+ 60 ECTS Credits

Master´s Degree in Railway Infrastructure Design, Construction and Maintenance. Specialty in Underground Urban Transport Infrastructure + 60 ECTS Credits

Master´s Degree in Railway Infrastructure Design, Construction and Maintenance. Specialty in Underground Urban Transport Infrastructure + 60 ECTS Credits

Would you like to design, build, and maintain railway infrastructure with a focus on underground urban transport? Strengthen your end-to-end skills with updated standards and technologies.

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Master´s Degree in Railway Infrastructure Design, Construction and Maintenance. Specialty in Underground Urban Transport Infrastructure + 60 ECTS Credits

Verifiable program data for this master's degree

  • 60 ECTS Credits
  • Faculty of Geotecnia y Cimentaciones
  • Internships at real companies
  • STRUCTURALIA qualification

What will you achieve by completing this master's degree?

Lifecycle vision

Gain an integral view of the railway infrastructure lifecycle, from early project phases to construction and later maintenance.

Civil infrastructure design

Design and plan platforms, earthworks, tunnels, bridges, and viaducts with a construction-and-maintenance perspective.

Rail systems integration

Work across subsystems—track, energy, signaling, and telecommunications—covering both build and operation needs.

Advanced maintenance strategy

Learn methodologies to optimize maintenance, improve operational efficiency, and support modernization decisions for existing lines.

Course curriculum

9 modules covering everything from the lifecycle of railway infrastructure to integrated subsystems and construction-to-maintenance strategies. Click on each module for full content.

01

Module 1. Design And Construction Of The Infrastructure Subsystem

Didactic Unit 1. Railway Projects And Integrated Management. Intermodality

  • Railway projects
  • Quality management in railway projects
  • Environmental management in railway projects
  • Health and safety management in railway projects
  • Intermodality

Didactic Unit 2. Platform And Earthworks

  • Geological and geotechnical phases
  • Constitution of the platform
  • Platform protective layers. Seat covers
  • Clearances and embankments
  • Works in the factory

Didactic Unit 3. Tunnels

  • The tunnel project
  • Tunnel excavation
  • Traditional excavation methods
  • Drilling and blasting
  • Mechanised excavation methods - rock cutters and TBMs

Didactic Unit 4. Bridges And Viaducts

  • The viaduct project
  • Regulations and charges
  • Typologies
  • The construction of a viaduct
  • Reception of the viaduct
02

Module 2. Design And Construction Of The Superstructure Subsystem

Didactic Unit 1. Track Layout Plan And Elevations

  • Components of the layout
  • Superelevation
  • Transition curves
  • Tracing of transition curves
  • Other transition curves

Didactic Unit 2. Track Materials

  • Ballast. Introduction
  • Sleepers
  • Fastening system
  • Rail and welds
  • Switchgear and railway installations

Didactic Unit 3. Track Assembly

  • First track assembly operations
  • Track assembly operations (I)
  • Track assembly operations (II)
  • Switchgear assembly operations
  • Track assembly methods

Didactic Unit 4. Facilities For Railway Operation. Terminals

  • Infrastructure works and coordination with the operation
  • Commissioning of new infrastructure
  • Passenger terminals
  • Freight terminals
  • Civil protection
03

Module 3. Design And Construction Of The Energy Subsystem

Didactic Unit 1. Electric Traction In Railways

  • Electric railway traction
  • Railway electrification systems
  • Electric traction power supply systems
  • Overhead contact line railway power supply system components
  • Reference Standard and Energy TSI

Didactic Unit 2. The Overhead Contact Line

  • Geometric characteristics of the Air Line of Contact
  • Mechanical characteristics of the Overhead Contact Line
  • Electrical characteristics of the Overhead Contact Line
  • Dynamic characteristics of the Air Contact Line
  • Air Contact Line Design Constraints

Didactic Unit 3. Substations

  • Concepts and types of substations
  • Substation design
  • Elements of a traction substation
  • Protective equipment and earth network
  • Energy remote control

Unit Didactic Unit 4. Energy Subsystem In High Speed, Metro And Tramways

  • Design parameters for high-speed lines
  • Metro line design parameters
  • Tram line design parameters
  • Railway energy efficiency
  • Tram-train and tram-train
04

Module 4. Design And Construction Of Signalling And Telecommunication Subsystems On Railways

Didactic Unit 1. Signalling Systems And Components

  • General
  • Overall block diagram
  • Train position detection systems
  • Signalling systems associated with turnouts and light signalling systems
  • Level crossing protection

Didactic Unit 2. Main Atp Systems

  • General
  • ASFA
  • The LZB system
  • ERTMS
  • The CBTC signalling system on metro railways

Didactic Unit 3. Telecommunications Subsystem. Transmission Media And Telecommunications Networks

  • Means of transmission by metallic cables
  • Fibre optic transmission media and radio links
  • Transport network
  • PDH Access Network
  • Voice switching network and data network

