Credit: Patrick Flammang via CFL
On Tuesday 16 September 2025, Luxembourg's national railway company, the CFL, inaugurated two autonomous Ohmio shuttles in Esch-Belval, a new service introduced on Monday 11 August 2025 to connect residents, workers and visitors to key destinations including the CFL Belval-Université station.
The inaugural journey of the electric shuttles was attended by Luxembourg’s Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, Deputy and alderman of the City of Esch-sur-Alzette, Meris Sehovic, CFL CEO Marc Wengler, CFL Director of Passenger Activities, Sophie Lacour, CFL Director of Infrastructure Management, Marc Hoffmann, and CFL Head of the Bus Department Carlo Hansen, as well as representatives of project stakeholders.
According to Minister Backes, the arrival of the shuttles underlines Luxembourg’s role as an innovator in mobility, following its 2020 decision to make public transport free. She noted that autonomous vehicles in public transport are being introduced pragmatically, with safety and user benefits as priorities, and as a complement to traditional driver-operated services.
Marc Wengler stated that the pilot project demonstrates the company’s aim to test new mobility options that complement rail services while maintaining high safety and quality standards. He added that, if successful, similar services could be extended to other residential or business areas.
In practical terms, CFL emphasised that safety is paramount, with the autonomous shuttles equipped with sensors to detect obstacles and a safety operator on board to take control if needed. The 4.2 km route currently runs Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 14:00, once per hour, serving five stops: CIPA, Kannercampus, Lycée Bel-Val, Avenue du Rock’n’Roll (P+R) and Université.
The project also forms part of Luxembourg’s wider mobility innovation strategy, developed through public-private partnerships involving the ministries of Mobility and the Economy, LIST, Luxinnovation, the City of Esch-sur-Alzette, the commune of Sanem, and private partners including Goodyear, IEE and Schroeder & Associés.
Minister Lex Delles noted that the initiative highlights Luxembourg’s role as a hub for value-added technological innovation, offering companies real-world testing conditions and access to the European market. He welcomed the decision of Ohmio manufacturer HMI Technologies to establish its European headquarters in Luxembourg.
Before entering service, the shuttles were certified after more than 5,000 km of testing, both on closed circuits and in real conditions in Esch-Belval, with adjustments made in collaboration with local authorities to adapt the vehicles to site-specific conditions.
