Why railway transport loses passengers due to outdated experience
Passengers choose transport based on experience, not just the ticket. The apps of RZD and other carriers are often limited to ticket purchase and schedules — that’s no longer enough when people have seen how digital services in aviation and carsharing anticipate their needs.
Minutes of waiting, hunting for the platform, and confusing display boards turn into fatigue, and rail loses the competition for the passenger.
For the carrier, this means lost revenue and loyalty. A poor experience is talked about, and the passenger doesn’t come back.
Digitalization of railways usually comes down to automating internal processes, but the real impact comes from digital passenger experience — from trip planning to exiting at the right station. This is exactly where the door opens for augmented and virtual reality.
Imagine: a passenger sees arrows overlaid on the real station and prompts about time until departure without looking at their phone. This is possible on modern wearable devices. We help carriers implement such scenarios — from navigation to staff training. The result: less stress, higher loyalty, and repeat trips.
An outdated experience is a manageable problem. Rethink the passenger journey with modern technology, and you’ll win back those who left for other modes of transport. Start with one scenario — for example, navigation at a large station — and get a measurable effect.
What benefits a carrier gets from VR/AR/MR applications
Railways operate under strict standards: every new station, carriage, or route requires staff retraining and adaptation of passenger services.
Traditional paper-based briefings and field training take weeks, and employee mistakes translate directly into losses in schedule and reputation.
Digital tools solve these tasks faster and more visually — this is where VR/AR/MR deliver a measurable business impact for the carrier.
truetech.by has been designing applications for the transport industry for over 10 years, where immersive technologies address three key needs: faster staff training, higher passenger loyalty, and new revenue-generating services. Below are the concrete results the client gets.
Business impact for the carrier
VR staff training reduces the cost of training drivers and dispatchers. Instead of renting test tracks and pulling experienced instructors away, virtual scenarios cover everything from routine train operation to emergency situations.
Skill practice is 2–3 times faster, and the number of errors on real assets drops. That translates directly into savings for the training department.
AR navigation for passengers turns a station into an understandable space without signage or calls to the information desk. Point the smartphone camera, and the person sees the route to the platform, displays, and nearby services.
Satisfaction with the trip grows, the number of late arrivals drops, and freed-up staff can help people in person instead of repeating standard answers.
MR services at stations open new sales channels. A virtual assistant offers tickets, business lounge access, or excursions right while passengers wait for their train.
Additional options appear on a smartphone screen or in augmented reality glasses, increasing average transaction value and generating revenue without expanding headcount.
The combined effect consists of three parts: passenger loyalty to the carrier’s brand, lower operational costs for staff training, and new digital products that set the company apart from competitors.
Every project starts with a process audit and measurement of target metrics — we know where VR/AR/MR pays off fastest.
The working model is built around each specific client: we handle design, application development for Vision Pro and mobile devices, and integration into the carrier’s existing processes.
The result is a ready-made tool with staff training and support, not just a technology demonstration.
Formats of VR/AR/MR solutions for railway transport
Cookie-cutter VR/AR projects done just for show don’t pay off — so we first define the task and then choose the format.
Four scenarios work for the railway industry: training for drivers and maintenance staff, presenting equipment to clients, virtual depot tours, and interactive displays for exhibitions. Each format has its own audience and measurable result.
Staff training and instruction
VR simulators allow practicing emergency situations — from brake system failure response to passenger evacuation — without risk to people or rolling stock. The employee sees the mistake immediately, and the system records which skill needs improvement.
For the company, this means lower costs for test tracks and instructors, plus an objective assessment of each driver’s readiness.
AR instructions solve another challenge: a maintenance worker points the tablet camera at a locomotive component and sees a step-by-step disassembly diagram or inspection sequence.
The time spent searching for the right procedure is cut significantly, and human-factor errors disappear. Instructions can be updated in minutes — no need to reprint thousands of pages of documentation.
Equipment presentation and sales
A virtual tour of a locomotive or carriage at 1:1 scale replaces a factory visit and removes limits on the number of visitors. A client from another region puts on a headset or opens the 3D model on a tablet and walks through the cab, inspecting components and layout.
Negotiations no longer fail because of logistics, and the client gets a clear picture of the product before signing the contract.
