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Harmonization Travel Information Europe with Dutch NeTEx profile

7 August 2019

Recently, the Dutch NeTEx Profile was approved. NeTEx is a communication standard, the profile describes how public transport parties in the Netherlands exchange timetable (planning) data in a uniform way. Based on this information, 9292 can give travel advice and DOVA is able to provide travel information. With the adoption of the Dutch profile, the Netherlands is taking a step in the right direction towards harmonization of travel information within Europe.

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The Dutch NeTEx profile is based on the European NeTEx standard and replaces BISON Koppelvlak 1 (timetable). The new standard offers more information and solves several existing shortcomings. In time, bus, streetcar, and metro operators will transition to the new standard. The three integrators OV9292, DOVA, and OpenGeo will also make the switch.

BISON

The Dutch NeTEx profile was developed within the national platform BISON (Beheer Informatie Standaarden OV Nederland), a partnership of transport operators, integrators, public transport authorities, travelers and market parties including InTraffic. Over the past two years, InTraffic has developed the Dutch NeTEx profile under the direction of BISON and in collaboration with other architects. The Dutch profile has been successfully implemented as a pilot by two parties.

Follow-up steps

Other European countries are working on their own national profile. In Germany, for example, VDV has described how the NeTEx profile can be used within Germany. In the European context, a European profile has been established: a minimum selection from the NeTEx standard, but basic interoperability for the EU countries. Naturally, the Dutch profile fits this well.

The next step is a Dutch SIRI Profile, which describes the exchange of real-time travel information data. In time, BISON Interfaces for real-time travel information will move to the European SIRI standard. The goal is to have a first part available by the end of 2019.

InTraffic experience

InTraffic was closely involved in the development of the BISON standard years ago. This ensured that the traveler always received the correct information about the journey by bus, streetcar and metro. Recently, InTraffic also joined the working group commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Works to develop a communication standard for MaaS. Although a national MaaS system does not yet exist, the realization quickly dawned that a communication standard was needed for this as well. Read the full article about the developed standard for MaaS on OVPro.nl.

More information

The Dutch NeTEx Profile (and current Koppelvlakken) can be found on the BISON website. The NeTEx standard is available from the NEN, and the corresponding XSD is available on github. For additional information about NeTEx see the official European NeTEx website. NeTEx is an elaboration of Transmodel the European Reference Data Model for Public Transport.