According to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), Great Britain saw a total of 397 million rail passenger journeys in July to September 2023, marking a 14% increase from the 350 million journeys recorded in the same quarter in the previous year (July to September 2022). The total number of journeys for the year ending on September 30, 2023, stood at 1,496 million.
This signifies a continuous growth in train passengers in recent years, meaning that ensuring seamless journeys has never been more important. Integrating advanced technology into rail timetable production is a key way of enhancing service quality and optimising the overall passenger experience.
Intelligent rail industry data solutions have the capability to analyse data on passenger demand and historical travel patterns and build this into the information that can be provided to passengers alongside digital timetables.
One innovation that utilises such functionality is our RailSmart Trainset & Timetables (T&T), a rail scheduling and timetable display software solution which is redefining the passenger journey by offering accessible and user-friendly online timetables.
The train timetable software can be accessed via mobile devices, ensuring passengers can access train timetable information anytime and anywhere.
Identifying optimal travel times
RailSmart T&T enhances the passenger experience by integrating colour-coded train loading information into the timetable layout. It converts Network Rail data into an an easy-to-read timetable, indicating peak times with green, red, and amber colour codes to signify seat availability levels. This helps passengers to plan their trips with confidence, while also minimising congestion and enhancing customer service by steering them away from, or at least making them aware of peak hours.
Adaptable timetable formats
The rail scheduling software also has the capability to produce timetables in pdf format, should passengers require a physical copy, either by printing themselves at home or obtaining at the station.
The online timetable has proven to be successful with many of our clients, particularly Great Western Railway, who are responsible for a wealth of busy London train routes. Other clients that have utilised the product to provide enhanced timetable information to passengers include ThamesLink and Great Northern.
Accessible timetable solutions
Accessibility is a vital consideration when it comes to making passenger journeys safe and stress-free. All the rail timetables developed by RailSmart T&T adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 and can be operated using a screen reader. This ensures visually impaired users can browse through information effortlessly, and at no disadvantage.
Read more on RailSmart T&T.
