ABSTRACT
Currently, the first implementations of the European Train Control System (ETCS) of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) are being launched. In Spain, for instance, on the line from Madrid to Barcelona, on-board units of different suppliers must be interoperable with trackside subsystems from another supplier. To avoid additional effort in time and cost, the interoperability of these components will be tested in a lab before the testing and operation on the track. Different tests have to be performed: tests of technical safety, reliability and availability on the one hand, tests of operational safety and conformity with the specifications on the other hand.
