Railway heritage

for sustainable tourism development

The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.

BOOK RAIL4V4+V

This book represents the final project output, designed as educational and promotional material. It consists of two units. The first scientific part contains five complex research papers integrating recommendations and conclusions from seminars held on the multi-layered development of railway heritage in the specific contextual framework of the Visegrad and Vojvodina regions. The second part of the publication presents a catalogue of 25 railway heritage sites from five partner countries, which create the RAIL4V4+V virtual route.
As a concrete contribution to the project goals, the book reflects the learning process and relevant approaches that target the subject in general and its regional character but also sophistically focus on the international community.

Interactive Map

Rail4V4 + V emphasizes the tourist potential of the railway, in particular through its history and heritage, recalling the role that the railway played in the creation of the Central European collective identity.
The interactive map provides a new view of railway heritage sites in the Visegrad + Vojvodina region.

Embark on a virtual train journey! Get to know the history and nowadays of selected railway locations, through descriptions, photo galleries, information about the activities happening there today…

Rail4V4+V

Railway Heritage for Sustainable Tourism Development

Rail4V4+V aims to highlight the tourist potential of the railway, particularly through its history and heritage, recalling the role that rail has played in creating the Central European collective identity. In line with the aim of the European Year of Rail and strategic priorities of the Visegrad Group in 2021, the main goal of the proposed project is to raise awareness about the role of railways for V4 sustainable tourism development, through unique branding and presentation of railway heritage, in situ and on a digital platform.

Challenges

Considering the situation in the fields of heritage and tourism, the main idea of the proposed project is to explore the layered context and respond to the current challenges facing heritage tourism, offering effective responses through the development of innovative sustainable solutions. The project aims to highlight the tourist potential of the railway, particularly through its history and heritage, recalling the role that rail has played in creating the Central European collective identity.

Approach

In line with the aim of the European Year of Rail to encourage and support the efforts of the Union in promoting rail from different points of view, the main goal of the project is to raise awareness about the railway heritage value and importance in the diversification of tourism offer in V4 + Vojvodina region. The project aims to identify and promote railway heritage for sustainable tourism development through:
Establishing

Establishing the cooperation network among heritage and tourism-related stakeholders in our regions.

Empowering

Empowering creativity and digital skills as key players in the innovation of cultural heritage tourism.

Connecting

Connecting the selected railway sites into the joint route, both real and virtual, and promoting among the local and foreign target markets.

V4 region

Regional relevance

The regional relevance of our proposal is in the following:
capacity building to strengthen the role of the railway in preserving Central European collective identity, especially through its heritage, both tangible and intangible
highlighting the regional, cross-border dimension of rail, that brings citizens closer together, allows them to explore the region in all its diversity, fosters socio-economic and territorial cohesion
contribution to raising awareness of the role of railways for V4 sustainable tourism, through unique branding and presentation of railway heritage, in situ and on a digital platform, in line with strategic priorities of the Visegrad Group in 2021