Rail and mass transit
Technical expertise across all rail disciplines
We provide assurance and specialist engineering services to help clients navigate the industry's operational, commercial and regulatory demands
Whether assessing new products against international standards such as EN 50126, or the construction of entire railway systems, we offer a broad portfolio of independent assurance services that includes:
- Accredited Notified Body, Designated Body and Assessment Body services delivered by accredited Ricardo Certification companies.
- Independent Safety Assessment
- Railway Product Certification services
- Test and measurement services, including vehicles, components and signalling products.
Using bespoke measurement and analysis techniques, we will help you gain new insights into your operational processes and asset base, enabling you to make evidence-backed decisions about operations and maintenance processes.
Our multi-disciplinary teams will work with you to agree your objectives, determine realistic work schedules, and ensure you have access to all the skills and insight needed to achieve your goals.
Even in specialist areas such as design, procurement, RAMS and digital security, we provide experts chosen not only for a deep knowledge of their discipline, but also their understanding of how your project must integrate seamlessly into the wider rail system.
Our award-winning design and engineering teams have an established record of supporting the entire design-build-maintain lifecycle. Previous assignments include full vehicle bodyshell designs, refurbishment programmes and conversion to low-carbon traction technologies.
We are also renowned for their expertise in fields such as ETCS and CBTC integration, vehicle-track interface, and noise/vibration management.
Our strategy and planning practice brings operational insight to the long-term development of transport networks.
Whether preparing an economic impact assessment for an entirely new railway or defining organisation-wide cyber security responses, we help senior decision makers clarify objectives and present their plans to technical and non-technical audiences with a transparency that builds trust.




Services
We offer a wide range of railway engineering, assurance, certification and consultancy services to help you build safe and sustainable railways.
Ricardo delivers a range of assurance and testing services across a variety of industries.
Learn moreRicardo offers certification and type approval services for a range of industry sectors and products.
Learn moreRicardo's strategic consultancy services enables our clients to navigate complexity in a disrupted world.
Learn moreRicardo offers world-class technical consulting services to enable our customers to get the most from their products and services in the energy, transportation and manufacturing sectors.
Learn moreLearn more about our leading engineering, design and design services.
Learn moreOperations and maintenance services to ensure that our clients' programmes are delivered with excellence.
Learn moreRelated capabilities for the rail sector
Advisory and support services
A wide range of expert technical services available to railway owners, operators, manufacturers and regulators
Third party assurance and inspection
An internationally renowned portfolio of assurance and testing services for the railway sector.
Accredited services from Ricardo Certification
Specialist accredited assurance roles delivered in line with national and international railway rules and approval processes.
CSM RA UK training
Details of our next CSM RA course, March 21-22 London.
Case studies
See our case studiesResearching optimised use of audible train warnings
Read case studyBangkok Metro Blue Line
Read case studyManila Metro Line 7
Read case studyBook a consultation with our experts
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