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High-speed rail

We have been at the forefront of high-speed rail for more than 40 years, working with clients worldwide, to unlock the transformative potential railways offer. Our international team brings extensive experience helping clients to take projects from vision to reality, delivering reliable and high-quality assets and a positive legacy beyond the railway. 

We support governments, asset owners and rail operators across every facet of a scheme’s development. Our approach is to maximise the economic, social and environmental benefits. This begins by defining a sound business case and route alignment with the credibility to gain enduring support.

With a scheme design up and running our team helps clients to solve complex design and program challenges, such as tunneling feats and systems integration. We recognise the need for cost-effective performance too, ensuring optimal service and asset performance once the line is operational. Ultimately we all want to see low emission, high capacity and resilient railways – and we help clients to achieve this at every stage of the journey.

How we can help

We offer support across every aspect of high-speed rail development:

Scheme development, case making and funding
Planning for long-term support and success
Design infrastructure, stations and masterplans
Full multidisciplinary design expertise for high-speed systems
Program and project delivery
Long-term management of complex, high-speed rail schemes
Rail systems and technology integration
Delivering complex high-speed rail technologies and infrastructure
Optimize assets and operations
Ensuring performance, efficient maintenance and reliability
Stakeholder management
Public engagement throughout scheme development

Services

Find out more about our rail services:

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Services
Asset management
Business and investor advisory
Climate change risk, resilience and adaptation
Economic planning
Operations consulting
Planning policy advice
Project and programme management
Rail infrastructure design
Rail scheme development, case making and funding
Rail systems and technologies
Transport consulting
Visualization
Digital tools and solutions
MassMotion
Developed in-house by Arup, MassMotion is the world’s most flexible pedestrian and crowd simulation software.
Rail Signalling Visualisation Tool
Gain early design stage insights into how rail signalling systems will behave in their surroundings.
SoundLab
SoundLab is an environment where you can explore and understand every aspect of sound and noise performance.

Projects

Learn more about our work across every high-speed rail development

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High Speed 1: the transformative effects of high-speed rail
High Speed 1
High Speed One train
Designing the world’s most eco-friendly high speed rail station
HS2 Interchange Station
HS2 Interchange Station
A major MBTA design-build project linking Downtown Boston with Union Square and College Avenue
MBTA Green Line Extension
MBTA Green Line opening celebration

Issues

We explore some of the biggest questions facing the built and natural environments.

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Issue

How do countries unlock the value of high-speed rail?

High speed train

Insights

Rail continues to be a sector where new ideas, new technologies and transformative benefits can be realised. Our rail experts provide insights into the trends shaping the sector’s future.

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Article

A stronger future for our bridges

A bridge with a metal frame.
Podcast

Sustainable Forces S3 E6: Is your commute climate proof?

Kiwi rail train travelling across New Zealand
Listen
Podcast

Sustainable Forces S3 E5: How can high speed rail transform the future?

Passengers on a high speed train
Listen
Publication

The rail and urban transport review: an assessment and ambition for a new government

Aerial view of urban transport in a city
Publication

Rail Resilience Framework

Train at a station with passengers on the platform
Article

How does the rail industry find space to prioritise resilience planning and investment?

Aerial view of a flooded road and railway crossing the road
Article

How High Speed 1 has influenced London's growth for the past 20 years

St Pancras International Station
Article

Making the compelling case for high-speed rail

High speed train travelling across the countryside

Rail experts

Meet our globally based rail leaders:

John Fagan, is Arup’s Transport Leader in the UK, India, Middle East and Africa

John Fagan

Director

John Fagan is Arup’s Global Rail Leader.

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John Fagan, is Arup’s Transport Leader in the UK, India, Middle East and Africa

John Fagan

Director

London, UK

  • Global Rail Leader

John Fagan is Arup’s Global Rail Leader.

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Peter Guest

Peter Guest

Principal

Peter Guest is a Principal and the Americas Rail Business Leader based in Arup’s New York office. 

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Peter Guest

Peter Guest

Principal

New York, USA

  • Americas Rail Leader

Peter Guest is a Principal and the Americas Rail Business Leader based in Arup’s New York office. 

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James Musgrave, Arup

James Musgrave

Director

James Musgrave leads the Rail business in Arup’s Asia Pacific (APAC) Region, which spans East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

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James Musgrave, Arup

James Musgrave

Director

Hong Kong

  • Asia Pacific Rail Leader

James Musgrave leads the Rail business in Arup’s Asia Pacific (APAC) Region, which spans East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

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Gillian Sisk

Gillian Sisk

Associate Director

Dr. Gillian Sisk leads Arup’s Rail business in Europe.

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Gillian Sisk

Gillian Sisk

Associate Director

Cork, Ireland

  • Europe Rail Leader

Dr. Gillian Sisk leads Arup’s Rail business in Europe.

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Phil Harrison, UKIMEA Rail leader at Arup

Phil Harrison

Director

With over 25 years of experience across rail design, engineering and strategy, Phil leads Arup’s Rail Business in the UK, India, Middle East and Africa. 

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Phil Harrison, UKIMEA Rail leader at Arup

Phil Harrison

Director

Bristol, UK

  • UKIMEA Rail Leader

With over 25 years of experience across rail design, engineering and strategy, Phil leads Arup’s Rail Business in the UK, India, Middle East and Africa. 

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