Railway HVAC System Market Size, Share and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Train Type (Passenger train & Freight train), By System Type (Roof-mounted Railway HVAC Systems, Under Floor Railway HVAC Systems, & Split Railway HVAC Systems) and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

HVAC is termed for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. This system is responsible for heating and cooling a particular space and includes products such as furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, ductwork, thermostats, and other comfort controls. In this system, outside air is sucked inside the room with the help of industrial axial fans, and the inside air is pushed outside the room with the help of an exhaust fan unit. The heating, ventilation, & air conditioning (HVAC) system is designed to achieve the environmental requirements for the comfort of occupants and a process. HVAC systems are used more in different confined spaces in industrial, commercial, residential, and locomotives.

A rise in investments for the expansion of rail networks and growing demand for air conditioning systems from railways and traveling comfort for commuters is expected to raise the global train HVAC market over the forecast period. Governments across the globe are increasingly investing in expanding railway networks to cater to the growing demand due to the rise in population worldwide and the increase in demand for safe, faster, and comfortable transport.

• For instance, in June 2020, 24 countries across Europe agreed to work together on international rail transport and make it an alternative. Thus, this factor will boost the market growth in the forecast future.

These systems must run continually in every environmental condition of moisture, pressure, and temperature. High maintenance costs and low lifespan of train HVAC equipment are also expected to hamper the growth of the global train HVAC market over the forecast period. These factors are expected to impede the growth of the market.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Railway HVAC System Market

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the work for expanding rail networks was halted because of the imposed lockdown and social distancing norms to control the spread of the virus. Yet, with the gradual opening of economies, rail expansion work has resumed, and the governments are expected to invest more money to develop these activities and bring the economy back on track. This trend is expected to follow during the forecast period as well. Public transportation has seen a sharp drop in passengers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. One reason for this is the assumption or fear that viruses can easily spread in confined spaces such as trains or via onboard HVAC systems – infecting multiple passengers. As the world's population grows, so does the need for quicker, safer, and more pleasant transportation. As a result, governments worldwide are spending extensively on railway infrastructure development, propelling the industry forward.

Key Insights

The report will cover the following key insights:

• Key Industry Developments – Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships


• Porter’s Five Forces Analysis


• PEST Analysis


• Technological Developments


• Impact of COVID-19 on Railway HVAC System

Analysis by Train Type

Based on train type, the market is segmented into passenger trains & freight trains. Passenger Train is expected to dominate the global market over the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing growth of passenger train travel worldwide, leading to high demand for train HVAC. Currently, the railway is considered one of the most energy-efficient modes of transportation, which accounts for 8% of global motorized passenger movements, and 7% of freight; however, it consumes only 2% of energy. Thus, the segment will likely to witness strong growth and high demand for train HVAC.

• For instance, In February 2022, the Indian government announced 400 new-generation Vande Bharat trains with better energy efficiency and passenger comfort riding experience will be developed.

Regional Analysis

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With increasing populations in countries such as China and India, the Asia Pacific region is expected to dominate the railway HVAC system market. China’s expansion of railway infrastructure and India’s numerous urban transit and railway corridors are driving the market growth. China has seen large-scale and rapid urban rail transit development over the last decade. In recent years, urban rail transit in China has developed a networked structure, intellectualized equipment, diverse systems, and innovative technology. The trend is toward large-capacity subways in the central areas of supercities and megacities, with medium-capacity monorail, inner-city rapid rail transit, and magnetic suspension trains connecting central urban areas and remote towns.

• For instance, in December 2021, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NRDC) approved the construction of a new 350 km/h high-speed line, a 160 km/h mainline, and three metro lines in Wuxi, with an overall investment totaling CNY 248.5billion (USD 38.55 billion).

The Indian government is launching a series of projects to modernize the country’s aging railway infrastructure and improve service quality. The Railway Ministry plans to invest INR 5,000,000 crore (USD 660 billion) in railway upgrades by 2023. Complete electrification of railways, upgrading existing lines with more facilities and faster speeds, expanding new lines, upgrading railway stations, introducing and eventually developing a large high-speed train network connecting major cities throughout India, and developing various dedicated freight corridors to reduce cargo costs within the country are all examples of upgrades.

Key Players Covered

Key players such as Trane Technologies, Mitsubishi Electric, Knorr-Bremse, Honeywell International,  Siemens AG, Hitachi, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems and Solutions Corporation, Thermo King Corporation, Faiveley Transport, and Lloyd Electric & Engineering Limited (Leel) Electricals Limited.

Segmentation

Key Industry Developments

• In August 2022, G Knorr-Bremse received a supply contract from South Korea-based Hyundai Rotem Company (HRC) for the latter’s light rail vehicles (LRVs). The contract includes the installation of braking, entrance, and HVAC systems on more than 200 LRVs. Under the contract, the firm will install braking, entrance, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems on more than 200 LRVs of HRC.


• In July 2021, Honeywell announced a collaboration with Trane Technologies to accelerate the transition to a next-generation, environmentally preferable refrigerant, Solstice N41 (R-466A), the industry's first non-flammable alternative to R-410A. During a one-year field trial, Trane will deploy and test the Solstice N41 at three customer locations across the United States.


• In July 2021, Siemens Mobility was awarded contracts in the United States totaling USD 3.4 billion to design, manufacture, and support 73 multi-powered trains for Amtrak. The trains are being built with the most recent health and safety standards in mind, such as improved HVAC, touchless restroom controls, and automated steps.