rail baltica growth corridor wp5 connectivity pilot · part-financed by the european union...

Part-financed by the European Union

(European Regional Development Fund)

Rail Baltica Growth Corridor WP5 Connectivity Pilot

Report / Working Package Milestone Output

Feasibility study for integrating Helsinki and the Baltic States to the RB Travel Information system

The Rail Baltica Growth Corridor Travel Information Network (RBGC TIN) will have the more benefits for custumers the more it contains information about public transport in all countries around the Baltic Sea. That’s why the general aim of RBGC and especially of WP5 Connecntivity Pilot is to integrate travel information services of all countries and regions along the Rail Baltica. The general conditions for such an integration work differ from country to country. The previous work of collecting information on these basic conditions for the Catalogue Of Existing Travel Information Systems gave a first impression how different the situation can be. Based on this information the following feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the possibilities for integrating Helsinki and the Baltic States into RBGC TIN.

The following travel information services have been taken into consideration for this feasibility study. The information are taken from the Catalogue Of Existing Travel Information Systems and are repeated at this stage (at the end of the study) for background information purposes.

The following travel planning services are listed

1. http://www.matka.fi / http://www.journey.fi 2. http://www.hsl.fi / http://www.reittiopas.fi 3. http://www.peatus.ee 4. http://www.marsrutai.info/kaunas/?a=p.routes&transport_id=search&l=en 5. http://soiduplaan.tallinn.ee/?a=p.routes&transport_id=search&l=en 6. http://www.marsrutai.info/vilnius/?a=p.routes&transport_id=search&l=en 7. http://saraksti.rigassatiksme.lv/?a=p.routes&transport_id=search&l=en



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1. Background

Rail Baltica Growth Corridor (RBGC) is linked to the wider concept of Rail Baltica – a railway that will connect the Eastern Baltic Sea Region from north to south branching from St. Petersburg/Helsinki <> Tallinn <> Riga <> Kaunas <> Białystok <> Warszawa/Łódż <> Poznań <> Berlin.

RBGC has two pilots. One of them aims at improving the accessibility of the Baltic Sea Region by introducing an integrated door-to-door information service for the Rail Baltica region in terms of long-distance and local public transport, covering multimodal (road, sea, rail and air) time table information. This pilot is part of Working Package 5 which is coordinated by VBB, the Public Transport Authority of the German Federal States Berlin and Brandenburg. VBB is also coordinating the already existing EU-Spirit group which offers international timetable information based on existing travel planners. The EU-Spirit technology is the technical basis which is used to realize the RBGC WP5 connectivity pilot.

One important aspect of the connectivity pilot is to integrate information about public transport in Helsinki / Finland and the Baltic States into the connectivity pilot. This concept paper describes possibilities for the integration.

Integrating travel planning services into the EU-Spirit network always consists of two aspects.

a) Passive server integration: connecting the local/regional services to the central components of EU-Spirit so that all EU-Spirit partners can send request to the passive server. The passive server itself only answers requests from other partners by delivering (partial) route information for its area.

b) Active server integration: enabling the local/regional services to send requests to the EU-Spirit network and displaying the returned complete journey information to the customer (including frontend adjustments so that the customer can type in his request and have the results displayed).

Both active and passive server integrations cause efforts at two aspects. The local servers have to be equipped with the EU-Spirit interfaces and the central components of EU-Spirit need to register the new server. The first aspect will cause costs at the software supplier of the local services and the second aspect will cause costs at the central EU-Spirit components.



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2. Helsinki / Finland

In Finland there are mainly two service providers offering travel planning tools to customers.

a) Matka.fi / journey.fi operated by the Finnish Transport Agency provide information on rail and bus connections, flight and walking routes in whole Finland. The software supplier of the services is CGI Suomi Oy (former Logica).

b) HSL.fi / reittiopas.fi operated by the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority provide information on bus, tram and rail connections as well as walking routes in the greater Helsinki area. The software supplier of the services is CGI Suomi Oy (former Logica).

Matka.fi / Journey.fi are willing to join the project and the EU-Spirit network. However, they expect mayor changes to their services within the next 1½ year. So they see no sense in adjusting their customer frontend now. This would make an active server impossible and only a passive server could be installed. From the point of view of the Finish project marketing the realization of an only passive server would need a subtitute for the missing active server.

HSL.fi / reittiopas.fi has only a limited interest in the EU-Spirit network, since they will focus on their local issues having no common border with foreign countries. One interesting aspect which could convince them to join would be if the Estonian side (mainly: Tallinn; peatus.ee; s. below) joined the EU-Spirit network, too. Then direct door-to-door information between Helsinki and Tallinn would be available and that’s one of the main international corridors from/to Helsinki.

