On 1 and 3 December 2025, FS Italiane Group - at the invitation of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport - hosted a Polish delegation, visiting Italy as part of the TAIEX (Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument) programme, a technical assistance initiative focused on advanced training, and funded by the European Commission.
Purpose of the study visit, coordinated by FS International, was exploring Italian best practices in planning, awarding and managing Public Service Contracts (PSCs) in the railway transport sector, and actively involved RFI and Trenitalia to deepen some of the main issues, such as:
Purpose of the initiative, in line with the objectives of the TAIEX programme, was developing and consolidating the expertise of the EU Transport Projects Centre (CEUTP), which supports the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure in planning, developing and managing PSCs in the free market, in line with the EU’s Fourth Railway Package and the forthcoming market opening in 2030.
In particular, the meeting provided the CEUTP with an opportunity to explore ways of establishing transparent and non-discriminatory procedures for the award of PSCs, ensuring efficient contract management focused on quality and economic value, and strengthening strategic planning and transport analysis in support of the PSCs. Moreover, the event was an opportunity to share approaches designed to create robust institutional frameworks, useful in a competitive and evolving market.
The visit also included a tour of RFI’s Operations Control Centre (OCC), to observe traffic management processes first hand, and of Trenitalia’s Control Room, which gave the delegation an in-depth insight into operational management mechanisms and service quality standards, such as punctuality, reliability, customer care and performance reporting. Particular attention was paid to contractual KPIs, penalty and incentive schemes, and interactions with sales and customer support systems.
The initiative strengthens the bilateral cooperation between Italy and Poland in the railway sector, reaffirming FS Group’s role as a leading player in European rail transport. The Group’s position is backed by an extensive experience in the application of the EU regulatory framework, and in particular on the provisions set out in the European Union’s Fourth Railway Package.