Authorities and business leaders explore how digitalization can unlock the next phase of public transport in Chile

The rail and urban transit industry convened for a new edition of the Trains and Metro Congress to analyze the operational and technological strategies required to sustain this growth. The event was marked by a push for consensus among the public sector, academia, and industry to enhance service efficiency and safety.

"These types of activities are essential, as they are precisely about collectively finding a state vision for how we develop the country through transportation modes – particularly trains and the metro – and how we help the population enjoy a more pleasant life through safer, more efficient public transport," said Jorge Claude, Chairman of the Board of EFE Trenes de Chile. He added that the convergence of experts, universities, and industry represents "a great opportunity to make progress in these areas."

Patricio Rey, Chairman of the Board of Metro de Santiago, detailed that the state-owned company’s development strategy includes an over 50 percent expansion of its network – through the construction of Lines 7, 8, and 9, a connection to the airport, and extensions to Line 6 – alongside a strong push for technological upgrades across operating lines.

"There is a strategic pillar focused specifically on the passenger, delivering a better travel experience by providing these services, but also by strengthening the network, expanding automation, increasing security systems, and incorporating technology into train maintenance," noted the subway system's chief, projecting that the plan will result in more than half of the network operating under automated standards.

Digitalization and energy resilience for operational continuity

In this context of expansion, service continuity and failure mitigation stand as the primary operational challenges for operators. Drawingon its leadership in electrification, Hitachi Energy presented engineering solutions aimed at maximizing the availability and stability of power networks and rail infrastructure.

"In Chile, we are experiencing a boom in rail infrastructure projects across both Metro and EFE. This puts us at the forefront of implementing solutions that already have a proven track record of success in Europe and Asia,” said Fabián Alvarado, Business Development Manager for the Rail Segment at Hitachi Energy in Chile. “Our focus is on digitalizing rail systems and leveraging these tools to boost service availability, anticipating failures to deliver what ultimately matters most to customers: an uninterrupted journey."

Among the key initiatives presented by Hitachi Energy were engineering studies and simulations (Power Consulting) designed to forecast grid behavior under extreme conditions prior to project execution. They also showcased HMAX Energy, an AI-driven asset management platform offering a suite of services and solutions designed to enhance the availability, reliability, and resilience of critical energy infrastructure through continuous monitoring, predictive analytics, and preventive maintenance.

Specifically for the transport sector, HMAX Mobility combines advanced sensor technologies with the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and edge computing to maximize transport performance, extend asset life span, and optimize costs. Additionally, the firm highlighted the integration of its Remote Monitoring Center operating out of Santiago, an infrastructure engineered for continuous diagnostics and real-time decision-making across the transport power grid.

The gathering concluded with a shared consensus: Chile’s qualitative leap in urban and intercity mobility will depend not only on deploying new kilometers of track, but on pairing that infrastructure with high technological standards capable of guaranteeing service continuity during contingencies. Along these lines, future mobility relies on a digital, resilient, and reliable rail infrastructure. Today, Hitachi’s solutions help monitor and control energy across more than 67,000 kilometers of rail networks worldwide, optimizing operations for systems used by over 3 billion passengers and positioning the company as a global leader in linear asset management.