News

In the past few days, we have received reports of emails that are purporting to come from Messe Karlsruhe. The scammers…

- ask for account and payment data,

- offer data of other exhibitors, visitors or press representatives for sale or

- to sell entries in alleged exhibitor databases.

Messe Karlsruhe is stated as the sender and in the signature, but it is usually quickly recognizable from the e-mail addresses that such messages are spam or phishing.

We ask you not to answer such emails, not to send any data and, above all, not to open any attachments. If in doubt, we recommend that you contact us. The IT-TRANS team will be happy to answer your questions by phone. You can find our contact details HERE.

We all know the feeling! After a day at the exhibition with lots of walking, chatting and evening networking events, there’s nothing better than recharging your batteries in a comfy hotel room. But these are always in great demand, especially during trade fairs. And that’s why the trade fair team is excited to announce that the Karlsruhe hotel industry is significantly expanding its capacities between now and 2024. As a result, up to 2,500 new hotel beds will be created in five new hotels.

The Intercity Hotel, the Premier Inn Hotel am Wasserturm and the Styles Hotel at the trade fair venue are already open. They will be joined this autumn by the Moxy and Motel One – which is perfect timing for the upcoming IT-TRANS from May 12 to 14, 2024. Information on the exact opening dates and respective capacities can be found on the hotels’ own websites.

This significant increase in hotel capacity in Karlsruhe will make it even easier for both exhibitors and visitors to prepare their forthcoming IT-TRANS visit. Be part of IT-TRANS 2024: Click here and book rooms for you and your team today!

Changes in passenger information services are also expected as a result of the recent decisions of the Federal Cartel Office on online ticket sales.

Passengers in Munich can rejoice as they will soon be travelling in S-Bahn trains that are among the most modern of all - Siemens Mobility will deliver the first vehicles to Deutsche Bahn (DB) from the end of 2028. Representatives of the Bavarian state government and the two companies recently presented the new trains together.

The new equipment on these trains will include free wi-fi, mobile phone-permeable window panes, USB and conventional sockets, among other things. The trains - of which Siemens Mobility will initially deliver 90 for around two billion euros - are also remarkable in terms of the passenger information services they offer.

On the outside of the continuous, more than 200-metre-long vehicles, there will initially be an LED band on the side in the respective line colour. This way, passengers at the stations will immediately recognise which line it is.

In addition, a total of 166 displays were installed on the outside and inside of the trains. On the outside, the more than 60 displays above the doors provide information about the line, the destination and the intermediate stops. Thanks to the high resolution, further information can also be displayed, such as the carriage capacity or blocked doors.

Inside, there are more than 100 additional displays. Among other things, they provide information about the next station, the course of the journey, current disruptions and offer space for a passenger TV. The screens above the doors also provide passengers with orientation concerning the platform at the next station. For example, passengers can be informed about exits or the location of lifts.

"Germany's most modern S-Bahn trains are an important component of the mobility transformation in the Munich region. Every single one of the new XXL trains replaces 1500 cars during rush hour," said Evelyn Palla, DB Board Member for Regional Transport, at the presentation of the trains. "This is the local transport of the future."

Huge demand for the Deutschlandticket, which has been available since 3 April 2023 (and will be valid from May) has been driven by passenger convenience, cost-effectiveness and reduced CO2 emissions. Its popularity is similar to that of the 9-Euro-Ticket, which was introduced in the summer of 2022. Although the Deutschlandticket builds on experiences learned from its predecessor, it still posed new organisational challenges for transport companies. Keen to find out more, the IT-TRANS team spoke to experts about the evolution of the 9-Euro-Ticket and Deutschlandticket, and what it means for the transport revolution in Germany. The extent to which digitalisation is driving the sector, user-friendly ticketing options and associated IT solutions are all key topics that will be addressed at the upcoming IT-TRANS, the leading trade fair and conference for digital solutions in public transport, which will take place from May 14-16, 2024.