An interactive display at an exhibition is a way to collect contacts and keep visitors at your pavilion several times longer than at neighboring booths with ordinary banners.
Guests get involved in controlling the model or navigating the train themselves, and after the event you receive a database of interested people with clear interaction statistics.
| Format | Audience | What it gives the client |
|---|---|---|
| VR simulator | Drivers, maintenance staff | Risk-free skill practice, control over staff readiness |
| AR instructions | Maintenance crews at depots | Fewer errors, quick regulation updates, savings on paper |
| Virtual tour | Buyers, tender committees | Getting to know equipment without a trip to the production site |
| Interactive display | Exhibition visitors, partners | More contacts, high engagement, brand recognition |
One project often combines several formats: an exhibition uses an interactive display, and after the event the same content is adapted into a training simulator. This way you get a solution that works both for attracting clients and for training your own employees.
How an implementation project goes: from brief to launch
The process always starts with a brief: together we break down the task — who the target audience is, what scenarios passengers or employees need, and what result you want to measure. At this stage we set deadlines and checkpoints so you understand what is happening at each step.
- Brief and task audit. You describe the task, we ask clarifying questions and offer 2–3 technology use case scenarios.
- Concept approval. We show how the application will fit into your processes: staff training, navigation, displaying carriages or stations. We finalize the plan and expected impact.
- Prototype development. We build a working scenario on professional equipment — you see the mechanics and logic before the main phase begins.
- Iterations and approval. You receive intermediate versions, give feedback, and we quickly incorporate it. No “surprises” at the final stage.
- Final build and testing. We test the scenario on target devices and fine-tune details so the application runs stably in real operating conditions.
- Launch and handover. We support installation, train your team, and provide instructions. You get a complete tool, not a “raw” product.
This workflow eliminates the situation where a solution is created “blindly.” You always see the intermediate result and understand where the budget and time are going.
This is especially important in the railway industry, where the application must be reliable and understandable for different user categories — from passengers to duty staff.
In the end, you get not just an application but a working tool: with a clear interface, the right features, and full documentation for your team. If requirements change along the way, that’s normal — we build flexibility in at the planning stage.
What’s included in delivery: a complete package for your project
We designed the delivery package so that you have everything you need at every stage — from the first demo to industrial operation. No empty handovers: you get not just an application but a complete working tool with all the supporting base.
- Ready-made application for training drivers, inspecting rolling stock, or demonstrating technology. These are scenarios tailored to your regulations and real production tasks.
- Step-by-step documentation — clear instructions for installation, launch, and updates. Your employees can figure it out without involving developers.
- Training for your team — we conduct a workshop for administrators and end users so staff can confidently work with the solution immediately after handover.
- Technical support — available during business hours, we quickly help resolve installation and failure issues so downtime doesn’t affect the training schedule.
- Project source materials — structured files and scenario logic remain with you. You’re not dependent on a single contractor and can develop the product with any team.
- Adaptation to your equipment fleet — the application’s modularity lets you add new equipment models and instructions without a complete overhaul.
- Scaling recommendations — we’ll advise on how to deploy the solution to other depots, training centers, or divisions without losing quality.
This package protects your investment: documentation and training remove the “black box” risk, and support ensures stable operation. You receive not raw code but a product ready for deployment, one that starts delivering value from day one.
Case study: how we increased passenger flow at a station with AR
Passengers arrive at the station 20–30 minutes before departure and usually spend that time on their phones near the departure board. Traffic is high, but it’s almost impossible to keep people engaged with food courts and shops.
For the infrastructure owner, this is lost revenue: tenants are unhappy, and passengers remember the station simply as a place where they “wait.”
We solved this task for one regional operator — the client, company Express, wanted to change passenger behavior without installing expensive equipment.
We developed an AR application that brings the station space to life: through a smartphone, a passenger sees historical facts about the building, gets a personal route to the platform, and along the way receives discounts from cafés and shops built right into the navigation. Everyone already has a phone, so there is no barrier to use.
The results were measurable within the first two months. Passenger traffic in the station’s retail zone grew by 26%, average dwell time increased from 16 to 44 minutes, and tenant revenue rose by 18%.
