Alstom vs Thales:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Alstom and Thales were level in searches among railway software worldwide, with an estimated 301K branded searches each, at 32.8% of the total each. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about railway software, neither Alstom nor Thales appeared in any of the five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Alstom and Thales are searched for about as often as each other.
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 0 of 5 answers.
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Top railway software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, neither Alstom nor Thales showed up in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Siemens Mobility1st
Wabtec2nd
Hitachi Rail3rd
Trimble4th- OpenTrack5th
Alstom–
Thales–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Wabtec2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- OpenTrack2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Siemens Mobility2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Trimble1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Hitachi Rail1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Alstom0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Thales0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about railway software
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which railway software should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best railway software tools?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best railway software for a rail operator?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“railway software”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“rail maintenance software”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Alstom or Thales more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Alstom and Thales by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven railway software we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Alstom, Thales. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Alstom | Thales | Trimble | Wabtec | OpenTrack | Siemens Mobility | Hitachi Rail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 29.9% | 36.6% | 20% | 4.9% | 3.3% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 31.3% | 38.2% | 17.1% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 30.3% | 37.1% | 16.6% | 5% | 5% | 3.3% | 2.7% |
| Jan 2026 | 30.8% | 37.6% | 16.9% | 5.1% | 4.1% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 26.8% | 40.1% | 18% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 3% | 2.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 29.7% | 36.3% | 19.8% | 4.9% | 4% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 37.6% | 30.8% | 16.9% | 5.1% | 4.1% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| May 2026 | 28.5% | 34.9% | 19.1% | 4.7% | 7% | 3.1% | 2.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 28.4% | 34.8% | 19.1% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 30.1% | 36.8% | 16.5% | 5% | 5% | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| Aug 2026 | 32.7% | 32.7% | 17.9% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 3% | 3% |
| Sep 2026 | 32.8% | 32.8% | 18% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 3.6% | 3% |
How has the Alstom and Thales comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Alstom took it in April 2026, Thales took it in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Alstom’s share of searches among railway software worldwide moved from 29.9% to 32.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 301K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Thales’ share of searches among railway software worldwide moved from 36.6% to 32.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 368K to 301K.
How did search popularity change for railway software worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
Alstom’s share of searches among railway software worldwide has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 28.4% to 32.8% in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Thales worldwide fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 368K to 301K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Alstom’s and Thales’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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