This post is about public transport data, on which I have been working with during the past 10 years. I am planning to make this a series of posts, each dealing with different aspects of it. This first post is about public transportation data and its common data models.

Say what?

Public transport data plays a big role in enabling efficient and reliable transit services. Whether it’s for journey planning, time schedules or tracking buses on a map, we need a data model to exchange data between various cities, transport agencies and the passengers.

There are two major models that deal with public transport data:

Transmodel is the European Union model for handling public transport data. Developed as a European standard (EN 12896), it is a comprehensive conceptual data model designed to standardize the management of public transport information across various systems, such as scheduling, journey planning, and passenger information systems.

Key Features of Transmodel

  • Modular Structure: Covers different aspects of public transport, including scheduling, fares, operations, and real-time information.
  • Flexibility: Designed to support different modes of transport, including buses, trains, trams, and ferries.
  • Interoperability: Forms the basis for European public transport data formats such as NeTEx (Network and Timetable Exchange) and SIRI (Service Interface for Real-time Information).
  • Comprehensive Representation: Defines detailed relationships between stops, routes, schedules, passengers, operators, and vehicles.

GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) is a widely adopted data format developed by Google to integrate public transport data into digital applications like Google Maps and other journey planners. Unlike Transmodel, which is a high-level reference model, GTFS is a concrete, structured data format that transit agencies use to share schedule and geographic data.

Key Features of GTFS

  • Simple, Text-based Format: Uses CSV (comma-separated values) files, making it easy to generate and consume.
  • Widespread Adoption: Used globally by thousands of transit agencies to provide static schedule data.
  • Compatibility with Digital Services: Enables integration with map services, journey planners, and mobility applications.
  • Two Main Variants:
    • GTFS Static: Defines routes, stops, timetables, and fares.
    • GTFS Realtime: Provides live updates on vehicle positions, service alerts, and estimated arrival times.

Comparing Transmodel and GTFS

While both Transmodel and GTFS serve to structure public transport data, their approaches and use cases differ significantly:

FeatureTransmodelGTFS
ScopeConceptual reference modelConcrete data format
StandardizationEuropean standard (EN 12896)De facto global standard
FlexibilityHighly flexible and modularFixed CSV-based structure
InteroperabilityForms the basis for NeTEx, SIRIDesigned for integration with digital maps and journey planners
Use CasesLarge-scale transport planning, data integrationDigital journey planning, real-time updates

Closing Thoughts

This topic is huge and spans tons of documentation, specifications, data model schemas and implementation details. However, I am hoping that you get a basic understanding of the public transport data model landscape from this post. Hope to see you in the next one!

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