Network Rail has announced a significant step toward a GPS-free future for Britain’s railways, with the first mainline trial of cutting-edge quantum navigation technology.

The system, known as Rail Quantum Inertial Navigation (RQINS), uses ultra-sensitive sensors to track a train’s position by detecting minute changes in motion, offering pinpoint accuracy without relying on satellite signals.

That independence from GPS could prove transformative, particularly in tunnels, dense urban areas, or locations prone to signal disruption. It also opens the door to replacing costly trackside positioning equipment with a more resilient, lower-maintenance alternative.

The landmark trial took place on a Govia Thameslink Railway service between London and Welwyn Garden City, delivering valuable real-world data on performance in live conditions. The project builds on earlier defence and metro-based research, pushing quantum sensing closer to widespread rail use.

Led by MoniRail in partnership with Imperial College London and QinetiQ, the initiative is backed by Innovate UK and driven by GBRX, part of a broader effort to modernise Britain’s rail network.

“Quantum sensing is one of the UK Government’s frontier technological priorities. Railways, as one of the country’s most complex operational systems, provide a powerful platform for developing and scaling these capabilities for rail and beyond.

“This programme begins the process of understanding how quantum positioning could fundamentally reshape how railways work. In the future, it could reduce reliance on costly trackside positioning systems while enabling new capabilities for signalling, improved operational performance, network planning, enhanced condition monitoring and more intelligent railway operations.

“This test represents an early but important step in that development journey and demonstrates how collaboration between government, academia and industry can accelerate the development of frontier technologies.”

Toufic Machnouk, managing director of GBRX.