Hit Rail's New Integrated Services To Assist Europe-Wide Railway's Passenger, Freight and Infrastructure Information Systems
Utrecht, 08 February 2012 - HIT Rail, the European rail industry’s leading information and data communications company, has launched a new strategy that is set to provide integrated rail message brokering services, designed to dramatically improve the rail passenger services that European rail operators can offer the travelling public. They will also create improved services for freight and logistics organisations seeking to use the railways for the movement of goods. Pilot tests are already under way from the test platform and International pilots are scheduled for summer 2012.
Launched at a special Railways@Crossover conference hosted by the European Parliament Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) in Brussels last December, HIT Rail’s new service strategy addresses the demands of its customers and the wider European railway community for interconnected information systems across the rail data network known as Hermes. HIT Rail’s new message brokering services exploit latest open software standards and security applications to allow end-to-end connection between business partners who want to exchange information to better support passenger sales, timetabling, freight management and a host of other infrastructure services. It will be delivered via a new multi-channel business strategy, using latest communications technologies, from the Internet to mobile phones, handhelds and other communications.
HIT Rail is a private Dutch company owned by 12 European railway companies. It is responsible for managing international private data communications infrastructure and message brokering services on behalf of its shareholders and customers.
Antonio Lopez, HIT Rail’s Managing Director commented: “HIT Rail’s key raison d’être is to assist with the value added utility services needed to link European railway business organisations together. In the current climate of change within the European railway landscape and with communications technologies opening new possibilities of integrating and interconnecting systems, we are working towards greater information-sharing to the benefit of passengers and businesses.”
The interoperability plans of railway companies will be supported by a service oriented architecture (SOA) approach, based on web services, message brokering, translation, and publish-subscribe services that are designed to meet specific needs for utility information services that add value in key areas of interoperability.
The need for interoperability and integration has emerged as a result of the changing European railway area which has seen market re-structuring, the emergence of new companies, and the creation of European directives and standards addressing railway communications, applications and services. The vision of an integrated end-to-end European railway area is clearly on the table, and managers of European railway companies are under significant pressure from government, freight customers, business and public to respond to demands for greater interoperability and inter-modality in their communication and information systems. At the same time, railway companies are facing increasingly competitive markets for rail applications and services, and so are seeking ways to modernise their practices and deliver better services at lower cost. For the majority this means adapting to new standards (TAF/TAP – Telematics Applications for Freight/Passenger), and finding additional utility information services to support and complete the new vision of a fully interoperable European railway area. This relies on the latest advances in information and communication technologies (ICT).
The Railways@Crossover conference identified and examined these trends. Speaking at the event Brian Simpson MEP, chair of TRAN, applauded the aims of the conference and the proposed new services, in helping integrate European Railways for the benefit of citizens and business, and in moving forward from “well-known problems towards much needed solutions.”
Mr Simpson described getting trains cross border quickly, efficiently and effectively as the greatest challenge facing the European Transport Policy.
Summing up, Brian Simpson said: “I am looking forward to the day when I can buy a ticket to travel all the way from Manchester to Milan.”
Attendees of the fully booked conference received presentations from leading experts in all aspects of European Transport and ICT developments relevant to the railway sector. Around 120 representatives of the railway industry attended the event, filling the European Parliament auditorium to capacity. Delegates included service planners and IT managers from all key European railway companies.
The conference web site with all proceedings, biographies and photographs of speakers is at http://www.hitrail.com/rcevent
About HIT Rail
HIT Rail b.v. is a private company, with its registered office in Utrecht, The Netherlands and owned by 12 European railway companies. Established in 1990, HIT Rail is responsible for managing an international data communications infrastructure on behalf of its shareholders and customers. Its purpose is to help the European railway companies to carry out international projects in related fields of data communications and information technology. HIT Rail services are currently used by almost 40 companies from 21 countries. More information is available at www.hitrail.com.
Launched at a special Railways@Crossover conference hosted by the European Parliament Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) in Brussels last December, HIT Rail’s new service strategy addresses the demands of its customers and the wider European railway community for interconnected information systems across the rail data network known as Hermes. HIT Rail’s new message brokering services exploit latest open software standards and security applications to allow end-to-end connection between business partners who want to exchange information to better support passenger sales, timetabling, freight management and a host of other infrastructure services. It will be delivered via a new multi-channel business strategy, using latest communications technologies, from the Internet to mobile phones, handhelds and other communications.
HIT Rail is a private Dutch company owned by 12 European railway companies. It is responsible for managing international private data communications infrastructure and message brokering services on behalf of its shareholders and customers.
Antonio Lopez, HIT Rail’s Managing Director commented: “HIT Rail’s key raison d’être is to assist with the value added utility services needed to link European railway business organisations together. In the current climate of change within the European railway landscape and with communications technologies opening new possibilities of integrating and interconnecting systems, we are working towards greater information-sharing to the benefit of passengers and businesses.”
The interoperability plans of railway companies will be supported by a service oriented architecture (SOA) approach, based on web services, message brokering, translation, and publish-subscribe services that are designed to meet specific needs for utility information services that add value in key areas of interoperability.
The need for interoperability and integration has emerged as a result of the changing European railway area which has seen market re-structuring, the emergence of new companies, and the creation of European directives and standards addressing railway communications, applications and services. The vision of an integrated end-to-end European railway area is clearly on the table, and managers of European railway companies are under significant pressure from government, freight customers, business and public to respond to demands for greater interoperability and inter-modality in their communication and information systems. At the same time, railway companies are facing increasingly competitive markets for rail applications and services, and so are seeking ways to modernise their practices and deliver better services at lower cost. For the majority this means adapting to new standards (TAF/TAP – Telematics Applications for Freight/Passenger), and finding additional utility information services to support and complete the new vision of a fully interoperable European railway area. This relies on the latest advances in information and communication technologies (ICT).
The Railways@Crossover conference identified and examined these trends. Speaking at the event Brian Simpson MEP, chair of TRAN, applauded the aims of the conference and the proposed new services, in helping integrate European Railways for the benefit of citizens and business, and in moving forward from “well-known problems towards much needed solutions.”
Mr Simpson described getting trains cross border quickly, efficiently and effectively as the greatest challenge facing the European Transport Policy.
Summing up, Brian Simpson said: “I am looking forward to the day when I can buy a ticket to travel all the way from Manchester to Milan.”
Attendees of the fully booked conference received presentations from leading experts in all aspects of European Transport and ICT developments relevant to the railway sector. Around 120 representatives of the railway industry attended the event, filling the European Parliament auditorium to capacity. Delegates included service planners and IT managers from all key European railway companies.
The conference web site with all proceedings, biographies and photographs of speakers is at http://www.hitrail.com/rcevent
About HIT Rail
HIT Rail b.v. is a private company, with its registered office in Utrecht, The Netherlands and owned by 12 European railway companies. Established in 1990, HIT Rail is responsible for managing an international data communications infrastructure on behalf of its shareholders and customers. Its purpose is to help the European railway companies to carry out international projects in related fields of data communications and information technology. HIT Rail services are currently used by almost 40 companies from 21 countries. More information is available at www.hitrail.com.