ISO 3095:2013 specifies measurement methods and conditions to obtain reproducible and comparable exterior noise emission levels and spectra for all kinds of vehicles operating on rails or other types of fixed track, hereinafter conventionally called "unit".

ISO 3095:2013 is applicable to type testing of units. It does not include all the instructions to characterize the noise emission of the other infrastructure related sources (bridges, crossings, switching, impact noise, curving noise, etc.).

ISO 3095:2013 is not applicable to:

- the noise emission of track maintenance units while working;

- environmental impact assessment;

- noise emmission assessment;

- guided buses;

- warning signal noise.

The results may be used, for example:

- to characterize the exterior noise emitted by units;

- to compare the noise emission of various units on a particular track section;

- to collect basic source data for units.