RAIL AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Todays Challenge
Rail and public transport are playing an increasingly important role in creating more sustainable and connected mobility systems. However, passenger expectations continue to rise as people compare their experiences not only against other transport services, but also against digital products, hospitality and the convenience of private vehicles. At the same time, changing lifestyles, new working patterns and increasing urbanisation are reshaping how people travel.
The challenge is no longer simply moving passengers efficiently from A to B. It is creating experiences that encourage people to choose public transport over the car by making journeys more intuitive, comfortable and enjoyable.
From high-speed rail and intercity services to metro systems, light rail and future mobility solutions, successful transport design requires balancing operational requirements with passenger needs and long-term commercial objectives.
Creating Better Passenger Experiences
We help operators, manufacturers and mobility providers create transport experiences that balance passenger expectations with operational realities. Combining research, strategy and design expertise across exterior and interior development, we help shape products and environments that strengthen brand identity while improving comfort, usability and accessibility.
Our support ranges from complete programmes, from early research and concept creation through to design development and delivery, to targeted support within existing teams and specialist projects.
Whether designing future mobility concepts, improving passenger experiences or developing next-generation transport solutions, our focus remains on creating meaningful experiences for the people who use them.
Services
Passenger Experience Research & Strategy
Accessibility, Human Factors & Inclusive Design
Exterior Design & Interior Design
Livery, Colour, Materials & Finish (CMF)
Design Books & Design Intent Documentation
BAFO & Tender Support
Passenger Experience Research & Strategy
Understanding journeys through the eyes of passengers
Passenger expectations are evolving rapidly. Today's travellers increasingly compare public transport experiences not only with other operators, but also with the convenience of private vehicles and the seamless digital experiences they encounter in everyday life. Comfort, accessibility, simplicity and confidence throughout the journey have become important factors in encouraging people to choose public transport.
We help operators, manufacturers and mobility providers better understand passenger needs, behaviours and expectations to create experiences that people genuinely value. Through passenger research, trend analysis, behavioural insights and journey mapping, we identify opportunities that improve both customer satisfaction and operational performance.
Our approach looks beyond the vehicle itself and considers the complete experience, from planning and boarding through to travelling and arrival. By balancing passenger needs with operational realities, we help define strategies and experiences that strengthen brand perception and support future mobility goals.
Understanding people is the foundation for creating transport experiences they choose to return to.
Creating passenger experiences that encourage people to choose public transport again and again.
Accessibility, Human Factors & Inclusive Design
Creating transport experiences for everyone, minimising human mistakes
Public transport should be accessible, intuitive and comfortable for the widest possible range of passengers. As populations become increasingly diverse and mobility needs continue to evolve, inclusive design has become an essential part of creating successful rail and public transport experiences. The challenge is not simply meeting regulations, but designing environments that allow people to travel confidently, comfortably and independently.
We help operators and manufacturers create passenger experiences that place people at the centre of the design process. Through human factors research, behavioural understanding and inclusive design principles, we consider the needs of users across different ages, abilities and situations, from passengers with reduced mobility and wheelchair users to families, commuters and occasional travellers.
Our approach considers the complete journey experience, including boarding, circulation, seating, wayfinding, physical interaction and overall comfort. By balancing accessibility requirements with operational realities and passenger expectations, we help create transport environments that improve usability while strengthening the overall experience for all passengers.
Designing for accessibility rarely benefits only a few people. It usually creates better experiences for everyone.
Creating inclusive transport experiences that make travel easier, more comfortable and more accessible for all.
Exterior Design & Interior Design
Designing journeys people want to experience
Rail and public transport design must balance a wide range of demands, from operational efficiency and technical requirements to passenger comfort and brand identity. As passenger expectations continue to evolve, the role of design increasingly extends beyond moving people efficiently, it becomes about creating experiences that encourage people to choose public transport over the car.
We support manufacturers, operators and mobility providers in creating exterior and interior designs that deliver meaningful experiences while responding to real-world constraints. From high-speed rail and metro systems to light rail and future mobility concepts, we help shape transport environments that balance functionality, accessibility and emotional connection.
Exterior design creates a recognisable identity and communicates the values of a service or brand, while interior design shapes the passenger journey through comfort, usability, flow and atmosphere. Together they create experiences that improve perception, strengthen brands and support long-term adoption of public transport.
Successful transport design is not only about how a vehicle looks, but how people experience every moment of the journey.
Creating transport experiences that connect passenger needs with operational realities.
Livery, Colour, Materials & Finish (CMF)
Translating brand values into meaningful experiences
In rail and public transport, livery, colour, materials and finish play an important role in shaping how a service is perceived and experienced. Beyond aesthetics, they help communicate brand values, strengthen recognition and create a consistent identity across vehicles and passenger touchpoints. As operators increasingly compete on experience rather than simply transportation, design becomes an important tool for differentiation.
We help manufacturers and operators translate brand values into tangible passenger experiences through considered livery strategies and CMF development. From exterior identity and visual presence through to interior materials, colour palettes, lighting and finishes, we create design solutions that balance brand expression with passenger expectations and operational realities.
Our approach considers both emotional and practical requirements, ensuring materials and finishes support comfort, durability, maintenance and accessibility while reinforcing a recognisable and memorable identity.
Strong transport brands are not only recognised by their logo, but by the environments and experiences they create.
Creating transport identities that translate brand values into experiences people recognise and remember.
Design Books & Design Intent Documentation
Creating clarity and alignment throughout the development process
Large transport programmes involve multiple teams, disciplines and stakeholders, often working across different locations and stages of development. Maintaining a clear vision throughout this process is essential to ensure that the original design intent is preserved and translated consistently into the final product.
We support manufacturers and operators through the creation of design books and design intent documentation that communicate the thinking behind the design, not simply the outcome. From passenger experience principles and brand values through to design language, material strategies and key user interactions, we create visual and structured documentation that aligns teams around a shared direction.
Our approach transforms ideas, research and design decisions into clear and engaging narratives that can support internal teams, engineering partners and wider programme stakeholders. By creating a common understanding across the project, we help reduce ambiguity, strengthen decision making and maintain consistency throughout development.
Good documentation does more than record decisions, it creates confidence and alignment.
Turning design thinking into clear guidance that teams can understand and build upon.
BAFO & Tender Support
Strengthening proposals through design and experience thinking
Winning transport programmes increasingly requires more than meeting technical requirements alone. Passenger experience, design quality and a compelling vision are playing an increasingly important role in helping manufacturers and operators differentiate themselves within competitive tender processes.
We support BAFO and tender activities by helping translate technical solutions into clear and engaging design narratives. Through visualisation, storytelling and experience-led thinking, we help communicate the value of a proposal in a way that resonates with decision makers, stakeholders and customers.
Our support can range from passenger experience strategies and design vision work through to visual content, design intent documentation and high-quality presentation material that helps create alignment and confidence during bid development.
Strong proposals do not simply explain what a product does, they communicate the experience it creates and the value it delivers.
Transforming technical proposals into compelling transport visions that stand out and create confidence.