research into automatic train operation, supporting the evaluation of operational strategies in different traffic conditions.

Known product customers | OnAIR describes deployments and research applications associated with European railway projects. The publicly available product page does not provide a complete, independently verifiable list of current commercial operators using the system.

Company information | OnAIR is an Italian technology company specialising in railway traffic management and optimisation software.

Editorial note | OnAIR is relevant to railway organisations seeking conflict prediction and traffic rescheduling capabilities. Its suitability should be assessed against the size and complexity of the network, the quality of available real-time data and the level of integration required with existing traffic control systems.

Sources: OnAIR Railway Traffic Management System

#6 | Core TMS — Mipro

Mipro Core TMS is a railway Traffic Management System that combines real-time traffic management, operational situational awareness and integration with signalling, centralised traffic control and other business systems. It is designed to help railway control teams monitor train movements and manage changing traffic conditions across their networks.

The platform includes functions for identifying potential traffic conflicts and supporting their resolution using real-time train and infrastructure information. Mipro also highlights cybersecurity, simulation capabilities and support for technologies such as Automatic Train Operation (ATO), depending on the system architecture and deployment.

Known product customers | Mipro publishes railway solution and reference information, but the product page reviewed for this overview does not provide a comprehensive list of named Core TMS deployments.

Company information | Mipro is a Finnish technology company providing automation, control and information systems for railway, energy and other infrastructure sectors.

Editorial note | Core TMS is relevant for operators and infrastructure managers prioritising real-time traffic visibility and disruption response. Buyers should examine integration requirements, cybersecurity arrangements, system resilience and compatibility with the network's signalling environment.

Sources: Mipro Core TMS; Mipro

#7 | Tracsis Operations and Computer-Aided Dispatch — Tracsis

Tracsis provides railway operations software covering service planning, personnel planning and on-day operational control. Its Operations portfolio brings together tools intended to support railway organisations across the planning and delivery of services, including decisions made when actual operating conditions differ from the timetable.

Its Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) platform supports the management of train movements and dispatching workflows across complex rail environments. The wider portfolio includes optimisation and operational insight to help users coordinate resources, respond to disruptions and improve the consistency of day-to-day decision-making.

Known product customers | Tracsis works with railway organisations in the UK and other markets. The public product pages reviewed for this overview do not establish a complete list of customers specifically using the current Operations and CAD portfolio.

Company information | Tracsis is a UK-based technology group specialising in software, data and technology solutions for rail and other transport sectors.

Editorial note | Tracsis is particularly relevant to train operating companies that need to coordinate timetables, staff resources and on-day operations. Its CAD capabilities should be assessed separately from infrastructure-level signalling and network traffic management systems.

Sources: Tracsis Operations portfolio; Tracsis CAD overview; Tracsis

#8 | TrueLine Transit Scheduling ICT Solution — Toshiba

Toshiba's TrueLine is a transit scheduling ICT solution designed to support timetable planning and daily operational activities. It provides software tools for planning transport services, with a cloud-based delivery model intended to reduce the need for dedicated hardware infrastructure.

Toshiba's wider railway information systems portfolio also includes train traffic control, transportation planning, rolling-stock management and facilities monitoring. These systems address different aspects of railway operations and can form part of a broader digital railway environment, depending on the selected products and integration requirements.

Known product customers | Toshiba publishes information about its railway information systems and TrueLine offering. The public product page reviewed for this overview does not provide a sufficiently detailed list of named railway operators specifically using TrueLine.

Company information | Toshiba is a Japanese technology group with railway activities spanning transportation planning, train traffic control, rolling-stock management, signalling and other railway information systems.

Editorial note | TrueLine is most relevant when the requirement centres on timetable and service planning rather than real-time signalling control. Buyers should confirm whether additional operational control, resource planning or dispatching functions are needed beyond the scheduling solution.

Sources: Toshiba railway information systems and TrueLine; Toshiba Global

#9 | SoftRail Railway Operations Software Suite — Binary System

Binary System develops SoftRail, a suite of software applications for railway operations planning and management. The portfolio covers activities such as personnel and vehicle scheduling, rolling-stock maintenance management, and the management and distribution of operational documentation.

The suite includes specialised modules designed to coordinate workforce and fleet-related activities. These functions support the planning and execution of railway operations, although they are distinct from safety-critical train control and network-level traffic management systems.

Known product customers | Binary System states that SoftRail has been developed in collaboration with more than 60 customers in Europe. The public website does not provide a complete list of named organisations and their individual module deployments.

Company information | Binary System is a software company specialising in digital tools for railway operations, workforce planning, fleet-related activities and operational documentation.

Editorial note | SoftRail is relevant to railway operators seeking to coordinate people, vehicles and supporting operational processes. It should be assessed as an operations-planning and management suite rather than a replacement for a signalling-based Traffic Management System.

Sources: SoftRail railway software suite; Binary System