Making railway stations more human: How subtle music improves the atmosphere for all travellers

A late evening, cool neon light reflects off the wet floor, an announcement echoes distortedly through the empty concourse. Anyone who has ever waited alone at a railway station knows this peculiar feeling: you are in a place that doesn't really belong to anyone – too bright, too cold, too anonymous to feel comfortable, and yet too busy to be truly quiet. Railway stations are among those places that architects and psychologists like to call "non-places": spaces of pure transit, where people rarely truly linger, but rather feel delayed.

Precisely here music can make an astonishing difference – not as a loud statement, but as a quiet, humanising factor in the background. This article shows how carefully curated, consciously understated sound design can help make railway stations feel less alien and oppressive for all travellers, how technical implementation succeeds with a system like sonicPRO, and what needs to be considered legally regarding GEMA registration.

The special character of railway stations: Why these places often feel alien

Hardly any other public place is as acoustically and atmospherically contradictory as a railway station. Large, echoing halls or windy facilities where every sound comes back distorted or vanishes into nothingness. Cold, uniform artificial light that reveals no time of day. People who pass each other without noticing one another because everyone is only on their way somewhere else. This mix creates precisely that "liminal" quality that many travellers unconsciously find unpleasant – a place that does not truly belong to anything, neither to the city nor to the journey itself.

Music can counter this impression without changing the functional character of the place. A subtle, harmonious soundscape gives the room a texture that pure silence or the echoing of bizarrely distorted announcements cannot offer. It acts like a quiet piece of acoustic furniture: barely consciously perceived, but palpable in its calming effect. That is precisely what a well-thought-out sound system concept for railway stations is about – not volume or conspicuousness, but a quiet humanisation of the space.

What music can achieve here

Music creates an acoustic anchor in an environment that otherwise mainly consists of random noises – rolling suitcases, announcements, the squeaking of brakes, unfamiliar smells. A steady, unobtrusive soundscape reduces this restlessness and gives the space a certain constancy. For travellers who are often on the move alone, stressed or under time pressure, this can make the decisive difference between a place where one feels uneasy and one that appears at least neutral to friendly.

Finding the right music: Subtle, harmonious, never intrusive

Not all music is suitable for this purpose. What is crucial is a calm, even basic mood without sudden changes in volume or intrusive accents. Harmonious, smoothly flowing arrangements – whether from the classical repertoire or from modern, ambient-influenced productions – are significantly better suited here than music with strong dynamic contrasts, which would tend to create additional restlessness.

Volume as a key factor

The most important factor in this is not the choice of music, but the volume level. At no point may the music be louder than necessary to remain present in the background. It must be significantly below the level of announcements and must never interfere with conversations or the perception of important safety information. A sound system concept that is too present or intrusive achieves the opposite of the desired effect, generating additional stress instead of relaxation. Professional systems therefore regulate the volume automatically and depending on the ambient noise level, so that the music does not get lost when it is busier, but does not suddenly come to the fore during quiet phases.

A more pleasant climate for all travellers

Investigations into the effect of music on general perceived stress – for example in the context of GEMA Music Impact Study or the research by James Kellaris on Effect of music tempo on subjective time perception – consistently show that a pleasant acoustic environment can improve the overall wellbeing of people in public spaces. A quieter, more relaxed baseline mood naturally affects everyone present, rather than a specific group. As a welcome side effect, a pleasant acoustic framework can also help to slightly reduce the build-up of tension and irritability in heavily frequented areas – though this is a side effect of an overall more relaxed atmosphere, not an independent goal or an instrument to purposefully drive away certain groups of people. The focus is on the question of how an inevitably functional, often impersonal place can be made more human – for the benefit of everyone who uses it.

Technical implementation with sonicPRO

The technical implementation of such a concept can be integrated into existing public address systems and loudspeaker setups without major hardware expenditure. With sonicPRO transport operators control the public address system centrally and zone-specifically – for example, differently for platforms, waiting areas or concourses. Via a cloud-based interface, playlists, schedules and volume profiles can be managed for individual locations or entire route networks simultaneously, without the need for on-site staff intervention.