2.1. Possible solutions 2.1.1. Passive server for Matka and an external neutral active server to link to

CGI Suomi Oy will realize the passive server for Matka (offer from Logica to City of Helsinki). So Finish public transport information is available in the travel information network. For the missing active server (customer frontend) an external server can be used. This external server will have a customer frontend in a neutral design (maybe RBGC branding; like on this demo sever or similar: http://demo.hafas.de/bin/pub/euspirit/ merits/eu/query.exe/en; final layout to be discussed). On the external server Finland can be selected as a starting or destination area. Maybe it is also possible to have a pre-selection for Finland as starting area. Available language is at least English; Finish language should also be supported. Matka could then link directly to the external server by putting just a short text on their website which could be something like “Matka.fi is cooperating in RBGC/EU-Spirit and offering international travel information. To search for international connections please click >here<.”



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2.1.2. Active / passive server for HSL and at least passive server for peatus.ee

HSL joins RBGC WP5/EU-Spirit fully (active and passive server). The work would be realized by CGI Suomi Oy (offer from CGI to City of Helsinki needed). To convince HSL peatus.ee has to join, too. At least a passive server for peatus.ee is needed (s. below).

Option 2.1.1 is the preferred solution. Option 2.1.2 would be a fall back scenario. But anyway contacts to peatus.ee are made. A combination of option 2.1.1 and option 2.1.2 could also be realized.

2.2. Finanzing and Tasks

City of Helsinki has a RBGC project budget of 30.000 € reserved for these tasks. Maybe VBB can use some remaining parts of VBB’s RBGC project budget (if available). All other remaining costs might need some other RBGC budget to be reallocated or shifted. The business model of matka.fi / HSL in general enables them to join the TIN on their own basis (they do not neccesarily have to earn money with their service).

2.2.1. Passive server for Matka and an external neutral active server to link to

The setting up of the passive server for Matka and its integration into the central components of EU-Spirit might be covered by City of Helsinki’s RBGC budget. Additionally the setting up of the external server with the neutral customer frontend and running costs have to be calculated.

Needs: City of Helsinki ordering the passive server and its integration into EU-Spirit by CGI and VBB ordering the external user interface by HaCon as the company maintaining the central EU-Spirit components.

2.2.2. Active / passive server for HSL and at least passive server for peatus.ee

Costs to be clarified with CGI and the technical supplier of peatus.ee (s. additionally section 3).

City of Helsinki needs an offer from CGI for an active and passive server at HSL. Additionally running costs have to be calculated. So the offers from CGI, HaCon and peatus.ee’s supplier should include the setting-up of the services and the operational costs.

Costs might be partially covered by by City of Helsinki’s RBGC budget (mainly the setting of the servers and interfaces at HSL. The integration work and the work at peatus.ee (incl. ints integration) need separate financing.



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3. The Baltic States

3.1. Estonia

In Estonia there is mainly one national travel information service called peatus.ee. The travel planner is operated by the Estonian Road Administration and covers the whole country with local public transport in the cities as well as natiobnal long-distance information by bus and train. Peatus.ee is interested in joining the RBGC TIN via EU-Spirit. Their most important reason for joining would be the cooperation with Finland / Helsinki because most cross-border traffic in this reagion is via ferry between Helsinki and Tallinn. For peatus.ee it doesn’t really matter who is the partner on the Finish side: HSL or matka.fi.

3.1.1. Possible solutions

To extend this service to Estonia peatus.ee will also join so that connections between Finland and Estonia can also be computed. First clarifiying talks with the Estonian Road Administration were quite positive and on a high technical level.

Passive server for for peatus.ee

At least a passive server for peatus.ee is needed and implemented. Then Estonian travel information would be available for Finland (and the rest of the EU-Spirit network). The implementation is regareded to be realitzed easily. However, this option brings hardly any advantages for Estonia.

Active / passive server for peatus.ee

An active and passive integration would bring advantages for both Finland and Estonia. However, the technical evaluation of peatus.ee brought the result that the implementation of an active server might be quite difficult due to an unsual data storage format and technology of peatus.ee. The Estonian Road Administration aims at having a relaunch of peatus.ee including an upgrade of their system architecture. After that upgrade an integration into EU-Spirit might be much easier. So maybe it is worth waiting a little time even if the run time of RBGC might be over meanwhile.

3.1.2. Finanzing and Tasks

Costs have been roughly estimated and have to be checked in detail by the technical supplier of peatus.ee. The business model of the Estonian Road Administration in general enables them to join the TIN on their own basis (they do not neccesarily have to earn money with their service).



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The Estonian Road Administration needs a concrete offer from their technical supplier for setting up an active and passive server. Aditionally the costs for the integration to the central components of EU-Spirit and the running costs have to be calculated.

The first all-in-all estimation came to the result that the remaining budgets in RBGC are not sufficient because the work was originally not calculated in the project proposal. So additional funding sources have to be found.

3.2. Latvia

Currently there is no national travel planning service available in Latvia that would meet the necessary requitements for an integration into RBGC TIN / EU-Spirit. However, there are services for time table information at the bigger cities (e.g. Riga). So at least local public transport information could participate in the TIN. The cost-value ration is not very high in this case but it will still give some benefits for the customers.


