KTH Royal Institute of Technology
MSc Railway Engineering
Stockholm, Sweden
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2026
TUITION FEES
SEK 360,000 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for non-EU/EEA/swiss | no tuition fee for citizens of EU/EEA country or switzerland
Key Summary
The master's programme in Railway Engineering explores railways from a systems perspective, blending mechanical, civil and electrical engineering. You will study at KTH and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and learn to design vehicles, infrastructure and control systems for safe, efficient and sustainable transportation. Investments in railways are rising worldwide to decarbonise passenger transport and freight, creating a vast demand for skilled railway engineers.
Railway Engineering at KTH
Railway transport is experiencing a worldwide renaissance. It offers substantial economic benefits, energy efficiency, and environmental and safety benefits compared to road transport. Railway transport can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, one of the primary sources of global warming. As a result, passenger railways such as trains, trams and subways are being built in many regions of the world to meet the growing demand for mobility, sustainability and increasing urbanisation. At the same time, the European Commission has set targets to shift more road freight to rail transport to reduce emissions and congestion. This move towards railways has created a substantial demand for engineers with an integrated knowledge of railway subsystems (infrastructure, vehicles and traffic control) who understand how to maximise the performance of the whole system. This programme is offered as a track within the master's programme in Vehicle Engineering, and the final degree awarded will therefore be in Vehicle Engineering.
The master's programme in Railway Engineering is among the few programmes in the world that cover all aspects of rail engineering, and none offers the international perspective afforded by this one. KTH offset the programme in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), where it is mandatory for all students in the programme to spend one semester.
The programme focuses on the system aspect, which is extremely important in railway systems. Vehicle, infrastructure and control systems have to be designed to work optimally together. Therefore, the programme contains courses in mechanical, civil and electrical engineering. The programme starts with mandatory courses during the autumn semester. You will meet different active researchers in the field in the seminar-based course on research methodology with a connection to sustainable development for a climate-neutral society.
During the first spring semester, there is a mix of mandatory and conditionally elective courses in which you can start to tailor your path. During the third semester, particular emphasis is placed on the unique engineering elements of high-speed railway engineering technology. At UIUC, you are allowed to continue forming and strengthening your path, selecting conditionally elective courses that will eventually end up in the last semester's thesis work. As field trips and design and analysis tools for rail systems are a natural part of the programme, you will have a solid base when starting your master's degree project in the last semester.
This is a two-year programme (120 ECTS credits) given in English. Graduates are awarded the degree of Master of Science. The programme is given mainly at the KTH Campus in Stockholm by the School of Engineering Sciences (at KTH).
Collaboration with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
About half of the courses are given by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and KTH, respectively, and the programme includes mandatory international mobility. At least 15 ECTS credits must be taken on-site at the partner university. Many courses for this programme are taught online by KTH and UIUC exclusively.
Please note: due to US visa regulations, there is no guarantee that fee-paying students can study in the US. If the visa is denied, these students will be offered an alternative study plan.
The courses in the programme cover topics such as vehicle and track design, vehicle-track interaction, traction systems, railway signalling systems, high-speed rail systems and railway traffic planning.
Year 1
The track is offered in collaboration between KTH and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, UIUC. This track has a special application procedure.
Conditionally Elective courses studied online at UIUC in the first year. Among CEE408 and CEE472, at least one course has to be studied.
- CEE408 Railroad Transportation Engineering, 8 ECTS credits (Autumn Term, p1-p2)
- CE472 Structural Dynamics I, 8 ECTS credits (Autumn Term, p1-p2)
- CEE410 Railway Signalling and Control, 7,5 hp (Spring Term, p3-p4)
Mandatory Courses
- Electric Transportation (EJ2440) 6 credits
- Theory and Methodology of Science (Natural and Technological Science) (AK2030) 4.5 credits
- Rail Vehicle Technology (SD2307) 7.5 credits
- Rail Vehicle Dynamics (SD2313) 8 credits
- Sustainable development and research methodology in engineering mechanics (SA2002) 3 credits
Conditionally Elective Courses
- Railway Signalling System (AH2029) 7.5 credits
- Bridge Design (AF2201) 7.5 credits
- Public Transport (AH2173) 7.5 credits
- Transport Policy and Evaluation (AH2301) 7.5 credits
- Systems Engineering (MF2522) 6 credits
- Applied Vehicle Dynamics Control (SD2231) 7.5 credits
- Vehicle Aerodynamics (SG2211) 6 credits
- Railway Planning and Operations (AH2036) 7.5 credits
- Challenge-based Railway Systems Design (SD2320) 7.5 credits
Year 2
Autumn semester year 2 is studied at UIUC (exchange semester).
Compulsory Course
- CEE412 High-Speed Rail Engineering, 7,5 ECTS credits
- CEE409 Railway Track Engineering, 8 ECTS credits (autumn term, p1-p2)
Conditionally elective courses. At least 14,5 cr has to be studied.
- CEE408 Railway Transportation Engineering, 8 ECTS credits
- CEE498 High-Speed Rail Planning, 7,5 ECTS credits
- CEE509 Transportation Soils, 8 ECTS credits
- CEE472 Structural Dynamics I, 7,5 ECTS credits
- CEE491 Decision and Risk Analysis, 7,5 ECTS credits
- CEE512 Logistics, 10 ECTS credits
- CEE598 Railway Terminal Design and Operations, 10 ECTS credits
- CEE491 Concrete Materials, 10 ECTS credits
Some courses have 7,5 ECTS credits and 10 ECTS credits versions for increased flexibility.
Available courses can change depending on the year of study.
The final curriculum is agreed upon with the faculty at UIUC.
