Rail Design - PriestmanGoode

PriestmanGoode works with rail operators and manufacturers globally and delivers turnkey design solutions that have improved rail journeys for millions of passengers every year.

Our expertise spans the breadth of the industry: from light rail and metro to commuter trains, intercity, night trains, high speed rail and maglev. We work on every element of rail design, from strategy and customer experience to branding and livery design, concept visualisation, industrial design, train interiors and the digital journey. We also create imagery, movies and VR experiences for stakeholder engagement at different stages of the process and for advertising and promotional use.

Vehicle design

From the London Underground to high speed rail in Canada or the Hong Kong Metro, we understand the role that rail design plays as a recognised image of a city or a country. We pride ourselves on working in close collaboration with our clients to accelerate innovation and translate visions of the future into tangible projects that improve the lives of passengers and positively impact brand perception. We have expertise in designing every type of rail vehicle, whether we’re designing a new train set from scratch, or adapting existing vehicles to create a customised vision for a client. We also excel at creating visions and concepts for future services, and work closely with our in-house visualisation team to bring these visions to life, by way of animations, movies, exhibitions or VR experiences.

Side view of the front of a high speed train on tracks, with the words Intercon on the side

Front view of a train on tracks, with wiring seen above

The streamlined noses of three high speed trains stopped on tracks, with a sunset in the background

Side view of a MTR Hong Kong train carriage

Hong Kong Metro carriage at a station platform

Interiors

PriestmanGoode has vast experience designing transport interiors both across new trainsets and refurbishment projects. Our work in the rail industry benefits greatly from our experience across other modes of transport, including aviation. We know how to design interiors that make the best use of space, create an inviting, comfortable and flexible passenger environment for all customers, whilst considering maintenance and in-service use. We are able to draw on our global supplier networks to ensure that interiors reflect the local setting, sometimes creating bespoke patterns and designs for the interiors, whilst still ensuring all specifications meet regulatory certification and safety standards.

Detail of a seat on a London Underground train carriage

VIA Rail's Economy Class Carriage with shared fixed tables

VIA Rail Seat detail showing the seat row number and handhold

A view of VIA rail's Business Class seating

Rear view of VIA rail's Business Class seats with fold down table

Detail view of VIA Rail's Business Class seats with side table and power sockets

A view of VIA rail's Business Class seating pod with surrounding partition

A first class train carriage. A small table features between two seats facnig one another. A tablet and water bottle are placed on the table. Large windows feature on the side

Four train seats facing one another. A large table features in the middle, with a laptop placed on it. Between this group of four seats and the adjacent ones is a storage space, where you can see bags and carry on luggage neatly stowed

Train seats viewed from a seated position across the aisle. On the back of two seats, you can see a shelf, with a tablet leaning on it

Four individual sleeping bods on a train carriage, with a small storage space outside each one

Two beds in a night train carriage, showing a sofa like configuration in soft upholstery, with a large window on the side and storage space above

Two bunk beds in a train carriage, in soft textures and light wood. Small steps against the wall are seen on the left to reach the top bed. A door is seen on the far left

Customer experience and the digital journey

Our designs are rooted in strategy and the real life experience of your products or brand from the point of view of your customer. From there, we will work closely together with you to analyse your competition, outline the brief and set the benchmark for delivering a great customer experience, both physical and digital. Identifying and applying insight rooted in what customers value and how they behave is key to unlocking commercial opportunities and delivering sustainable business growth.

Vestibule area on the new Intercity train for OBB Austrian Federal Railways

A First Class train carriage, with rows of two seats on one side of the aisle. On the back of the seat is a small table at eye height, with a tablet placed on it, while beneath, a larger table features a drink, pastry and a magazine. Large windows feature on the left

Product innovation

Design thinking is fundamental to delivering innovative customer solutions: it drives efficiency and value, ensuring that customer and business needs are prioritised. Our design team regularly develops concepts designed to address issues the industry faces, from accessibility to overcrowding. This drive to push the boundaries of innovation within rail has been instrumental to establishing our expertise as leaders in customer-focused products that add value to the passenger experience and deliver great return on investment for operators.