This study aims to identify and address the navigational challenges faced by passengers at Indian railway (IR) stations due to inadequate signage systems, which cause difficulty in locating facilities and the exact location of railway coaches for traveling.
The research uses a three-step methodology involving 30 participants, evenly split between educated and less educated categories, reflecting the diverse passenger demographics of IRs. Data was collected through pre-task surveys, observation during station navigation using shadowing and video recording and post-task interviews to capture participants’ perceptions and challenges. Based on these findings, prototype signage solutions were developed and subjected to comparative testing to validate improvements.
The study reveals significant navigational difficulties at IR stations due to poor signage, impacting both educated and less educated passengers. Key differences in navigation behaviour between these groups directly informed the proposed signage framework. Based on the outcome of three-step investigation, research recommends alternative signages to address issues such as visual clutter and legibility. Testing of proposed solutions demonstrated significant improvements across all assessment metrics.
Even though this study provides valuable insights, it is limited because of its small sample size and absence of testing for the proposed solutions. Future research should explore these areas further in coordination with IRs.
The study offers empirically validated interventions for improving railway station signage, with testing demonstrating significant enhancements in visibility (110% improvement), legibility (46% faster task completion) and map effectiveness (128% higher confidence). The strategic implementation of pictograms, colour coding, decluttering and hierarchical information organization addresses navigation challenges faced by diverse passenger demographics. These evidence-based recommendations provide railway authorities with actionable solutions that can simultaneously improve passenger experience and operational efficiency.
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive research examining signage systems at IR stations that forms a basis for future studies. Analysing navigation behaviours across different educational demographics provides a valuable resource for developing effective user-oriented wayfinding systems for IR stations.
