Advantages and disadvantages of rail transport | PolishTrains

At a glance

• Rail transport in Poland carries several hundred million tonnes of freight each year
• Trains are split into freight and passenger sub-types, including high-speed services reaching up to 400 km/h
• Multimodal, intermodal, and combined transport are the three main freight sub-types on rail
• Fixed timetables and high infrastructure costs are the most cited disadvantages of rail
• Train travel is generally cheaper than car for distances of 150 km and above
• Railway history dates back to antiquity with horse-drawn vehicles on wooden or stone tracks

What is rail transport?

Land transport is divided into two types - rail and road. The former is considered more economical and safer. Adequate infrastructure, including rail roads, technical facilities are required for trains to run properly. Rail transport, in turn, is further divided into two sub-types:

• Freight transport - the transport of raw materials by rail (mainly heavy rail), part of international trade networks. Often part of combined transport, involving the carriage of freight via several types of transport.

• Passenger transport - transport of people. This is daily commuting to school or work, holiday trips, etc. The most efficient here are the so-called high-speed trains, travelling at speeds of up to 400 km/h on a magnetic "cushion".

Overall, travelling by train is much cheaper than by car - especially on longer distances. The price of a ticket depends on factors such as the length of the route, type of carrier, class of train and carriage. There are many discounts and concessions for passengers, e.g. for senior citizens, pupils, students.

Types of rail transport

Rail transport makes it possible to transport heavy loads over long distances - that much is obvious. There are several sub-types:

• Multimodal transport - transporting raw materials by at least two modes of transport.

• Intermodal transport - the transport of goods in the same loading unit (container, swap body, semi-trailer, shipping container) via different modes of transport. Importantly: without overloading the load itself with packaging.

• Combined transport - a specific variant of intermodal transport. It involves transporting units over longer distances by rail, ship or truck over shorter routes.

History of rail transport

Railways - as a means of transport - have been known since antiquity. We are talking here about the so-called horse railway. The ancient Romans used horses, donkeys or oxen, moving along a wooden track or gouges in the stone track, to transport heavy goods in difficult conditions. Horse-drawn railways reigned supreme in Britain until the early 19th century, when they were gradually supplanted by steam locomotives. The first steam locomotive was created, in 1804, by Richard Trevithick. His achievements were later modelled on by George Stephenson. Both Englishmen are regarded as the 'fathers of the railway'.

In the following decades, the steam locomotive gradually began to be replaced by diesel and electric equivalents. Today, electric locomotives - the most powerful and fastest traction vehicles - are the standard.

Rail transport has many advantages. Poland's railways are currently at the forefront of the European Union in terms of the volume of freight transported. It is assumed that we transport around 200 million tonnes of raw materials every year.

Goods trains - advantages

Goods trainshave a large capacity, which makes it possible to transport goods of various dimensions (e.g. bulky, heavy cargo). A large selection of wagons (e.g. covered, platform, refrigerated, coal and tank wagons) allows the transportation of various types of raw materials, from bulk to liquids. Goods trains are characterised by rather punctual deliveries - due to the fact that the trains are not involved in road traffic. High loading safety is another plus point. Goods trains - both older and more modern trains - are most often used to transport hard coal, lignite, metal ores, natural gas, oil and agricultural products.

Goods trains are the basis of choice for transport and logistics companies. Rail is able to deliver more raw materials in one go - this increases transport efficiency. The capacious freight wagons can accommodate many large cargoes (up to 100 tonnes, and that much can be carried by dozens of trucks). The problem is also solved with bulky cargo, which cannot be transported so easily by traditional roads.

Passenger trains - advantages

Passenger trains should be equipped with large, comfortable, well-equipped carriages. Sleeping compartments or restaurants are becoming more common, especially on long-distance vehicles. Passenger trains offer the possibility of carrying many passengers at a time - it is estimated that there are 72 seats in one car of a long-distance train and more than 280 seats in a regional train. Passengers feel much more comfortable during their journey than in a car or plane - they have more space and can use the toilet at any time. They can easily stand up, stretch their legs, walk around the compartment - activities that are impossible in other modes of transport. Today, the vast majority of passenger trains have access to W-Fi - the norm.

Rail versus car - a comparison

Compared to cars, rail compares favourably in terms of punctuality (less risk of traffic jams), reliability, low carbon emissions and environmental friendliness, much lower costs for cyclical and sizeable transports. Transporting by train does not leave a high carbon footprint, which is an unimaginable advantage - especially in today's climate unsettled times. Travelling by rail is, overall, many times less expensive than travelling by car. The greatest savings are generated by transporting large volumes of goods over longer distances (e.g. on routes with motorway tolls).

Rail versus aeroplanes - a comparison

Although aeroplanes make it possible to cover sky-high distances in a relatively short time and to travel seamlessly around the globe, rail wins in terms of accessibility. There are more than a dozen airports in Poland and all are located on the outskirts of large cities. Getting to the airport is not easy. Railway stations, on the other hand, are commonly found even in small towns. They provide local residents with quick access to larger cities, such as provincial ones. Railways are also a reliable element of some urban agglomerations, e.g. the Tricity. At present, the inhabitants there cannot imagine getting around Gdańsk, Sopot or Gdynia quickly and efficiently in any other way than by rail.

Rail transport is only viable for medium and longer journeys, as well as for bulky, heavy goods. Otherwise, it is better to opt for another mode of transport. Experts estimate that it is only worth opting for rail if the minimum distance to the destination will be around 200 km.

International routes can also be a problem - due to the significant differences in track gauge between countries.

The most important disadvantages of rail transport, however, relate to infrastructure, logistics, length of travel time and frequent hassles along the route.

Infrastructure and logistics

Rail transport entails a number of constraints, either due to a certain number of transhipment terminals (in the case of goods trains) or a poor intercity network (passenger trains). Simply put: rail infrastructure does not always function as it should. One reason for this is the very high costs of building and modernising railway lines, stations, terminals, rolling stock, wagons. In recent decades, many stations in Poland have been closed down and unprofitable rail links have been dismantled, which has affected the way in which people in areas that have been deprived of railways communicate - they have been forced to switch to road transport.

In addition, the logistics of railways are demanding. There is a need for careful planning of all routes, crossing them with each other. Rail is often treated as combined transport, e.g. intermodal (combination with road transport), which generates additional costs. Not surprisingly, the forwarder has to plan the most cost-effective route - from the railway station to the place of loading, unloading of the goods. This is a difficult task as he has a limited and uneven network of connections at his disposal, a small number of terminals.

Long journey times, little flexibility

Train travel involves relatively long journey times. They lose out in the time field to air or road transport. Rail delays can be up to several hours! However, much depends on the country in which you are travelling. Western Europe has invested heavily in the development of railways and so-called high-speed railways in recent years. This is an excellent choice. For example: travelling by rail between London and Brussels saves up to 1.5-2 hours compared to a plane!

In addition, a great disadvantage is the low flexibility of rail transport. Passengers have to adapt to the timetable and the train route is strictly planned. Sometimes there are also breakdowns or disruptions to the traffic, which entails additional delays or costs.