The precursor to the Deutschlandticket was the 9-Euro-Ticket - a special offer for a limited period which was intended to make local public transport more attractive, while easing the financial burden in times of hardship. The ticket was not only intended to protect commuters and frequent travellers from rapidly rising energy costs, but also make public transport more attractive for those who had previously preferred to use their car. In total, more than 52 million 9-Euro- Tickets have been sold, saving around 1.8 million tonnes of CO2, which is roughly equivalent to the result of a one-year speed limit on German motorways (1). Yet despite its undisputed success, such a cheap ticket was not financially sustainable in the long run, according to political leaders at the time.

However, growing calls from associations and environmental organisations for the continuation of the 9-Euro-Ticket beyond August led to the creation of a follow-up ticket. Thus, the Deutschlandticket, at 49 euros per month, was born and offers the same benefits as the 9-Euro-Ticket. This time, though, it is designed to be a longer-term solution or compromise for rail travellers, with the cost borne by the transport companies until 2025, and an annual contribution by the federal and state governments to the tune of €1.5 billion as compensation for losses (2).

Lessons learned from the 9-Euro-Ticket

What was not obvious to the buyers of the discounted ticket, even in 2022, was how difficult it would be to successfully implement the short-term changeover of a long-standing system, with the perennial problem of different tariff areas and association borders. Although the 9-Euro-Ticket was an unmitigated success for the SSB - the Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG - with more than one million tickets sold (52 million tickets were sold throughout Germany), it also required a lot of work, according to Mathias Hirth, head of the sales department. For example, all existing season tickets had to be put on an equal footing with the 9-Euro-Ticket without disadvantaging either online or paper ticket users in the process. "We had to start preparing for the changeover even before the final framework conditions were set by the politicians," says Hirth. "The challenge was not in selling the 9-Euro-Ticket but, among other things, refunding customers who had already bought annual tickets. To implement price reductions on this scale across the board had never been done and therefore we had to start from scratch.“

"For more than 15 years, IT-TRANS has been the leading trade fair and conference for digital solutions in public transport. Naturally, we’re keen to know what our customers, both exhibitors and visitors, are currently most concerned about and how the market in Germany, Europe and the rest of the world is developing - for example, in ticketing. The Deutschlandticket obviously plays an important role here and, despite all the challenges, looks set to be a real milestone in the transport revolution," observes Markus Kocea, Senior Product Manager at IT-TRANS.

Challenging changeover

For Karina Kloppenburg from IVU Traffic Technologies, it was not only the many unanswered organisational issues but also the many to-do's involved in the technical implementation that made the changeover extremely complex. "One problem was the modernisation of the sales channels and subscription systems in a short time-frame. Previously, mobile subscription systems via smartphones were not commonplace, which is why there had to be investment in a new sales infrastructure," she says. In addition, the requirements of the Deutschlandticket had not been fully defined even up to the day of its launch on 1 May 2023, which led to customer uncertainty.

However, despite the difficulties, the introduction of the Deutschlandticket as the successor to the 9-Euro-Ticket is a milestone in transport innovation. "One ticket for regional and public transport in all German cities is a revolution for the German fare system," says Alexander Giegerich, Head of Sales & Marketing at the ATRON Group. Yet he also believes the conversion from the 9-Euro-Ticket to the Deutschlandticket to be costly and time-consuming: "In some associations, a suitable distribution and control infrastructure for a purely digital ticket is still lacking. And tickets on chip cards are not electronically readable for control purposes nationwide. In addition, the Deutschlandticket should be accessible to all age groups.“ Giegerich goes on to point out: "There are challenges in the digital area too. For example, going forward, the use of a dynamic Motics barcode on smartphones is planned to protect against copying and manipulation. However, it will take until the middle of 2024 at the earliest to introduce this nationwide.“

Even though the SSB says it has been well positioned in the field of digital ticketing for some time, Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG nevertheless faced an organisational challenge, as shortly before the introduction of the Deutschlandticket, the Youth Ticket BW was launched – also on 1 March, 2023. "Thankfully, the fact that we‘ve been investing heavily in digital ticketing for eight years is paying off," says Hirth.

There is agreement, too, that, going forward, digital, standardised ticketing is essential in order to make access to public transport as easy as possible for customers.

