Standard Driven Approach for Sustainable Interoperability of Public Transport Passenger Information Systems

A large number of passenger information systems for public passenger transport exist in Europe at national level but their trans-national interoperability is very limited. A passenger information system depends on many underlying heterogeneous information systems; ranging from management of transport infrastructure network, public transport infrastructure objects, public passenger transport services and public transport processes and regulations. Public transport service providers have their local information systems that should be vertically interoperable with the national passenger information system. In the future trans-national interoperability of national passenger information systems for journey planning across Europe is expected. In the paper interoperability of passenger information systems and appropriate ITS standards are explored. An existing information system for management of public passenger transport is described, and implementation of sustainable interoperability requirements is proposed. Finally, a European Passenger Information System – EPIS is proposed as a new solution for sustainable trans-national interoperability of passenger information systems across Europe.