Mandatory Courses
- Degree Project in Rail Vehicle Engineering, Second Cycle (SD231X) 30 credits
Conditionally Elective Courses
- Road- and Railway Track Engineering (AF2901) 7.5 credits
- Transport Data collection and Analysis (AH2170) 7.5 credits
- Traffic Engineering and Management (AH2171) 7.5 credits
- Public Transport (AH2173) 7.5 credits
- Traffic Simulation Modelling and Applications (AH2174) 7.5 credits
- Urban Modelling and Decision Support (AH2307) 7.5 credits
- Batteries (CK2300) 7.5 credits
- Hydrogen (CK2320) 7.5 credits
- Model Predictive Control (EL2700) 7.5 credits
- Systems Engineering (MF2011) 9 credits
- Mechatronics Basic Course (MF2030) 6 credits
- Robust Mechatronics (MF2043) 6 credits
- Energy Technologies for Sustainable Transportation (MJ2506) 6 credits
- Vehicle Acoustics and Vibration (SD2190) 6 credits
- Vehicle Dynamics Project Course Part 2 (SD2230) 7.5 credits
- Applied Vehicle Dynamics Control (SD2231) 7.5 credits
- Sustainable Vehicle Design (SD2250) 7.5 credits
- Lightweight Structures and FEM (SD2411) 8 credits
- Structural Optimisation and Sandwich Design (SD2416) 6 credits
- Fluid Mechanics (SG2214) 7.5 credits
- Engineering Acoustics (SD2111) 6 credits
You will gain a solid understanding of the system as a whole, mixing an online course from UIUC and onsite courses at KTH, combining the best aspects of these universities.
For example, you will learn the fundamental economics of rail transportation, decision-making and optimisation, consideration of railroad rolling stock design, running gear and other mechanical components, such as the train braking system, and design a commuter-type train in a project task.
KTH Scholarships
KTH offers four different scholarship opportunities for master's studies. The KTH Scholarship covers the tuition fee of a one or two-year master’s programme. The KTH One-Year Scholarship is aimed at current KTH master's programme students and covers the tuition fee of the second year of studies. The KTH Joint Programme Scholarship is aimed at students in certain joint programmes and covers the tuition fee for the study period spent at KTH. The KTH India Scholarship is aimed specifically at students from India.
- KTH Scholarship
- KTH One-Year Scholarship
- KTH Joint Programme Scholarship
- KTH India Scholarship
Swedish Institute
SI Scholarship for Global Professionals
The SI Scholarship for Global Professionals covers the tuition fee for a master's programme and also includes living costs. It is open to students from 33 countries with previous work and leadership experience. You apply directly to SI after completing your application to KTH.
SI Scholarship Pioneering Women in STEM
The SI Scholarship Pioneering Women in STEM covers the tuition fee of a selection of master's programmes at KTH and also includes living costs. It is open to female students from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand or Vietnam. You apply directly to SI after completing your application to KTH.
KTH associated scholarship organisations
KTH cooperates with the following organisations, providing scholarship opportunities for prospective KTH students.
- COLFUTURO (Programa Crédito Beca) for students from Colombia
- LPDP (Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education) for students from Indonesia
- FUNED for students from Mexico
- MESCYT for students from the Dominican Republic
- ANII for students from Uruguay
Scholarship portals
- IEFA database: The IEFA database offers a comprehensive scholarship search, grant listing, and international student loan programmes.
- Studyportals: The Studyportals scholarship database lists over 1,000 scholarships and grants for students worldwide applying for studies in the EU.
- Scholars4dev: Scholarships for Development is a database of scholarships open to students from developing countries.
- WeMakeScholars: WeMakeScholars helps students from India secure education loans from banks and NBFCs. They also list more than 26,000 international scholarships from different trusts, foundations, and the government. Bodies.
Deferment of student loans in the United States
KTH is an accredited institution at the US Department of Education and holds a Title IV 'Deferment Only' status (OPE ID 03274300). US students may defer payments on existing federal student loan accounts while enrolled in a master’s programme at KTH. The 'Deferment Only' status does not allow students to take out federal student loans for enrollment at KTH. However, the accreditation facilitates grant and loan opportunities for US students, as many private student loan institutions in the US use this designation as a requirement to grant new loans. Students who wish to defer payments must contact their lending institution in the US.
The technical challenges associated with meeting the growing demand for railway transportation in an efficient and sustainable manner require a considerable number of engineers with an education in the field of railways worldwide. A large percentage of railway industry engineering staff are nearing retirement; consequently, there is a strong and growing demand for graduates with an education in railway engineering. With one focus of the programme being system aspects, it is foreseen that many graduates will hold management positions in the organisations they work in.
After graduation, you can expect to take on roles such as vehicle or track design engineer, signalling engineer, procurement or maintenance engineer at an operator, researcher or railway consultant. The programme provides an excellent basis for pursuing a career in the global vehicle industry, at consultancy companies, research institutes, and universities. The cooperation between the Swedish industry and the Department of Engineering Mechanics is very close. There are several major ongoing research programmes in which KTH, key manufacturers and the transport administration are involved. Both universities also offer the possibility of continuing as a PhD student. Graduates from the programme are strong candidates for the limited number of positions available. Since the programme started in 2018, two students are now enrolled as PhD students at KTH.
The programme is mainly based on classes, with lectures, assignments and exams, but also includes projects and individual studies. All teachers are active researchers and will include new research trends in their course content. During the final semester, you will carry out a master's degree project.
Some students carry out their degree projects in industry with a railway operator or a consultancy company. Others stay at KTH with a professor as initiator of the project; however, the research questions always arise from challenges relevant to the railway system.