Data classification and mapping for supporting passenger information systems in railways

Improving railway passenger information systems (PIS) is a potential method to increase railway ridership and customer satisfaction. High-quality information on railway travel can only be provided to travelers if the underlying data are sufficient. Although most researchers naturally focus on the data they have been using, this study discusses the road to obtaining the data. The study encapsulates the experiences with the mapping databases required for passenger information systems in a Europe-wide focus. The data were characterized according to accessibility-suitability, demand-supply, and dynamic-static spectrum. Data categorization from the previous literature is expanded, while covering timetable, occupancy, and infrastructure data on transportation systems. The main contribution of the paper is an applied conceptual refinement. The refined model is then used for illustration of a data requirement matrix for visualization of the most urgent data for a case of passenger information systems and data that require simulations.