On 24 September 2025, the prestigious Brunel Awards returned to London for their 13th edition, honouring outstanding achievements in railway architecture, engineering, and design. Co-organised by Network Rail and the International Union of Railways (UIC), the event marked a significant moment in the international rail community, coinciding with the bicentenary of modern railways.
Established in 1985 by the Watford Group, the Brunel Awards are named after the legendary British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The competition recognises projects that exemplify innovation, sustainability, and design excellence across the global rail sector. After more than a decade since the last edition in 2014, the 2025 ceremony reaffirmed the Awards’ role as a benchmark for quality and creativity in railway design.
This year’s edition received 117 entries from 23 companies representing 12 countries across three continents, demonstrating the global commitment to advancing rail design.
The competition featured four main categories:
- Stations – Including new builds, renovations, access structures, and urban integration
- Rolling Stock – Encompassing all types of passenger and freight trains, both new and refurbished
- Industrial Product & Graphic Design – Covering furniture, signage, branding, uniforms, and smart systems
- Technical Infrastructure & Environment – Highlighting bridges, tunnels, freight facilities, and environmental integration
Entries were evaluated by an international jury based on five key criteria: customer experience, aesthetic quality, sustainability and reliability, economic efficiency, and innovation in project or product delivery.
In total, 20 Awards, 17 Commendations, and 1 Special Jury Prize were presented. The Brunel Awards Certificates are awarded to the commissioning or owning parties, acknowledging their leadership and commitment to high-quality design.
The ceremony was held in conjunction with the Watford Conference, an international forum that fosters cross-border collaboration and excellence in railway design. This year’s event also highlighted the growing synergy between the Watford Group and UIC’s Stations Managers Global Group (SMGG), particularly through SMGG’s Working Group 1 Stations & Urban Design.
In his opening remarks, UIC Director General François Davenne emphasised the importance of design in shaping the future of sustainable mobility: “The Brunel Awards reflect our shared ambition to build a transport system that is not only efficient and reliable, but also sustainable and human-centred. They honour not only the designers and engineers, but also the organisations that commission and support these transformative projects.”
As the rail sector continues to evolve in response to global challenges, the Brunel Awards stand as a powerful reminder of the role that design plays in delivering a cleaner, smarter, and more connected future.
Awards
Category 1: Stations
13 Awards
- DB InfraGO AG, Germany, The Small Green Station Zorneding+ The Small Green Station Haar
- East Japan Railway Company, Japan, Ueno Station Park Gate Building
- Huzhou-Hangzhou Railway Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou West Station Hub Development Co., Ltd., China Hangzhouxi Railway Station Hub Complex
- JRTT / Kyushu Railway Company, Japan, Nagasaki Station
- NS and City of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Underwater bicycle parking facility
- ProRail, Netherlands, Lansingerland – Zoetermeer, Railway Station
- ProRail, Netherlands, Station area Driebergen Zeist
- ProRail, Netherlands, Bike Parking & Station Pavilion, Dordrecht
- ProRail and NS, Netherlands, Eindhoven Central Station, large scale extension and renovation
- ProRail, NS and the municipality of Breda, Netherlands, Public Transport Terminal Breda
- SNCF Gares & Connexions, France, Rennes Multimodal Interchange
- SNCF Gares & Connexions, France, Nîmes “Pont-du-Gard” High Speed Rail Station
- Transport for London and Network Rail, United Kingdom, Abbey Wood Railway Station
Category 2: Industrial & Product Design
2 Awards
- Network Rail, United Kingdom, Network Rail Design Guidance Manuals
- Bureau Spoorbouwmeester, ProRail and NS, Netherlands, Landscaping plan for the Dutch railway
Category 3: Technical Environment & Infrastructure
2 Awards
- Iarnrod Eireann /Irish Railways, Ireland, Chief Medical Officer Occupational Health Offices
- Network Rail, United Kingdom, FLOW Bridges
Category 4: Rolling Stock
3 Awards
- Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain, Class 112 Mid-Life Program Award
- Kyushu Railway Company, Japan, Battery Powered Train Series BEC819 DENCHA Award
- West Japan Railway Company, Japan, West Express Ginga Award
Commendations
Category 1: Stations
12 Commendations
- East Japan Railway Company, Japan, Niigata Station Elevation Project
- JRTT, Japan, Ureshino Onsen Station
- New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, USA, Grand Central Madison
- ProRail, Netherlands, Station Delft Campus
- ProRail, Netherlands, Nijmegen Goffern Station
- SNCF Gares & Connexions, France, Paris-Nord Large Solar Bike Shed
- SNCF Gares & Connexions, France, Paris-Lyon station, Fresco Gallery and Small Passenger Hall
- TOBU RAILWAY CO.,LTD, Japan, Minami-utsunomiya Station Renewal Project
- TOKYU RAILWAYS, Japan, KININARU Renewal, Tokyu Ikegami Line Togoshi-ginza Station and Hatanodai Station
- TOKYU RAILWAYS, Japan, Ikegami Station
Category 2: Industrial & Product Design
2 Commendations
- SBB Cargo International AG, Switzerland, The Alppiercers: A comprehensive fleet livery for SBB Cargo International
- Slovenian Railways, Slovenia, New uniforms at Slovenian railways: Where style meets sustainability and comfort
Category 3: Technical Environment & Infrastructure
3 Commendations
- Iarnrod Eireann / Irish Railways, Ireland, Galway Station Adaptive Reuse of Protected Structure for Staff Facility Building
- SBB AG, Switzerland, Railway Buildings Wood
- TOBU RAILWAY CO.,LTD, Japan, Steam Locomotive Revival Project
Category 4: Rolling Stock
2 Commendations
- Echigo TOKImeki Railway Company, Japan, SETSUGEKKA
And a joint commendation for 3 projects in Japan:
- East Japan Railway Company, Japan, TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA
- Kyushu Railway Company, Japan, Discover Kyushu Express 36+3
- West Japan Railway Company, Japan, Cruise train TWILIGHT EXPRESS MIZUKAZE
Special Brunel Jury Prize
The Jury decided to grant the Brunel Jury Award 2025 to the Netherlands, in recognition of their continuous engagement in railway design of the highest quality in all fields, and for outstanding design quality at all scales — from large to small stations, through station refurbishments, and most notably for the way stations are integrated into their urban and landscape surroundings.
In total, 33 entries were submitted by various organisations in the Netherlands, including ProRail, NS, Bureau Spoorbouwmeester, and several municipalities across the country.
To learn more about the awarded projects, see the catalogue of the Brunel Awards 2025 available on the UIC website: Brunel Awards Catalogue
For more information about the Brunel Awards and the Watford Conference, visit uic.org