The questions if the Latvian services join passively or actively is more or less a question of money. From the project’s point of view a passive integration is the minimum. If the operators of the services should decide that they want to offer the TIN service also to their customers an active integration is necessary. Taking into account that EU-Spirit is able to provide long-distance traffic information also for the Baltic States joining the TIN is in general attractive for the local Latvian travel planners and might be a reason for them to join also with an active server. But this has to be clarified and can be seen as a add-on.


The first all-in-all estimation came to the result that the remaining budgets in RBGC are not sufficient because the work was originally not calculated in the project proposal. So additional funding sources have to be found. To get the concrete figures detailed talks with the techncial suppliers are needed. The business model of the operators has to be checked if they have to earn money with their service (which usually makes it more difficult to get the initial costs covered because they are from the strategic financial point of view a kind of risk which has to be calculated).



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3.3. Lithuania

Currently there is no national travel planning service available in Latvia that would meet the necessary requitements for an integration into RBGC TIN / EU-Spirit. However, there are services for time table information at the bigger cities (e.g. Vilnius). So at least local public transport information could participate in the TIN. The cost-value ration is not very high in this case but it will still give some benefits for the customers.


The questions if the Lithuanian services join passively or actively is more or less a question of money. From the project’s point of view a passive integration is the minimum. If the operators of the services should decide that they want to offer the TIN service also to their customers an active integration is necessary. Taking into account that EU-Spirit is able to provide long-distance traffic information also for the Baltic States joining the TIN is in general attractive for the local Lithuanian travel planners and might be a reason for them to join also with an active server. But this has to be clarified and can be seen as a add-on.


The first all-in-all estimation came to the result that the remaining budgets in RBGC are not sufficient because the work was originally not calculated in the project proposal. So additional funding sources have to be found. To get the concrete figures detailed talks with the techncial suppliers are needed. The business model of the operators has to be checked if they have to earn money with their service (which usually makes it more difficult to get the initial costs covered because they are from the strategic financial point of view a kind of risk which has to be calculated).



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Annex

Overview Existing Travel Information Services taken from the Catalogue Of Existing Travel Information Systems and Their Development Needs.



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Number: 1

Name / Website (URL): matka.fi / journey.fi

Country: Finland

Area Covered: whole Finland

Business model: non-profit, public authority

Means of Transport available: all trains, busses, flights

Features: route planning, map service, addresses, save route

Compatibility / Remarks: no API available, organizational restructuring by end of 2014 with a new contract for a technical supplier and a relaunch aof the service

Development needs for EU-Spirit integration:

Passive integration now, active integration after organizational restructuring

Screenshot



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Number: 2

Name / Website (URL): hsl.fi / reittiopas.fi

Country: Finland

Area Covered: Helsinki region


Means of Transport available: regional trains, underground, busses, trams

Features: route planning, map service, addresses, save route

Compatibility / Remarks: no API available, business model fits


Information on Helsinki public transport integrated via matka.fi

Screenshot



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Number: 3

Name / Website (URL): peatus.ee

Country: Estonia

Area Covered: whole Estonia


Means of Transport available: regional and long-distance trains, busses, trams

Features: route planning, map service, addresses

Compatibility / Remarks: Data format in the backend problematic for active server (GUI)


Data format to be adjusted for active server

Screenshot



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Number: 4

Name / Website (URL): marsrutai.info/kaunas

Country: Lithuania

Area Covered: City of Kaunas region

Business model: tbc

Means of Transport available: trams, busses, trolleybusses

Features: Route planning, map service

Compatibility / Remarks: No addresses supported


Addresses have to be supported

Screenshot



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Number: 5

Name / Website (URL): soiduplaan.tallinn.ee

Country: Estonia

Area Covered: City of Tallinn greater region

Business model: tbc

Means of Transport available: regional trains, trams, busses, trolleybusses

Features: route planning, map service, addresses, barrierfree

Compatibility / Remarks: Business model to be clarified; covered by peatus.ee


City traffic of Tallinn also available at peatus.ee; no further activities required here

Screenshot



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Number: 6

Name / Website (URL): marsrutai.info/vilnius

Country: Lithuania

Area Covered: City of Vilnius area

Business model: tbc

Means of Transport available: busses, trolleybusses


Compatibility / Remarks: Business model to be clarified

Development needs for EU-Spirit integration: tbc

Screenshot



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Number: 7

Name / Website (URL): saraksti.rigassatiksme.lv

Country: Latvia

Area Covered: City of Riga region

Business model: tbc

Means of Transport available: trams, busses, trolleybusses


Compatibility / Remarks: Business model to be clarified

Development needs for EU-Spirit integration: tbc

Screenshot

rail baltica growth corridor wp5 connectivity pilot · part-financed by the european union...

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