What are the RNE Awards?
To show appreciation for extraordinary achievements and contributions to RNE’s work, an RNE Award has been conceptualised in 2022. The main aim is to motivate all partners to
- Spotlight your excellence
With the newly introduced award - Build and motivate your team
Attract, retain and reward top talent - Turn stakeholder heads and prove your business impact
Position your team as a strategic partner and show how you’re delivering value - Highlight your innovations
Gain attention for your projects - Celebrate your achievements
Enjoy recognition within and outside your organisation
Each year, the RNE Award committee carefully selects the awardees out of the list of nominees. The winners of this award are honored to recognise their outstanding achievements during the December General Assembly.
Timeline Nomination Process 2026
Nomination Process
The nomination must be done via the official registration form by a member of the following groups – RNE GA or MB representatives, RNE HLG and WG chair persons, as well as RNE’s Secretary General. Each submission must be entered in a seperate form (max. 1 nomination per person/entity and category). Deadline for nominations is 17 August 2026.
Nomination criteria:
- individual team, project or initiative that made a significant contribution to the European rail sector in any of the categories
- candidate must be based in Europe
- Nominations must be for a relevant achievement with proven results in line with category description
- Nominations must include a clear description of the achievement that the person/project/initiative is being nominated for and can ideally be accompanied by a proper set of supporting documents (e.g. resume, articles, photos, presentations, videos, etc.)
- Self-nomination is not allowed
- MB members are excluded from receiving an award (part of jury)
Categories:
History of Award and Previous Winners
The RNE Awards were first introduced in 2022.
RNE Award Winner 2025
Filipe de Pina (Infraestruturas de Portugal) has been awarded the 2025 RNE Award in recognition of his extensive and long-standing contributions and efforts.
The award was presented by RNE Vice President Sven Gjeruldsen (Bane NOR), who expressed sincere appreciation for Filipe’s dedication, which predates even the formal establishment of RNE. Since joining the Network Statement Working Group (NS WG) in 2004, Filipe has remained one of the most experienced and dedicated contributors to the organisation's success, building a remarkable track record of achievements over many years.
In his acceptance speech, Filipe de Pina thanked the RNE General Assembly, Managing Board, and the Joint Office, noting the privilege of witnessing the full life cycle of RNE. He reflected on RNE’s development through various phases, remarking that the organisation has reached a confident "adulthood" at its 21-year milestone.
He expressed his gratitude for the many remarkable colleagues he encountered along the way, specifically mentioning Secretary General Joachim Kroll, former RNE Vice Presidents Guus de Mol and Miroslaw Kanclerz, as well as Zita Koops-Arvai and Akrivi Gkampoura, co-chairs of the Network Statement Working Group.
Beyond the technical milestones, Filipe stressed the importance of maintaining a broader purpose. He encouraged the assembly to approach discussions with honesty and to view rejected ideas not as failures, but as essential contributions to a shared body of knowledge. For Filipe, dialogue and curiosity remain the primary drivers of progress.
He concluded by describing his role as one of belief and conviction: trusting the process and maintaining deep respect for colleagues. He closed with a wish for the RNE community to continue its commitment to constructive engagement and mutual respect.
We extend our warmest thanks and congratulations to Filipe de Pina for his extraordinary service.
RNE Award Winner 2024
The RNE Awards 2024 celebrated two remarkable winners, Saskia Meynhardt and Simona Garbuglia, for their outstanding individual contributions to the field of traffic management.Saskia Meynhardt was honoured for her significant impact on the European Traffic Management Network (ETMN). Her forward-thinking approach, commitment to innovation, and managerial excellence inspired the transformation of innovative concepts into harmonised rules and procedures. These were pivotal for cross-border traffic management and laid the foundation for a future European framework in this area.
Simona Garbuglia was recognised for remarkable efforts in overcoming language barriers within European rail operations. Through her leadership in the Translate4Rail initiative, she set groundbreaking standards in communication, enhancing safety and efficiency. Her analytical skills and dedication to fostering collaboration were key to the project’s success.
During their speeches, Saskia and Simona shared anecdotes from their work and expressed their gratitude to RNE.
Learn more about their achievements in our full article: RNE Awards 2024: Celebrating Excellence in Rail Traffic Management
Simona Garbuglia and Saskia Meynhardt
RNE Award Winner 2023
Per-Åke Wärn received the RNE Award in the category of “Outstanding Individual Contribution”, for his remarkable 39 years of experience and active dedication to advancing the railway sector’s capacity management, pivotal role in shaping industry standards, facilitating the adoption of new models, and successful coordination of RNE’s activities at national level.
Josef Stahl received the RNE Award also in the category of “Outstanding Individual Contribution”, for his extraordinary contributions in transforming the Train Information System (TIS) into one of the most successful B2B systems in the rail industry, his pivotal leadership in the development of TAF/TAP TSI, and his invaluable expertise as an active member in train performance and traffic management working groups.
Find out more about about the winners in their “RNE Winner Interviews”.
- RNE Award Winner 2024 Josef Stahl
- RNE Award Winner 2024 Per-Åke Wärn
Paul Mazataud, Michel Geubelle, Josef Stahl, Per-Åke Wärn and Guus de Mol
RNE Award Winner 2022
Daniel Haltner received the RNE Certificate of Achievement for his extraordinary contributions to the Timetable Redesign (TTR) for Smart Capacity Management Programme since its inception in 2014, outstanding work in the areas of capacity management and timetabling in various leading roles, and significant part as a key contributor in the technical setup of the Rail Freight Corridors.
Find out more about him in Daniel Haltner’s winner interview. Freddy van der Cruyssen received the RNE Certificate of Achievement for his extraordinary contributions as co-founder of the European Capacity Management Tool (ECMT) and active member in the Digital Capacity Management and TTR Process working groups, outstanding work for the Path Coordination System (PCS), and vital role in the TTCom (Simple Communication Tool for Timetabling) application.
Find out more about him in Freddy van der Cruyssen’s winner interview.
RNE President Paul Mazataud thanked the two awardees for their excellent work and invaluable contributions.
Daniel Haltner was present at the General Assembly to accept the award. He thanked RNE and said he was honoured to receive the award and grateful for the support of his work he experienced from RNE Joint Office Colleagues, RNE Members and, finally, Thomas Isenmann (TVS), who ensured that enough working time was always available for RNE-related activities. He concluded that due to his passion for international rail transport, he will continue to guide his work, even beyond his retirement.
General Assembly at Palais Ferstel (Vienna)
Freddy van der Cruyssen was on vacation at the time and could not be present to receive the award but asked Michel Geubelle (Infrabel), who accepted the award on behalf of Mr van der Cruyssen, to convey that he was very proud to have received the award and would continue working to make TTR a success for all stakeholders.
RNE’s efforts are highly enhanced by many different individuals, as well as companies.
It is our hope that the RNE Awards will serve to convey increased visibility and appreciation for exceptional work done and encourage involvement in RNE’s activities, today and in the future.