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For Europe's urban agglomerations to be economically competitive, it is vital that international destinations be easily accessible. Although much has been invested in the construction of European rail infrastructure over the past century, passenger transport by rail has not grown as fast as transport by road and air. So why do people not use international trains more, even though they have an extensive international rail network at their disposal? Based on a series of in-depth interviews with relevant public and private stakeholders and two expert meetings, we identify the main bottlenecks and constraints. In order to understand the complexity of international rail transport, we have divided the existing bottlenecks into four groups corresponding to four layers of the rail transport system: mobility services, transport services, traffic services, and the physical and digital infrastructure. We formulate concrete policy recommendations for improvements to be made in the various components of the rail transport system.

This study aims to analyse rail transport's supply chain management (SCM) and identify issues affecting its effectiveness. These issues include the barriers faced by stakeholders in rail transport, shedding light on the challenges they encounter. The study integrates insights from previous research to offer a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of SCM in the rail industry. Through an in-depth analysis, the research aims to identify key barriers and assess their impact on operational effectiveness. Addressing these barriers can lead to cost reduction, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced support for sustainable transportation systems in the rail sector. Using the Modified Total Interpretive Structural Modelling (M-TISM) technique, we demonstrate how the identified barriers are interrelated, highlighting which ones are more influential and which ones are dependent on others. Additionally, a Fuzzy Matrix Impacts Cross Multiplication Applied to Classification (FMICMAC) analysis was conducted. Following this investigation, the authors identified five key barriers to the integration of IT-enabled supply chain management in the Indian railway system. These barriers are (B4) lack of policy support for long-term or strategic contracting; (B5) lack of IT-trained or skilled personnel in field units; (B2) Inefficient information and technology systems; (B3) the disinclination of the support from distributors, retailers, and dealers; and (B10) lack of responsiveness. The study found that all cause based barriers aligned perfectly with the Level 5 barriers in the M-TISM model. The results were thoroughly analysed using both the FMICMAC approach and the M-TISM technique. Furthermore, the authors discussed the practical implications of the findings and proposed areas for future research aimed at improving the adoption of IT-enabled supply chain management in the Indian rail transport network.

Introduction The total demand for freight transport in Europe has increased significantly in recent decades, but most of it has been handled by road transport. To fulfil the modal shift targets set in the EU White Paper 2011, it will be necessary to double rail’s market share from today’s 18 %, by 2050. Translating this into reality means rail will have to handle 3 to 4 times the cargo volume it does today. With this in mind, the paper develops a vision of an efficient rail freight system in 2050. Methodology To achieve the above objective, the research applies literature survey and group discussion methodology and applying a system approach. Keeping on board the EU Transport White Paper 2011 modal shift targets, as well as future freight demand and customer requirements, the current research attempts to answer the following three critical questions: How can rail offer the quality of service that will attract customers and fulfil the targets? How can rail offer its customers a price that is competitive with road? How can rail offer the capacity to meet the increased demand from modal shift? Results The authors find that the service quality can be improved by better planning, application of appropriate ICT-systems and adoption of an integrated supply chain approach. A more customer-orientated service can also be achieved by further deregulation of rail. There is also an urgent need for a faster implementation of Rail Freight Corridors (RFC). As well as liner trains, future rail freight services should be offering end-point trains, with semi/ fully automated loading/unloading equipment in hub-terminals, as well as terminals at sidings to improve the availability of intermodal operation. Conclusion To offer a competitive price and reliable service, a reduction in operating costs will be vital by implementing a number of measures, including operation of heavier and longer trains, wider loading gauge, higher average speed, and better utilisation of wagon space and all assets. This will bring increased capacity, as well as better timetable planning, signalling systems and infrastructure improvements.

The paper deals with analysis of the development of performances in freight rail transport in comparison with the development of gross domestic product as the main indicator measuring the economic performance of the country and on the other hand the performances in passenger rail transport in relation to the development of the average monthly wage as one of the most important indicator characterizing the living standard. The change in demand for transport services is analyzed with respect to the change in the price of the ticket in passenger rail transport and also the change in the price for transport of one tonne of goods in freight rail transport.

The shift to sustainable mobility is especially challenging for island regions, where limited land, densely populated corridors, and strong reliance on fossil fuels constrain transport options. This study develops a macroscale methodology to estimate reductions in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and traffic congestion by replacing fossil-fuel-based public and private road transport with an electric rail system supplied exclusively by dedicated renewable energy sources. Unlike conventional electrification, this approach guarantees genuine decarbonization by ensuring a fully renewable power supply for rail operations. Gran Canaria is employed as a case study, applying the methodology through an intermodal scenario that integrates the rail system with existing public transport services. Results show substantial potential to lower the carbon footprint, improve energy efficiency, and relieve congestion. The analysis focuses on the southeastern metropolitan corridor of the island, where transport demand, population, and economic activities are most concentrated. The proposed framework offers a transferable tool for supporting sustainable mobility strategies in island contexts consistent with global climate goals and policy priorities. Although the case study is specific to Gran Canaria, the methodology provides insights that may be relevant for other territories with comparable mobility and energy challenges, including isolated or weak-grid regions.