More than 25,000 passengers used the app, 7 out of 10 checked the navigation, and a third followed partner offers. The head of the station complex summed it up: “The AR app turned waiting time into a source of income — it changed the economics of the entire facility.”
This case shows that augmented reality is not an entertainment feature but a tool for growing passenger flow and monetizing space. The client got results with minimal investment: no kiosks or terminals were needed, only visitors’ smartphones.
After the successful launch, we continued working — expanded the functionality for a new station format and are preparing to launch at a neighboring hub.
How to choose the right format for your task?
Start with the question, “What should change after launch?” — that is the main criterion for choosing a format. If the task is to speed up depot staff training or safely practice emergency actions, interactive scenarios with step-by-step prompts are a good fit.
If the goal is to impress passengers and partners at the station or in the business lounge, you need an engaging scenario for getting acquainted with a train or station before it is even built. This way the format follows from the result, not from a trendy technology.
The second criterion is audience and place of use. For railway enterprise employees, it is more convenient to use a format that works on tablets or Apple Vision Pro glasses without being tied to a location: they can train in the workshop, in the office, or on site.
For passengers and guests, the “wow effect” and simplicity matter more: a person puts on a headset and gets a vivid impression in a couple of minutes, without going through a briefing. Correspondingly, the interface, session duration, and level of immersion also differ.
The third criterion is budget and timeline. A full-fledged training system with virtual simulators and error tracking requires more time for design and content development than a demonstration tour of a future station.
But even a limited budget doesn’t stop you from starting: you can always begin with one scenario, such as “brake system inspection” or “passenger route through a new station,” test it on the target audience, and scale after the pilot.
The conclusion is simple: first define the goal, audience, and KPIs — staff coverage, learning speed, brand awareness. Then decide whether you need a one-time activity or an ongoing system.
We’ll help you navigate with a free consultation: we’ll show which format will solve your specific task in the railway industry and propose a phased launch within your budget.
Answering fears before ordering VR/AR development
Clients from the transport industry often have doubts: won’t an expensive device break, is there a security threat, and will we waste our budget? These are normal concerns — we work with railway companies and address them every time. Below we address the main fears; the rest is in the next section.
What if the equipment fails?
We provide a warranty on devices and service maintenance. If something happens, we bring a replacement kit and handle the repair ourselves — your operations don’t stop. The contract specifies the terms and conditions.
How safe is it for people and data?
Applications undergo compliance checks with industry standards and use only certified devices. Virtual simulators model dangerous situations without risk to personnel, and data access is controlled and protected.
Integration into your infrastructure does not violate existing regulations. This approach prevents training injuries and helps staff build skills with confidence.
How quickly will it pay off?
We reduce training costs, cut the number of errors in repair and maintenance, and increase the speed of staff training. For example, driver training is up to 40% faster than with classic programs.
We calculate payback based on your metrics before starting — usually it takes a few months. If needed, we integrate with your accounting systems without replacing equipment.
We cover each fear with a contract and a clear implementation plan. You get a working solution and support at every stage — from pilot project to full scaling. Still have questions? Check the next section — it covers the debatable points in more detail.Ready to discuss your project? Get a cost estimate
We have been developing VR solutions for the railway industry for over 10 years and know how virtual reality reduces training costs, improves safety, and speeds up bringing new employees on shift.
A cost estimate and consultation are a free first step that helps you see the potential before the project even starts.
Leave a request — at the meeting we’ll analyze your task, advise where VR will deliver maximum impact, and show the solution logic. You won’t just get a quote: you’ll see a clear vision of the result, timelines, and business value.
When you contact us, you get:
- A preliminary cost estimate for your task — without hidden extras or “maybe something else will be needed.”
- Expertise in railway specifics: depots, stations, traction rolling stock, track work.
- Recommendations on VR development format: from training simulators to demonstrations of infrastructure projects.
- A phased plan and realistic timelines — you understand what will be ready and when.
- A pilot project model: we first test hypotheses on a small scale and only then scale up.
- A personal manager — one contact for all questions at all stages.
You can discuss your project and get a cost estimate for free and without obligation. We’ll tell you which VR solutions already work in your field and, if needed, introduce you to our engineering team. Leave a request — we’ll respond within one business day.