A freight wagon sold for use in Europe has to satisfy several layers of rules at once: the EU Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) for the wagon itself, RID if it carries dangerous goods, EN standards for design and manufacture, and contractual rules such as the GCU for its use between keepers and railway undertakings. This guide summarises each layer as it stands in October 2026 and lists what to ask a supplier.
TSI WAG: the wagon
TSI WAG is the EU technical specification for interoperability of freight wagons, set out in Commission Regulation (EU) No 321/2013. It was revised by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1694, which applies from 28 September 2023, adds requirements on derailment detection and prevention and prepares wagons for the Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC). Designs already under development had a transition period.
A further amendment, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2064 of 14 October 2025, moves the wagon requirements of RID Chapter 7.1 into TSI WAG Appendix I from 1 January 2027 and introduces rules on securing semi-trailers that apply from 4 November 2026.
TSI WAG covers 1,435, 1,524, 1,600 and 1,668 mm track. Conformity with the loading gauge is shown against reference profiles such as G1, GA, GB and GC, and wagons are assigned a climate class, most often T1 for -25°C to +40°C.
TSI NOI: noise
TSI NOI, Commission Regulation (EU) No 1304/2014 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/774, limits the noise of rolling stock. Since 8 December 2024, wagons that do not meet it, typically those still braking on cast-iron blocks, may not run on designated "quieter routes": line sections of at least 20 km with on average more than 12 freight trains a night. Some exemptions apply, for example for gradients above 40‰, speeds above 120 km/h and axle loads above 22.5 t.
In practice, a new wagon for European traffic should brake on composite blocks or discs. Most Erciyas Rail wagons are specified with K composite blocks.
RID: dangerous goods
RID, the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail, is Appendix C to the COTIF convention. The 2025 edition has applied since 1 January 2025. RID 2027 was adopted on 28 May 2026 and is due to take effect on 1 January 2027, unless enough contracting states object by 17 November 2026.
RID defines the tank codes that describe a tank's design, such as L4BH for many liquid petroleum tanks or P27BH for an LPG pressure tank, and sets requirements for construction, testing and marking.
EN 14025: pressure tanks
EN 14025 covers the design and construction of metallic pressure tanks for the transport of dangerous goods, including LPG. The current edition, EN 14025:2023, replaced the 2018 edition at the end of 2023. A tank wagon manufacturer that builds pressure tanks is expected to be certified for this work.
EN 15085-2: railway welding
EN 15085-2 sets the quality requirements for companies that weld railway vehicles and components. The 2020 edition certifies welding manufacturers at classification levels CL1, CL2 and CL3, according to how safety-relevant the welds are, and replaced the former CL4 with activity types. Certificates issued under the 2008 edition expired by 31 March 2024 at the latest, so a buyer should check that a supplier's certificate refers to the 2020 edition.
ECM: maintenance
Every freight wagon must have an Entity in Charge of Maintenance (ECM). Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/779, which has applied since 16 June 2020, ECM certification is mandatory for the ECM of any freight wagon. For a buyer this matters for the whole life of the fleet, not only for delivery.
ISO 22163 and IRIS: quality management
ISO 22163:2023 is the quality management standard specific to the railway sector. It replaced ISO/TS 22163:2017 in July 2023 and, together with the UNIFE assessment rules, forms IRIS Certification Revision 04, in force since 1 January 2024. References to "ISO/TS 22163" in older documents now point to the 2023 international standard.
GCU and RIV: using the wagon
The General Contract of Use for Wagons (GCU) governs how wagons are used between keepers and railway undertakings. It was created in 2006 by ERFA, UIP and UIC and now has more than 600 signatories in 20 countries, covering over 600,000 wagons. It replaced the RIV agreement of 1922 on 1 July 2006, although the "RIV" marking is still seen on wagons.
The letters in a wagon name
Wagon names follow the UIC classification. The first capital letter gives the category, and the small letters that follow add detail such as number of axles, load limit, length or speed. Their meaning depends on the category, so each code should be checked against the official marking tables.
| Letter | Category | Erciyas Rail examples |
|---|---|---|
| Z | Tank wagon | Zans, Zags, Zacens, Zas, Zaes |
| S | Special flat wagon on bogies | Sggmrrs, Sggmrss, Sggrss, Sgmmns, Sgns |
| R | Ordinary flat wagon on bogies | Res, Rgns, Rns |
| E | Ordinary open high-sided wagon | Eamnos |
| F | Special open high-sided wagon (hoppers) | Falns |
| L | Special flat wagon with independent axles (car carriers) | Laaers |
| T | Wagon with opening roof | Tanpps |
What to ask a wagon supplier
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is the wagon type TSI WAG conform, and against which revision? | Determines where the wagon may run and which 2023 and 2025 changes are already included |
| Which brake blocks are fitted? | Composite blocks or discs are needed for TSI NOI quieter routes |
| For dangerous goods: which RID tank code, and which RID edition? | Defines what the tank may carry and its test regime |
| Is the supplier certified to EN 15085-2 (2020) and, for pressure tanks, EN 14025? | Welding and tank manufacture are the most safety-relevant processes |
| Who will be the ECM, and is it certified under (EU) 2019/779? | Maintenance responsibility lasts for the whole life of the fleet |
| Is the quality system certified to ISO 22163 (IRIS)? | Railway-specific quality management |
Erciyas Rail's answers for each model are on its certifications page, with the compliance of every wagon listed side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Is TSI WAG the same as a wagon authorisation?
No. TSI WAG sets the technical requirements; a wagon type is then authorised for placing on the market through the procedure run by the European Union Agency for Railways or the national authority, based on a conformity assessment against the TSI.
Does RID apply to every tank wagon?
RID applies when a tank wagon carries dangerous goods in international traffic. LPG, mineral oil products and many chemicals are dangerous goods; some cargoes such as certain food products are not.
What does the "T1" climate class mean?
T1 is the standard temperature range for wagon design, from -25°C to +40°C. Classes T2 and T3 cover colder and hotter conditions.
Sources
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 321/2013 (TSI WAG), consolidated
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1694
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2064
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/774 (TSI NOI amendment)
- OTIF: RID
- OTIF depositary notification on RID 2027
- DQS: publication of ISO 22163:2023
- ERFA: General Contract of Use for Wagons