We take an interdisciplinary look at track-based transport systems from a technical and economic perspective, including aspects of sustainability and integration into society. We implement this approach both in teaching and in research projects. In addition, numerous cooperations with local transport companies and railway operators underline the ever-present, high application relevance of the research topics and the results. The research area is currently focussing on railway operational and acoustic tasks of the railway system as well as questions of passenger behaviour, customer needs and accessibility in rail transport.