The railway, as the transport sector in general, is going through a stage of changes in which new protagonists come into play that, on the one hand, mark the challenges that the industry must face in the coming years and, on the other, will make it become the protagonist of the mobility of the future. Terms such as smart mobility, the growth of population in the cities, sustainability or technology are some of the key points and challenges that the industry faces.
On the one hand, the railway is a key point in the ecological transition. In a context where transport emissions represent around 25% of the total greenhouse gas emissions of the European Union it is essential to be committed to those means of transport that are more environmentally friendly. Initiatives such as the European Green Deal or the Green Rail Investment Platform – both at European level – or the Law on Sustainable Mobility and Transport Financing – at national level – are committed to the promotion of the railway as the mode of transport with the lowest emissions.
On the other hand, offering passengers a user experience according to their demands is one of the main challenges facing the railway sector. Among other aspects, passengers demand real-time information and variety in the payment methods. In this sense, the industry must take advantage of the most avant-garde technology and constant work to be able to offer personalised proposals that meet these needs.
Digitalisation is however also a challenge for freight transport. This involves ensuring interoperability between the different modes and nodes of national freight transport and their integration at an international level. All of this aims to achieve the goal of increasing freight railway transport from the current 4% to 10% by 2030.
All these topics are analysed under issue number 30 of the Mafex magazine, which also includes current news from more than 30 partners. We also review the 2021 edition of Rail Live!, the benchmark event of the sector in Spain and with a marked international nature that we co-organise with Terrapinn. In addition, we reveal new details of the next edition, which will be held from 29th November to 1st December at the Malaga Trade Fair and Congress Centre.
Ultimately, in this new issue we analyse how the railway is called to be the backbone of the mobility of the future and how the railway industry works jointly to overcome the challenges currently facing the sector.
