Winners announced at Rail Interiors Awards 2024
02/12/2024
The winners of the Rail Interiors Awards 2024 were announced on 5 November at a special evening networking event at the RedCabin Railway Innovation Summit in Essen, Germany.
The Rail Interiors Awards are jointly organised by RedCabin and the Mark Allen Group, organiser of The Rail Interiors Show.
The not-for-profit awards were launched last year and are judged by an independent jury of rail industry experts and journalists. Jury members do not vote in categories they are nominated in.
The 2024 jury consisted of: Manuel Diaz Redondo of Talgo; Christiane Bausback of N+P Innovation Design; Nicole Michel of Alstom; Kirsty Dias of PriestmanGoode; Christian Harbeke of Nose Design Experience; Weiwei He of tangerine; Izzy Kington of Railway Interiors International; Birte Jürgensen of zweigrad Industrial Design; Karsten Wagner of Stadler Rail; Jim Mathews of Rail Passengers Association; Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain of Transport for the North; Elizabeth Jordan of Global Railway Review; Ray King of Railwatch; Dean Rockhead of VIA Rail Canada; and Julian Fordon of Deutsche Bahn.
The awards are presented in seven categories. The 2024 awards introduced the Visionary of the Year award to recognise an individual who has demonstrated exceptional foresight, innovation, and leadership in their field. The winners were presented with special trophies designed by zweigrad Industrial Design.
The Design Innovation of the Year award went to Luna Rail’s Seat pods and Hotel pods. These are designed to provide passengers with new levels of privacy and comfort while optimising density. In both classes, all pods are designed for day and night travel, offering seats converting to lie-flat beds, as well as tables, direct aisle-access, and lockable doors.
Recaro, tangerine and Umlaut were awarded in the Project Collaboration of the Year category for their Long Distance Rail Seating Concept. The seating concept, across standard, first and premium classes, uses advanced seat kinematics inspired by the aviation industry. Developed collaboratively with design, engineering and human factors expertise, the seats are designed to offer enhanced comfort, added personalisation and increased privacy.
Actia’s Onboard Micro-Projection Technology was recognised with the Technological Innovation of the Year award. In partnership with EyeLights, Actia has introduced high-brightness compact projectors for passenger information display. These projectors are capable of projecting large, clear images onto opaque or transparent surfaces like windows, offering a flexible alternative to traditional onboard monitors. This technology is designed to offer easier installation, consume less energy, and have a reduced carbon footprint compared with conventional TFT screens.
Hitachi Rail and N+P Innovation Design collaborated on the AT-Flex Visions for the Future project that won the Concept of the Year category. The concept – The Train for You - a personal space for unforgettable experiences – originated from workshops focused on redesigning commuter train interiors. The main objective was to develop a modular interior design for future commuter trains, incorporating innovative solutions based on user feedback. Through a multi-stage process, ideas were created, refined and visualised to cater to both daily commuters and long-distance travellers. This modular design enables operators to customise the interior to meet diverse passenger preferences.
The New Cabin of the Year award went to Škoda Group’s ForCity Smart Bonn Tram, designed to integrate advanced safety, ergonomic features and accessibility. Its unique design complements Bonn’s urban character. It is also designed to offer spacious interiors with durable seating, LED-lit entrances and multifunctional areas – a comfortable and modern transit experience tailored to the city’s needs.
The Rail Cabin of the Year award was won by ÖBB’s Nightjet Sleeper trains. With a speed of up to 230km/h, the new-generation Nightjet takes passengers to European cities overnight in comfort, with modern features and individualised spaces such as the sleeping car, new four-berth couchette, and Mini Cabins.
Finally, the new Visionary of the Year award went to Jim Mathews, president and CEO of Rail Passengers Association, a non-profit organisation that advocates for improved transportation safety and accessibility. He serves on various US Federal government advisory panels, and has testified before Congressional committees and regulatory agencies. As a decorated figure within the transport sector, Mathews previously served for four years at the US Department of Transportation’s National Advisory Committee on Travel & Tourism Infrastructure where he was the principal drafter of the NACTTI’s final report for Congress and DOT in 2020.
“Congratulations to all the winners in this year’s awards,” said Damien de Roche, executive brand manager, The Rail Interiors Show. “Once again the feedback from the industry has gone above our expectations and all the innovations have been fantastic. Rail operators, design houses, OEMs and suppliers continue to push boundaries, and seeing these efforts recognised is great for the industry.”
“It was great to collaborate with the Rail Interiors Show to host the Rail Interiors Awards,” said Andreas Wibowo, director, business development, at RedCabin. “I would like to congratulate all the winners, judges and those who have submitted their applications. I am looking forward to seeing the winning products making rail journeys more comfortable and accessible.”
