planqc, d-fine, and their partners Hessische Landesbahn, DB InfraGO, ÖBB-Infrastruktur, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS support the QCMobility | Rail Transport project of the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative
Munich, August 19, 2025 – How can highly complex planning tasks in rail transport be solved better and faster using quantum computers? This is the key question that quantum computer manufacturer planqc and consulting firm d-fine are addressing on behalf of the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative of the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Over the next 18 months, they will work with the DLR Institute of Transportation Systems and the DLR Institute of Quantum Technologies, as well as with strong partners from research, railway operations, and railway infrastructure in the project “QCMobility | Rail Transport.” As part of the overall QCMobility program, this project will contribute to the roadmap for the future development of “Quantum Computing and Mobility.”
Together with the DLR institutes, the consortium aims to find out how quantum computers can help make rail transport more efficient and reliable. Dispatchers and traffic planners face complex decisions every day, often within seconds. Which train has priority when a route is blocked? How can construction work, extreme weather events, delays, or bottlenecks in the rail network be taken into account in real time? Even minor disruptions can quickly escalate into widespread delays in a tightly scheduled system. Long-term track and timetable planning is equally challenging, with countless dependencies and scenarios, such as parallel requests for train paths and blocked track sections.
Traditional optimization methods on classical hardware are reaching their limits, as the number of possible solutions grows exponentially. Quantum computers open up new possibilities: they could calculate complex decision processes much faster and more comprehensively. The QCMobility | Rail Transport project is the first to systematically test how quantum-assisted algorithms can be applied to real railway scenarios – from short-term disruption management to long-term infrastructure and timetable planning.
Hessische Landesbahn, DB InfraGO, and ÖBB-Infrastruktur provide real-world use cases, expertise, and data
The use cases come directly from railway partners, forming the basis for transforming real-world challenges into mathematical models and solving them with quantum-assisted optimization. Real timetable data and booking information will be used, with the aim of comparing results to classical methods and developing a solid roadmap for the future use of quantum computers in rail transport. This will make it possible to assess the true potential of quantum computing for the sector.
The consortium combines practical relevance with scientific and technological expertise. It is coordinated and led by planqc and d-fine. Hessische Landesbahn contributes its expertise on practical use cases, while the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS provides its knowledge in quantum methodologies. In addition, DB InfraGO AG and ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG participate as associated partners, bringing their long-standing experience as railway infrastructure operators and contributing valuable insights and real operational data. Together, this strong network of industry, research, and practice will test the realistic use of quantum computers in the railway sector.
“Rail transport is a perfect example of a highly complex optimization problem where quantum computers could deliver real benefits – from faster decision-making in case of disruptions to more stable timetables in the long term. By demonstrating the potential of quantum computing in the rail sector, we pave the way for many other industries facing similar optimization challenges.”
“We combine our expertise in rail transport and quantum computing to apply this future-oriented technology to real-world railway challenges in a value-adding way, making its potential tangible,” says Felix Westerkamp, Manager at d-fine.
“From the QCMobility project, we expect to be able to practically test new approaches for optimizing timetable planning and thus improve existing algorithms,” adds Dr. Sebastian Kühn of DB InfraGO.
With the DLR QCI project QCMobility | Rail Transport, the potential of quantum computers to make rail transport more efficient, resilient, and reliable is being systematically investigated for the first time – contributing to sustainable mobility for the future.
About planqc
planqc develops quantum computers based on neutral atoms – the fastest path to scalable quantum processors for industrial applications. Founded in April 2022 in Garching near Munich by Alexander Glätzle, Sebastian Blatt, and Johannes Zeiher, planqc is the first spin-off of the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics within the Munich Quantum Valley initiative. The company builds on a close partnership with the Max Planck Institute and decades of leading research in neutral-atom quantum technology. In its Series A funding round, planqc secured €50 million, led by CATRON Holding and the DeepTech & Climate Fonds (DTCF), with participation from Bayern Kapital, the Max Planck Foundation, UVC Partners, Speedinvest, and funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
www.planqc.eu
About d-fine
d-fine is a European consulting firm specializing in analytical and quantitative challenges and the development of sustainable technological solutions. With more than 1,500 employees with backgrounds in the natural sciences and long-standing practical experience, d-fine delivers tailored, efficient, and sustainable solutions to over 200 clients across all sectors.
www.d-fine.com
About the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative
The DLR Quantum Computing Initiative (DLR QCI) brings together research, industry, and start-ups to jointly develop quantum computers, manufacturing technologies, and relevant applications. At its innovation centers in Hamburg and Ulm, DLR QCI provides the technological infrastructure, workshops, and office space required to create a strong ecosystem for the industrialization of quantum computing in Germany. This is made possible with support from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
qci.dlr.de
