INNOVATIONS AND SAFETY IN PASSENGER RAILWAY TRANSPORT - THE TRAVELERS' PERSPECTIVE

Rail transport is particularly demanding when it comes to safety of passengers and cargo. Ensuring adequate security would not be possible without the implementation of various innovations related to fire risk prevention, communication between train staff and passengers, or the functioning of the train itself. The purpose of this article is to determine the scope of innovation on the example of EN57 and ED78 vehicles, as well as to get to know travelers' opinions on modifications introduced on trains. The methodology applied included an in-depth interview with a railway expert, plus a survey of 115 passengers, as well as an analysis of secondary statistical data on safety of passenger rail transport. The results of the analyses show that passenger trains have changed a lot, and the introduced changes concern both the aesthetics of vehicles, amenities for travelers, and innovations that affect the safety of travel. Travelers' opinions also confirm that passenger transport has undergone a major metamorphosis, but passengers do not notice many of the changes related to safety; this should be attributed to carriers' insufficient communication about innovations, and consequently in building a positive image of the company and rail transport as such.