Automated, timed programmes

sonicPRO Enterprise allows time-controlled playlists that automatically adapt to the time of day – such as quieter sounds in the late evening hours, when train stations can feel particularly deserted and depressing, and a slightly more lively programme during rush hours. This automation can be combined with a central music control for multiple locations combine so that a consistent acoustic concept can be implemented across an entire network. Would you like to develop a custom concept for your stations? Contact our experts for a no-obligation consultation.

Legal certainty and GEMA administration for public spaces

Any music playback at a railway station is considered public playback and is therefore generally subject to licensing. The key factor here is the GEMA presumption: it has been developed through consistent case law of the Federal Court of Justice and is additionally supported by the statutory presumption rules of Sections 48–50 of the German Copyright Administration Act (VGG). In the case of public music playback, it is presumed that the work played in each instance belongs to GEMA's repertoire; this leads to a reversal of the burden of proof, according to which the music user must, in case of doubt, prove that a specific track does not belong to the GEMA repertoire.

For transport companies, the M-U tariff is usually relevant, which regulates background music in public areas and forecourts. Since complexity increases with the size of the areas and the number of sound reinforcement zones, a structured recording of the actually sonicated areas is worthwhile from the beginning. A professional GEMA administration takes care of this registration and documentation and protects against unnecessary additional payments.

Cost-efficiency through professional licence consultancy

Through a detailed GEMA audit, savings of up to 40 per cent can often be achieved in large-scale infrastructures, as incorrectly classified areas or tariffs are corrected. In addition, open membership of the GEMU association enables a flat-rate discount of 20 per cent on the regular GEMA tariffs. In combination, both measures significantly reduce ongoing licence costs without any need to compromise on acoustic quality.

A place where you are allowed to be – not just have to be

The acoustic design of a station is not a cosmetic detail, but a matter of the quality of the stay for everyone who uses this place. With a subtle, well-thought-out music curation, the typical "non-place" character of stations can be countered with something human – without becoming loud, without excluding anyone, simply as a quiet, friendly background tone.

Together, we are developing a solution that combines technical reliability, legal security and a noticeably more pleasant travel experience for all passengers.

Frequently asked questions

How loud should the music at a railway station be set?

Significantly quieter than one might assume. The music should be perceptible in the background without drowning out announcements, conversations or safety information. Professional systems automatically adjust the volume depending on the ambient noise level, ensuring it doesn't get lost when it gets busier, but doesn't push into the foreground during quiet phases.

❓Is this type of audio system equally suitable for all station areas?

➡️ Not necessarily. Platforms, waiting rooms and concourses have different acoustic requirements. With zone-specific control like with sonicPRO, the music selection and volume can be individually set for each area, instead of having a uniform sound system across the entire station.

❓Which GEMA tariffs apply to the public address system in railway stations?

For the public address system in railway stations and their station forecourts, the GEMA tariff M-U generally applies. The fees are calculated according to the size of the area covered by the sound system in square metres. Since transport hubs often feature extensive areas, a precise determination of the area is crucial in order to avoid unnecessary costs.

❓How is the music distributed technically across extensive or multiple locations?

The technical implementation is carried out via cloud-based systems such as sonicPRO, which can be seamlessly integrated into existing public address systems. Using a central interface, the sound reinforcement for individual locations or entire route networks can be managed simultaneously, including individual schedules and volume profiles per zone.

Can I arrange the music programmes differently depending on the time of day?

Yes. Time-based playlists can automatically adjust to the time of day, such as with calmer sounds in the late evening and a slightly more lively programme during peak hours. This automation runs in the background without requiring staff on site to intervene.

How can I reduce the licence costs for the public address system across multiple railway stations?

A professional GEMA audit often allows savings of up to 40 percent to be achieved, for example through the correction of incorrectly classified areas. In addition, membership of the GEMU association enables a flat-rate discount of 20 percent on the standard tariffs.