Most railway stations were built at the start of the railway age. For a long time, they were prestige buildings, and not only for European metropolises. With the rise of motorised individual transportation, many of them have lost their charm of old. Today, they are often restored to their former glory – as monuments and contemporary witnesses of the age of mobility which was dawning more than 160 years ago.
Railway installations
Railway installations – both national ones and those for regional trains, underground trains and trams – are not only a place for rushing travellers but also for leisure, meetings, shopping, gastronomy and entertainment. Rail traffic as a means of mass transport is in fierce competition with other means of transport. This is why stations and stops must be designed attractively – and also with safety in mind. Lighting plays a significant role in this. In the day, station concourses and underpasses should be bright and pleasant in spite of usually insufficient daylight supply. At night, a bright station concourse e.g. with possibly colour-coded LED light floor modules for guidance, is important to quickly find desks and platforms, and secure lighting of stairs and platforms is important for quick recognition and safety. This is also important in terms of reducing crime directed at both people and objects.
Light and room design turn dull train stations into an experience. The values standardised for lighting by EN 12464-1 can therefore only be interpreted as minimum values and a basis for sophisticated lighting design and implementation.
In addition to the requirements for lighting specified in EN 12464-1, those of railway operating companies must also be considered.