European Commission Adopts Harmonised Specifications for Rail Data Sharing

The European Commission has adopted a new Implementation Regulation that seeks to establish requirements for the interoperability of data sharing in rail transport.

The Regulation establishes a technical specification for interoperability (TSI) relating to the telematics subsystem, TSI Telematics, which supports non-discriminatory and transparent data sharing in the rail sector based on EU rules first set out as part of Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 (Data Act).

With this in mind, the Regulation sets out business-to-businesses obligations to share data, as well as general rights to both access and use data. It also specifies the data format used, which is based on a common ontology (ERA Ontology), as well as a number of requirements for the quality of data, cybersecurity and data use for the safety of operations and future digital operational communications.

The TSI has been positioned as a key technical enabler for the implementation of recently agreed upon rules for improved management and increased use of Europe’s currently available railway infrastructure capacity. The act itself also seeks to specify the role of the European Union Agency for Railways as the systems authority for the wider digitalisation of communications within the rail sector, setting out a compliance framework with strict deadlines.

With a view to promoting innovative and open-source services for passengers based on data made available publicly via a series of national access points; the TSI requires access to data for journey planning, as well as passenger information in accordance with EU standards. Data used is set to include timetables, connection times, conditions of carriage, station accessibility, real-time and forecasted train positions, train composition and historical records.

Currently, a timeline set out in the European rules on railway infrastructure capacity for the working timetable (and the TSI on ticketing data) will see tickets made available up to five months ahead of time. The timeline also specifies harmonised requirements for connection times between transport nodes and services, tickets and multi-operator booking systems based on EU standards – further preparing the ground for future Commission initiatives on single digital booking and ticketing and related passenger rights.

Finally, the TSI fully integrates the intermodal transport ecosystem into rail processes, enabling the digital connection of multimodal freight terminals to the hinterland, with digital functions for tracking and tracing trains set to be extended.