Overcoming gaps in travel information provision

Europe's research into integrated transport services includes developing smart information systems for intermodal travel. These are necessary to meet the information needs of passengers before and during journeys across different transport modes.

With EU funding, the project 'Enhancing interconnectivity through infoconnectivity' (IC-IC) developed an infoconnectivity system (ICS) that provides useful information to passengers while they are travelling, and explicitly while changing transport modes.

The project carried out a survey in three European countries to assess what information customers were lacking. Based on the results, it completed a theoretical assessment of what further information was required by modelling different personas, journeys and scenarios. All the resulting information that travellers wanted was then tested in field investigations.

Project partners evaluated the suitability of different technological possibilities for an information and communication technologies (ICT)-enhanced ICS. Available technologies that generate information to be displayed on a traveller's handheld communication device were investigated. The aim was to find a way to connect to the ICT-enhanced ICS in order to provide information on mobile devices.

Architecture for the ICT-enhanced ICS was designed to accommodate the different traveller requirements, technical infrastructures and systems in place at airports. More than 14 different languages can be stored.

The development, implementation and testing of the ICS were carried out based on the ICT-enhanced ICS results. The ICS combines existing travel information from multiple sources such as mobility service providers and airport operators. It also supplements this available data where possible. The system works by enabling editors to generate new data and create connections to their own data sources.

In addition to smartphones, passengers will find their personal travel information available on all devices, from airport information systems and ticketing machines to on-board devices.

By developing a one-stop shop application for all travel information, IC-IC should improve the experience and speed of travelling and make overall passenger handling more effective.