Railway Applications — Gauges (series 15273-1 to -4)

Scope

Multi-part CEN series defining the methodology for calculating and verifying railway gauges — the reference profiles and associated rules governing the space envelope between rolling stock and infrastructure. Part 1 sets common rules, Part 2 covers the rolling stock gauge, Part 3 structure gauges, and Part 4 (new with the October 2025 revision) provides a catalogue of defined gauges. Used by infrastructure managers for structure clearance and platform positioning, and by vehicle designers and conformity assessors to demonstrate gauge compatibility.

The EN 15273 series is a multi-part CEN standard defining the methodology for calculating and verifying railway structure and rolling stock gauges -- the reference profiles and associated calculation rules that govern the space envelope required between rolling stock and trackside infrastructure. Part 1 sets out the common rules and kinematic gauging method applicable across the series, Part 2 defines the rolling stock gauge (the maximum permissible outline of a vehicle), and Part 3 defines structure gauges (the minimum clearance envelope infrastructure must provide); the October 2025 revision added a new Part 4 providing a catalogue of pre-defined, named gauges for common reference. Infrastructure managers use the series for structure clearance calculations and platform positioning, while vehicle designers and conformity assessors use it to demonstrate that a new or modified vehicle design remains within its declared kinematic gauge across the intended routes. Because gauge compatibility between vehicles and infrastructure is safety-critical and route-specific, the series underlies the route-compatibility checks that railway undertakings perform using infrastructure gauge data published in the register of infrastructure (RINF). The current edition of the series is EN 15273:2025, covering Parts 1 to 4.