Software that guides your journey home
Stadler Digital Labs (STADL) was founded on a shared conviction: that the railway industry's digital transformation demands the same rigour and reliability that has always defined great rail engineering. Launched in 2026 as a joint venture between Stadler and Critical Software, STADL delivers digital engineering, safety-critical systems, and cybersecurity solutions to support Stadler's global rail operations.
Headquartered in Coimbra with a hub in Lisbon, STADL brings together Stadler's deep domain expertise in railway systems with Critical Software's decades of experience in safety-critical and certifiable engineering — to build technology that makes rail networks safer, more reliable, and more connected.
A partnership built for the future of rail
Stadler is a global leader in the railway industry with a clear vision for the digital future of mobility. Critical Software brings a proven engineering culture, a reliable delivery model, and extensive experience in certifiable systems — the kind of capabilities that modern, digitally enabled rail networks demand.
Through STADL, both companies are aligning their strengths to advance the safety, reliability, and efficiency of rail systems worldwide. The venture launched with 100 specialists and is on track to grow to 300 people over the next three years.
How it works
STADL operates at the intersection of railway domain knowledge and safety-critical software engineering. The team applies rigorous engineering practices to complex mobility systems — from digital engineering and certifiable software to cybersecurity — across Stadler's international footprint.
The work is demanding by design. In rail, as in every domain Critical Software operates in, engineering excellence and safety are non-negotiable.
A story still being written
STADL is in its early chapters — but the ambition is clear and the foundation is strong. As rail networks become more digital and more complex, the need for trusted, safety-critical engineering only grows. Stadler Digital Labs exists to meet that need, backed by two organisations that have built their reputations on delivering when it matters most.
Portugal is at the heart of it. And the tracks ahead are full of possibility.