The article presents the importance of a specific rail transport system in the logistics service of cargo transported between two generators of international trade in goods – China and the European Union. Using selected operational data relating to the railway systems of several countries (including Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Russia, and Ukraine), it indicates the great economic importance of the 1520 Space – an area dominated by broad‑gauge infrastructure. Beyond the comparative aspect, and against the background of the influence and importance of railways for the economy, it presents the scope and costs of investments that are necessary and desirable to ensure the efficiency and optimization of goods flows. The study covers the growing share of Trans‑Eurasian container transport in the volume of cargo handled using the 1520 Space rail infrastructure, which is a key link in Trans‑Eurasian supply chains and of which the Russian railway system is an essential component.

Biomass rail transport is a useful alternative to unimodal truck transport for medium or long transport distances, if only a short road pre-haulage is required. Up to now primary forest fuels (PFF) are rarely transported on the rail network in Austria and rail terminals able to tranship notable volumes are not established yet. The objective of this study is to investigate the potentials of existing transhipment infrastructure for introducing and operating PFF terminals. Such PFF terminals enable a regular PFF supply to bioenergy plants and additionally provide opportunities for buffer storage and production processes like comminution. Three existing railway sidings in South, Central and Western Austria were chosen to serve as a multimodal transhipment hub with a road pre-haulage and a rail main-haulage for this case study. The logistic potential of these terminals was investigated, modelling the specific PFF supply chains, by means of a discrete event simulation. Simulation results provide daily and annual transhipment capacities and revealed bottlenecks in the terminal layout under different supply scenarios.

With the improvement of China's international status, integrated transport concept has become firmly rooted. Integrated urban rail transport system as part of comprehensive transportation has become an important means to ease urban traffic problems, is not only an urgent demand for transport services and residents, but also the need to build a conservation-oriented society. In this paper, for the current problems of urban transport ,research on building the rail transportation system of Hohhot, considering from the city policy, technology, economics, management aspects, etc., demonstrate the reasonableness of the transport system construction, technically advanced and the economic viability and feasibility of construction management while analyzing factors affecting the construction of rail transportation system, thus providing a scientific basis for investment and decision-making.

Purpose This paper reviews and adapts the methodology “Guide on the methodology for carrying out cost-benefit analysis” prepared by the European Commission (EC). It is specifically tailored to the assessment of an innovative rail freight service, and its application in the context of a number of potential service areas (principally pan European) in Europe. The SPECTRUM service is an innovative rail freight concept for the transport of low density high value (LDHV) goods. Methods The methodology is primarily based on the “Guide to cost-benefit analysis of investment projects” of the European Commission. The cost definition takes input from a Life Cycle Cost analysis and applies a series of conversion factors. The benefits have been estimated considering the user’s surplus, i.e. the difference between Generalised Logistic Costs (GLC) borne by transport/logistics operators (and more in general freight transport service users) when using the SPECTRUM service and GLC connected to “pre-shift” mode, i.e. road or traditional rail; and the difference in external costs generated by freight transport activities connected to externalities such as air pollution and climate change, noise, accidents, and other externalities (up- and down-stream processes, nature and landscape, biodiversity losses, soil and water pollution, congestion). Results The adapted methodology has proven capable of representing the multiple effects resulting from the theoretical introduction of an innovative rail service in the freight transport sector - accounting for the differential impacts compared to the baseline scenario solutions. The logical articulation of the analysis is flexible; two specific estimation schemes (the estimation of ad hoc unit parameters for the external costs and ad hoc approach for using GLC as proxies of users’ surplus in a scenario where the introduction of the innovative service modifies the modal split of freight transport between different solutions) can be applied to other territorial contexts. It may also be used to evaluate other types of freight transport services, provided that some unit data can be retrieved, which pertain to site-specific cost of infrastructures, average speeds and rates of different transport solutions, costs of personnel and other operating costs.

Recent evidence suggests that traffic noise may negatively impact mental health. However, existing systematic reviews provide an incomplete overview of the effects of all traffic noise sources on mental health. We conducted a systematic literature search and summarized the evidence for road, railway, or aircraft noise-related risks of depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and dementia among adults. We included 31 studies (26 on depression and/or anxiety disorders, 5 on dementia). The meta-analysis of five aircraft noise studies found that depression risk increased significantly by 12% per 10 dB LDEN (Effect Size = 1.12, 95% CI 1.02–1.23). The meta-analyses of road (11 studies) and railway traffic noise (3 studies) indicated 2–3% (not statistically significant) increases in depression risk per 10 dB LDEN. Results for road traffic noise related anxiety were similar. We did not find enough studies to meta-analyze anxiety and railway or aircraft noise, and dementia/ cognitive impairment and any traffic noise. In conclusion, aircraft noise exposure increases the risk for depression. Otherwise, we did not detect statistically significant risk increases due to road and railway traffic noise or for anxiety. More research on the association of cognitive disorders and traffic noise is required. Public policies to reduce environmental traffic noise might not only increase wellness (by reducing noise-induced annoyance), but might contribute to the prevention of depression and anxiety disorders.