Didactic Unit 4. Telecommunications Subsystem. Network Management And Monitoring Systems, Telecommunication Services And Technical Rooms

  • Network management and monitoring systems
  • Voice and data services
  • Mobile services - train-ground system
  • Mobile services - GSM-R system
  • Telecommunications rooms in buildings
05

Module 5. Maintenance Of Railway Infrastructure

Didactic Unit 1. Maintenance, Operation And Exploitation Models And Plans

  • Fundamental principles of maintenance
  • Types of maintenance
  • Coordination of maintenance and operation and incident management
  • Track works. Personnel involved, working arrangements and risks
  • Traffic safety management systems

Didactic Unit 2. Earthworks Maintenance

  • Slope stability and monitoring elements
  • Elements of slope protection: metal nets, geotextiles, gabions and shotcrete.
  • Retaining walls and earth pressures. Rankine theory
  • Earth thrusts. Coulomb theory and stability of retaining walls.
  • Embankment stability. Treatments

Didactic Unit 3. Tunnels

  • Infrastructure and superstructure
  • Drainage maintenance
  • Tunnels
  • Singular buildings and drones
  • Diagnostics and rehabilitation systems

Didactic Unit 4. Bridges And Viaducts

  • Repair and inspection procedures
  • Metal bridges
  • Reinforcement of piles and abutments. Treatments against rust
  • Concrete structures
  • Damage categorisation. Main bridge inspections
06

Module 6. Railway Superstructure Maintenance

Didactic Unit 1. Maintenance Models And Plans. Operations And Exploitation

  • Historical development of maintenance
  • Track maintenance scheduling
  • Operations constituting track maintenance
  • Typology of partially mechanised track maintenance work
  • Typology of fully mechanised track maintenance work

Didactic Unit 2. Track Equipment

  • Introduction to track equipment maintenance
  • Ballast, sleepers, fastening systems and track
  • Maintenance of switches and crossings
  • Plate track
  • Latest trends in superstructure maintenance

Didactic Unit 3. Control And Supervision Of Welds

  • Butt welding of rails by sputter welding
  • Aluminium thermal rail welding
  • Inspections of aluminothermic welds
  • Ultrasonic detection of rail and weld effects
  • Typology of fully mechanised track maintenance work

Didactic Unit 4. Track Quality Assessment

  • Concept of track quality and quantification of quality
  • Geometrical and dynamic track auscultation
  • Analysis of geometric auscultation results: safety and comfort
  • Analysis of geometric auscultation results: rolling condition - wave wear
  • Analysis of geometric auscultation results: condition of the track - vertical, lateral and total wear; average track gauge definition".
07

Module 7. Railway Electrification Maintenance

Didactic Unit 1. Overhead Contact Line Maintenance

  • Overhead contact line maintenance
  • Types of overhead contact line maintenance
  • Overhead contact line maintenance planning
  • Objectives, maintenance indicators and advanced overhead contact line maintenance
  • Geometrical auscultation of the catenary

Didactic Unit 2. Control Of Overhead Contact Line Support Elements

  • Supporting pillars and posts
  • Support bracket assembly
  • Compensation system
  • Aerial needles
  • Sectioning

Didactic Unit 3. Maintenance Of Traction Substations

  • Introduction to traction substation maintenance
  • Revisions
  • Measuring systems and equipment
  • Tensions
  • Alternating current substations

Didactic Unit 4. Fault Resolution

  • Catenary protection systems
  • Earthing
  • Grounding installations
  • Most frequent breakdowns
  • Assembly and laying of cables
08

Module 8. Maintenance Of Railway Signalling And Telecommunication Systems

Didactic Unit 1. Maintenance Of Interlocks, Interlocks And Ctc's

  • Introduction to railway signalling. CMS TSI
  • Interlocks. Origins of electrical interlocks
  • Electronic interlocks
  • Installations to be controlled by the interlocks
  • Locking systems

Didactic Unit 2. Maintenance Of Track Circuits And Level Crossings

  • Introduction to train detection systems. SIL
  • Track circuits separated by rail insulating joints
  • Train detection by axle counters
  • Half-barrier protection systems
  • Maintenance and troubleshooting at level crossings

Didactic Unit 3. Systems Maintenance (atp - Ertms)

  • Introduction to ATP systems. EBICAB900 system
  • The LZB system. Maintenance
  • ERTMS system. Maintenance
  • General description of the safety remote control
  • Remote control sub-systems

Didactic Unit 4. Maintenance Of Telecommunications Systems

  • Communications and fibre optic cable maintenance
  • Transport networks. Maintenance of transmission networks and DWDM networks.
  • Maintenance of radio communications networks. Train-ground and GSM-R
  • Maintenance of data and voice networks and services
  • Information and control systems
09

