#insights

How customer experience and integration are shaping the future of rail transport

In the world of mobility, we no longer think in terms of modes of transport, but in terms of complete journeys.

Every trip is a chain of steps – on foot, by bike, by bus, by train – that the user perceives as a single experience. What used to be separate trips is now experienced as a seamless journey, in which changes between modes should not feel like interruptions, but like natural transitions.

That is, precisely, the great aspiration of modern mobility: to move from technical interconnection to experiential integration.

And in this challenge, rail has a unique responsibility. It isn’t the only mode of transport, but it is the one that creates structure for the system as a whole. It is the common thread that gives shape, stability and meaning to the entire system.

At Sener, we collaborate with the International Union of Railways (UIC) on various projects that address this challenge from both a technical and human perspective. Among them are studies from the Customer Experience by Rail (CEMP) programme, which compile international best practices and propose a new way of understanding rail mobility – not as a sum of individual trips, but as an integrated and connected end-to-end experience.

The train as the backbone of the multimodal system

Whether urban, regional or long-distance, the train has a quality that no other mode possesses: structure.

Its reliability, capacity and frequency make rail the backbone of public mobility.

From that structure, all other services can be built, like buses, trams, shared bikes, shuttles, taxis and micromobility. However, without that stable core, the system becomes fragmented.

The international projects analysed in the UIC–Sener studies show a common pattern: when rail assumes its central role, everything falls into place.

Stations become genuine connection hubs, complementary services are better coordinated, and passengers perceive continuity throughout their journey.

It doesn’t matter whether the final destination is in the city centre or a rural area – a strong multimodal system needs a strong rail core.

Multimodality isn’t about having many modes; it’s about making them work together.
And this is only possible when rail acts as the temporal, spatial and emotional anchor of the system.

Integrating to enhance the travel experience

Talking about multimodality means talking about integration, which has three dimensions: physical, digital and emotional.

1. Physical integration starts with the space itself: accessible stations, clear signage, intuitive layouts and comfortable connections.
2. Digital integration comes through information and payment: apps that display all options, combined tickets, real-time data and consistent communication.
3. Emotional integration emerges when the user experiences smoothness: when everything “just works”, and the journey feels natural.

In reality, the seamless journey is measured not by technology, but by trust.

A calm and well-informed passenger feels in command of their journey, even when unexpected events occur. And it is this sense of control that distinguishes an integrated system from one that is merely connected. The experience improves when technology and design work hand in hand.

Digital integration – single-ticketing, real-time information and seamless interfaces – blends with thoughtful station design, including clear signage, intuitive transition spaces and supportive station services.

The result is a smoother, more enjoyable journey and stronger passenger loyalty to public transport.

The hardest barriers are not technological

For years, it was believed that the biggest obstacles to achieving integrated mobility were technical.

However, recent advances – from open data to interoperable payment systems – have shown that technology is no longer the issue.

The most difficult barriers are institutional and cultural.

Operators that don’t share information, authorities that manage each mode separately, regulations that aren’t aligned, priorities that don’t match.

All of this creates an invisible but deep fragmentation: a fragmentation of approach.

Ultimately, “the challenge is not to connect modes, but to connect mindsets”.

Integrated mobility requires collaboration and a shared vision.

As long as each operator continues to measure success by their own mode of transport (e.g., train punctuality, bus occupancy or app usage) the passenger will experience the journey as a series of breaks.

The challenge lies in adopting a shared, traveller-centred approach, where the main measure is the continuity of the journey, not the isolated performance of a single mode.

Designing for everyone

A single train can carry very different types of passengers each day:

• a commuter travelling to work
• a family with children
• a tourist who doesn’t speak the language
• an older adult
• a cyclist with luggage

Each experiences the journey differently.

Designing for inclusivity means embracing diversity and providing adaptable solutions, without prioritising or excluding anyone.

Advances in interior design, universal accessibility and visual communication are just as important as operational efficiency.

The best systems are not the most complex, but those that make every user feel safe, understood and able to navigate with confidence.

From an experience perspective, inclusivity and usability are two sides of the same coin.

The emotional dimension of the journey

Rail is, above all, an experience.

That is why its success cannot be measured solely by punctuality or capacity, but also by emotions: trust, calm and satisfaction.

When the journey feels seamless and enjoyable, passengers keep coming back.

When it causes anxiety or a sense of disconnection, passengers look for alternatives.

The Customer Experience by Rail studies led by the UIC confirm that satisfaction has a direct impact on mode choice:

satisfied passengers travel more, and they do so more often by train.

This makes the travel experience a strategic advantage, rather than a simple add-on.

That is why talking about multimodality is not only about infrastructure or technology – it’s about how the user feels when switching modes, waiting for a connection or facing the unexpected.

It is this emotional dimension, the experience of a stress-free journey, that elevates a functional system into a truly desirable one.

Rail, the backbone of thoughtful mobility

The future of transport does not depend on having more options, but on making them all work together.

Every station, every app, every route must be part of a cohesive system where the user experiences continuity.

Rail cannot do it all, but without it, integrated mobility weakens.

It is the mode that brings stability, confidence and sustainability to the entire system.

The train provides the anchor around which all other modes – buses, trams, micromobility and on-demand services – can be coordinated.

Without this strong core, the system fragments, and the journey loses its flow.

That’s why at Sener we continue working with the UIC and operators worldwide to create mobility that is seamless, connected and truly human-centred.

Mobility where people don’t think about tickets, modes or operational boundaries, but about experiences that simply work.

Because in the end, connecting the dots isn’t just about linking infrastructure.

It means aligning expectations, emotions and services so that getting around is easier, cleaner and more human.

And on that journey, rail isn’t everything – but it remains the most important.