The paper exploits the video camera available on-board vehicles for public transport, such as trains, coaches, ferryboats, and so on, to implement advanced services for the passengers. The idea is implementing not only surveillance systems, but also passenger services such as: people counting, smoke and/or fire alarm, automatic climate control, e-ticketing. For each wagon, an embedded acquisition and processing unit is used, which is composed by a video multiplexer, and by an image/video signal processor that implements in real-time algorithms for advanced services such as: smoke detection, to give an early alarm in case of a fire, or people detection for people counting, or fatigue detection for the driver. The alarm is then transmitted to the train information system, to be displayed for passengers or the crew staff.