The Role of the Railway Station in Growing Transport Demand

Can you imagine being a knight on a horse standing in front of a fort, and inside of the castle there is a beautiful princess? Or, can you imagine that you are a beautiful princess in the castle, and in front of it there is a powerful and brave prince? And between these two people are only the entrance doors of the fort. So much depends on the entrance door. If the door is beautiful and attractive, the prince will say this is a neat community and it will draw him into the castle and realize that there is a beautiful princess living there. Also, the princess will think, the one who recognizes the beauty and power of the front door will enter the castle and deserve my attention. And what if it is the opposite and the front door is bad?

It is similar today with railway stations. The railway stations are the entrance door to the cities. If the stations are nice and neat, this says something about the city. Visitors will immediately accept the city with a positive attitude. And stay there longer than they planned. Citizens of this city will be proud of both their city and their railway station. But what if the railway station is neglected? Will the visitor look for the first train to go further or will he go with unconfidence in the city? And already in the beginning it reduces the tourist attraction of the city. In that case, the railway station is the shame of the city and it is far from the city for which it lives.

As far as in the past, the construction of railway lines has been the driver of the development of different regions and cities today, railway stations have become unattractive places where people stay short and only in transit. The monopoly position of railway companies, poor adaptation to user needs and rigid railway regulations and cargo tariffs in most European railways have significantly influenced drastically reducing the share of rail traffic. Long-term stagnation and unnecessary rail traffic led to the neglect and unavailability of these resources in the railway system. High maintenance prices have an impact on the demolition of railway stations and the construction of functional covered platforms for the reception and shipping of passengers.

Implementing the positive solutions of developed railway companies primarily refers to the major railway stations where the classic waiting rooms, vestibules and other accompanying railway facilities have been transformed into functional spaces with predominantly service activities: shops, cafes, restaurants and hotels. If there is a demand for such content, the existing empty useful areas at the railway stations can be re-converted and utilized. The development of new solutions in the field of tourism, culture and sports is primarily the development of cooperation between railway companies with local government and local organizations and associations. The role of the station in increasing transport demand is only possible with the construction of an information and information system of railway stations that would harmonize different information from the field of transport as well as other important areas important for both the users of the service and the presentation of the local government or county centers and other cities and settlements .

In addition to looking at the railway aspect, it is necessary to explore the views and attitudes of local authorities about the importance of the station for the functioning of the local community. Recognizing their needs and requirements is needed: this is the basis for joint work on the modernization of railway stations.

And you, do you have any ideas about the modern solutions of railway stations?

Author: Dražen Kaužljar

Source: Željeznice21

Photo: jonas-tebbe-unsplash