Click here for more information on the winning innovations, and other shortlisted entries.
The not-for-profit awards were launched last year and are judged by an independent jury of rail industry experts and journalists. Jury members do not vote in categories they are nominated in.
The 2024 jury consisted of: Manuel Diaz Redondo of Talgo; Christiane Bausback of N+P Innovation Design; Nicole Michel of Alstom; Kirsty Dias of PriestmanGoode; Christian Harbeke of Nose Design Experience; Weiwei He of tangerine; Izzy Kington of Railway Interiors International; Birte Jürgensen of zweigrad Industrial Design; Karsten Wagner of Stadler Rail; Jim Mathews of Rail Passengers Association; Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain of Transport for the North; Elizabeth Jordan of Global Railway Review; Ray King of Railwatch; Dean Rockhead of VIA Rail Canada; and Julian Fordon of Deutsche Bahn.
The awards are presented in seven categories. The 2024 awards introduced the Visionary of the Year award to recognise an individual who has demonstrated exceptional foresight, innovation, and leadership in their field. The winners were presented with special trophies designed by zweigrad Industrial Design.
The Design Innovation of the Year award went to Luna Rail’s Seat pods and Hotel pods. These are designed to provide passengers with new levels of privacy and comfort while optimising density. In both classes, all pods are designed for day and night travel, offering seats converting to lie-flat beds, as well as tables, direct aisle-access, and lockable doors.
Recaro, tangerine and Umlaut were awarded in the Project Collaboration of the Year category for their Long Distance Rail Seating Concept. The seating concept, across standard, first and premium classes, uses advanced seat kinematics inspired by the aviation industry. Developed collaboratively with design, engineering and human factors expertise, the seats are designed to offer enhanced comfort, added personalisation and increased privacy.
Actia’s Onboard Micro-Projection Technology was recognised with the Technological Innovation of the Year award. In partnership with EyeLights, Actia has introduced high-brightness compact projectors for passenger information display. These projectors are capable of projecting large, clear images onto opaque or transparent surfaces like windows, offering a flexible alternative to traditional onboard monitors. This technology is designed to offer easier installation, consume less energy, and have a reduced carbon footprint compared with conventional TFT screens.
Hitachi Rail and N+P Innovation Design collaborated on the AT-Flex Visions for the Future project that won the Concept of the Year category. The concept – The Train for You - a personal space for unforgettable experiences – originated from workshops focused on redesigning commuter train interiors. The main objective was to develop a modular interior design for future commuter trains, incorporating innovative solutions based on user feedback. Through a multi-stage process, ideas were created, refined and visualised to cater to both daily commuters and long-distance travellers. This modular design enables operators to customise the interior to meet diverse passenger preferences.
The New Cabin of the Year award went to Škoda Group’s ForCity Smart Bonn Tram, designed to integrate advanced safety, ergonomic features and accessibility. Its unique design complements Bonn’s urban character. It is also designed to offer spacious interiors with durable seating, LED-lit entrances and multifunctional areas – a comfortable and modern transit experience tailored to the city’s needs.
The Rail Cabin of the Year award was won by ÖBB’s Nightjet Sleeper trains. With a speed of up to 230km/h, the new-generation Nightjet takes passengers to European cities overnight in comfort, with modern features and individualised spaces such as the sleeping car, new four-berth couchette, and Mini Cabins.
Finally, the new Visionary of the Year award went to Jim Mathews, president and CEO of Rail Passengers Association, a non-profit organisation that advocates for improved transportation safety and accessibility. He serves on various US Federal government advisory panels, and has testified before Congressional committees and regulatory agencies. As a decorated figure within the transport sector, Mathews previously served for four years at the US Department of Transportation’s National Advisory Committee on Travel & Tourism Infrastructure where he was the principal drafter of the NACTTI’s final report for Congress and DOT in 2020.
“Congratulations to all the winners in this year’s awards,” said Damien de Roche, executive brand manager, The Rail Interiors Show. “Once again the feedback from the industry has gone above our expectations and all the innovations have been fantastic. Rail operators, design houses, OEMs and suppliers continue to push boundaries, and seeing these efforts recognised is great for the industry.”
“It was great to collaborate with the Rail Interiors Show to host the Rail Interiors Awards,” said Andreas Wibowo, director, business development, at RedCabin. “I would like to congratulate all the winners, judges and those who have submitted their applications. I am looking forward to seeing the winning products making rail journeys more comfortable and accessible.”
Click here for more information on the winning innovations, and other shortlisted entries.