A system for simulating the contact between wheel and rail, in particular of a rail vehicle, comprising: - at least one hollow cylindrical structure having a first diameter and including a rail simulation surface arranged integrally with an internal surface of said hollow cylindrical structure; - at least one wheel having a second diameter smaller than said first diameter, and including a rolling surface placed in contact with said rail simulation surface of the hollow cylindrical structure; - at least one rotation motor associated with said hollow cylindrical structure for generating a rotation of said first cylindrical structure; characterized in that the system further comprises: - at least a second rotation motor associated with the at least one wheel for controlling a rotation of said at least one wheel; - at least one contaminant control system, adapted to control the distribution of a contaminant on the rail simulation surface for generating a variation of the friction condition between the at least one wheel and the rail simulation surface; - at least one first sensor means for torque, adapted to measure an adhesion force (Fa) developed at the contact point between the at least one wheel and the at least one cylindrical structure; - at least one second sensor means for load, adapted to measure a normal load force (Fc) on the rail simulation surface; and - processing means adapted to calculate a real wheel-rail adhesion coefficient by the ratio between the adhesion force (Fa) and the normal load force (Fc). - at least one hollow cylindrical structure having a first diameter and including a rail simulation surface arranged integrally with an internal surface of said hollow cylindrical structure; - at least one wheel having a second diameter smaller than said first diameter, and including a rolling surface placed in contact with said rail simulation surface of the hollow cylindrical structure; - at least one rotation motor associated with said hollow cylindrical structure for generating a rotation of said first cylindrical structure; characterized in that the system further comprises: - at least a second rotation motor associated with the at least one wheel for controlling a rotation of said at least one wheel; - at least one contaminant control system, adapted to control the distribution of a contaminant on the rail simulation surface for generating a variation of the friction condition between the at least one wheel and the rail simulation surface; - at least one first sensor means for torque, adapted to measure an adhesion force (Fa) developed at the contact point between the at least one wheel and the at least one cylindrical structure; - at least one second sensor means for load, adapted to measure a normal load force (Fc) on the rail simulation surface; and - processing means adapted to calculate a real wheel-rail adhesion coefficient by the ratio between the adhesion force (Fa) and the normal load force (Fc). - at least a second rotation motor associated with the at least one wheel for controlling a rotation of said at least one wheel; - at least one contaminant control system, adapted to control the distribution of a contaminant on the rail simulation surface for generating a variation of the friction condition between the at least one wheel and the rail simulation surface; - at least one first sensor means for torque, adapted to measure an adhesion force (Fa) developed at the contact point between the at least one wheel and the at least one cylindrical structure; - at least one second sensor means for load, adapted to measure a normal load force (Fc) on the rail simulation surface; and - processing means adapted to calculate a real wheel-rail adhesion coefficient by the ratio between the adhesion force (Fa) and the normal load force (Fc).