Module 9. Speciality Metropolitan Railways

Didactic Unit 1. Key Aspects Of Metropolitan Railway Design

  • Metropolitan Railways
  • Infrastructure for metropolitan railways
  • Fixed installations. Energy subsystem
  • Fixed installations. Signalling, telecommunications and other subsystem
  • Rolling stock on metropolitan railways

Didactic Unit 2. Design And Construction Of Track Superstructure And Fixed Installations

  • Singular track geometry studies
  • Single studies of transverse and vertical track mechanics
  • Ballastless track superstructure
  • Ballastless track superstructure
  • Superstructure in the switchgear area

Didactic Unit 3. Key Aspects In The Maintenance Of a Metropolitan Railway

  • Fundamental aspects in the maintenance of metropolitan railways
  • Maintenance of the mainline railway
  • Maintenance of fixed installations. Energy and signalling
  • Maintenance of other facilities. Stations and full line
  • Maintenance machinery

Didactic Unit 4. Maintenance Of Track Superstructure And Fixed Installations

  • Maintenance works. Actions with service cut-off
  • Maintenance works. Actions without service interruption
  • Maintenance works. Renewals of switches and crossings with service line.
  • Causes of noise and possible solutions for noise mitigation
  • Railway regulations

Teaching faculty

Teaching team with professional experience in Master´s Degree in Railway Infrastructure Design, Construction and Maintenance. Specialty in Underground Urban Transport Infrastructure + 60 ECTS Credits.

AR

Adrián Rodríguez Porres

Faculty of Gestión de Proyectos en Arquitectura

metodología BIM

VG

Vidal Gascón Culebras

Inteligencia Artificial aplicada

JM

Julia Molina Virués

Faculty of Gestión de Proyectos en Arquitectura

arquitectura sostenible

Charo Rey Zabalza

Charo Rey Zabalza

Faculty of Medioambiente y Sostenibilidad

economía circular

ÁS

Ángel Sanz Bernabé

control de calidad

Isabella Sánchez Bermúdez

Isabella Sánchez Bermúdez

Faculty of Dirección de Proyectos e Innovación Tecnológica

comunicación estratégica

Rogelio Delgado Mingorance

Rogelio Delgado Mingorance

Faculty of Ingeniería Industrial

gestión y dirección de proyectos

Miguel Ángel Aparicio Jiménez

Miguel Ángel Aparicio Jiménez

What jobs could you get?

With this master's degree you could apply for roles such as:

  • Railway project director
  • Infrastructure construction lead
  • Senior railway maintenance engineer
  • Rail engineering consultant
  • Tunnel, bridge, viaduct manager
  • Underground transport operations manager

Methodology

Our teaching methodology

Equipo diverso de ingeniería trabajando con portátiles en un laboratorio maker con impresoras 3D
Learn whenever you want

Progress at your own pace, from wherever you are,
with close support.

Realistic

The EDUCA LXP methodology avoids excessively theoretical knowledge and inefficient practical methods. The combination of constantly updated content with personalized guidance throughout the learning process makes EDUCA LXP a unique methodology.

Student First

The EDUCA LXP methodology and EDUCA EDTECH Group's training place the student at the center of the learning experience, drawing on their feedback. Their feedback drives our continuous improvement.

Artificial Intelligence

Personalized learning would not be possible without a precise combination of academic experience, technology research, and Artificial Intelligence. That is why we rely on in-house AI tools, tailored to each school in the group.

Active industry professionals

Our teaching team, besides being specialists in their field, has specific training in the technology tools that make up the EDUCA EDTECH ecosystem.

Rankings and recognitions

Assessed by independent online higher-education organizations.

Organization of American States (OAS)

Since 2010, Structuralia has run a scholarship program for master's degrees in Spanish and English together with the Organization of American States (OAS), aimed at outstanding professionals from the Americas as part of the Partnerships for Education and Training Program (PAEC), which has already benefited more than 3,500 students from the region.

APICE

Structuralia and the Pan-American Association of Educational Credit Institutions (APICE) offer a specialized training scholarship program for professionals from Latin America and the Caribbean in master's degrees specialized in the STEM sector.

Educa Edtech

The Educa Edtech Foundation was created to foster personal and professional growth while championing knowledge transfer as a way to change the world, overseeing the rollout of solutions and granting aid to those who deserve it.

Financial Magazine

This outlet's 2025 Ranking has included up to 10 Structuralia master's programs across several categories, among them: Data Science, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Urban Planning, Energy and the Environment.

Mundo Posgrado

In the latest edition of its regular annual rankings, Structuralia's master's programs made the Top 10 best master's degrees in Spain in the Renewable Energy and Integrated Management Systems categories.

Escudo Digital

The Master's program in Cybersecurity and Information Risk is included in the Top 25 best cybersecurity training programs according to "Escudo Digital".

Our numbers

92%of our students would recommend us
30+countries with active students
60%of our faculty are active industry professionals
15 yearstraining specialists in engineering and architecture

STRUCTURALIA Scholarships

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