CBTC
Communications Based Train Control
A railway signalling and train control system that uses continuous communication between trains and wayside equipment to determine train position and safely control train movements.
Detailed explanation
Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) is an advanced railway signalling and train control system widely used on metro and urban rail networks. It uses continuous or frequent data communication between trains and wayside control equipment to provide accurate information about train position, speed and movement.
Unlike conventional signalling systems that primarily determine train location using fixed track sections, CBTC can use more precise train-position information to support shorter and dynamically managed separation between trains. Many CBTC systems employ moving-block or virtual-block principles, allowing railway capacity to be increased while maintaining safe train separation.
A CBTC system typically integrates Automatic Train Protection (ATP), Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and Automatic Train Supervision (ATS). ATP maintains safe movement limits, ATO controls train-driving functions, and ATS supervises and regulates the overall train service.
Depending on the system configuration and Grade of Automation (GoA), CBTC can support manually driven trains, semi-automated operation, driverless train operation and fully unattended train operation.
CBTC is particularly suited to high-capacity metro systems where short headways, accurate station stopping, operational flexibility and high service availability are required.
Railway applications
mainline, high_speed, metro, light_rail, freight, depot
Standards and references
IEEE 1474 series; IEC 62290 series; IEC 62267; applicable railway signalling and train control standards