SMART RAILWAY AS A SMART CITY SERVICE

The railway system is a large-scale, complex, and multidisciplinary technical, transportation, and business subsystem. As an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly mode of transport, railways record the lowest levels of greenhouse gas emissions compared to other transport modalities. The development of modern information and communication technologies (ICT), the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) has triggered substantial changes in the railway sector, steering it toward digital transformation and system modernization. This paper analyzes the concept of the "smart railway" as a key infrastructural component of smart cities by examining its structure, core functions, and selected urban implementation cases. Special emphasis is placed on comparative analysis of global practices and the identification of development priorities. The aim of the research is to assess the strategic relevance and comparative advantages of smart railways within the broader smart city ecosystem. The paper concludes that a well-planned and integrated smart railway system can significantly contribute to sustainable urban development and enhance citizens' quality of life.