Cheaper, simpler and more flexible - but not for all

"The Deutschlandticket is definitely an opportunity for public transport, as it makes local transport more attractive for passengers, offers extra flexibility and is more user friendly: Passengers no longer have to worry about tariff boundaries, as long as they do not want additional transport options and offers not covered by the Deutschlandticket," says Kloppenburg from IVU. The needs of commuters, in particular, for whom the Deutschlandticket has now become much more affordable than a conventional ticket, are being addressed, he adds. Experts agree that the new Sparticket will encourage many people to switch to public transport for the longer term. But there is also something else to be considered: "For occasional users, it may still be cheaper to buy a 'normal' ticket, without any obligation to subscribe," says Giegerich. He also believes that retaining customers long-term may be a challenge. "If the travel experience is not great as a result of delays, overcrowding or other disruptions, the benefits of the new ticket will be negated. Furthermore, it’s not relevant in rural areas due to the frequent lack of public transport options. Therefore, in order to offer those in remote areas an alternative to their car, needs-based and flexible mobility offers must be created. But here, too, there are already encouraging examples of functioning on-demand transport. This must now be expanded quickly.“

The introduction of the Deutschlandticket was essential for the progression of public transport, however, according to experts, the momentum must continue, particularly with regard to investments. "We still a need to catch up in terms of investment in the public transport infrastructure. Germany is lagging behind countries such as Switzerland and Austria, with the latter investing much more in its infrastructure despite being less than a quarter of the size of Germany. For example, Germany invests €125 per inhabitant annually as opposed to Austria at €270," concludes Karina Kloppenburg.

While price is a key factor in consumer decisions to use public transport, so too are user-friendliness and convenient ticketing options for long-term retention. Not surprisingly, e-ticketing is one of the most important topics at IT-TRANS: At the last event in 2022, one-third of attendees visited with the aim of finding out about related solutions. In addition, according to a visitor survey, passenger information, e-mobility and flexible, on-demand services were among the most requested topics, and will therefore be high on the agenda at the upcoming IT-TRANS in May 2024.

(1) https://www.diepresse.com/6183023/co2-bilanz-des-9-euro-tickets-so-wie-ein-jahr-tempolimits-auf-deutschen-autobahnen (retrieval 09 May 2023)

(2) https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/tipps-fuer-verbraucher/regionalisierungsgesetz-deutschlandticket-2161096 (retrieval 09 May 2023)

From 4-7 June, the worldwide who's who in public transport will meet in Barcelona for the UITP Global Public Transport Summit, the leading event for sustainable mobility. With the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab, numerous institutions and companies from the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion (TRK) will once again be on board.

Fifteen partners from Karlsruhe and the surrounding area, transport companies and industrial enterprises, research institutes and municipalities, will present the innovative powerh of the region on a joint stand that will highlight current topics such as autonomous and automated driving. The network and its interdisciplinary projects previously received international recognition at the last UITP Summit 2019 in Stockholm and at IT-TRANS 2022.

Jochen Ehlgötz, Managing Director at TRK, says: “Through its partners, the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab has developed into a globally recognised centre of intelligent concepts in urban and regional mobility. A major focus is on continuously developing local public transport and new mobility concepts. As a hub of research, the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion offers a unique density of mobility-related institutions. Together, all parties are contributing to the mobility revolution worldwide.” One of these partners is the Research Centre for Information Technology FZI. Its division manager, Dr Alexander Viehl, adds: “The FZI is a leader in the fields of connected automated driving and intelligent digital infrastructures for novel mobility concepts. The UITP Global Summit offers FZI an exceptional platform to showcase its technological capabilities, and applications and expertise for automated public transport.”

About the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab

Based in one of Germany's central mobility and technology locations, the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab is a globally recognised hub for the development of intelligent concepts for future urban and regional mobility. Science, business, the public sector and innovative transport companies work together in an interdisciplinary way within the framework of this unique ecosystem to improve public transport and develop new mobility concepts. The focus is on intelligent, connected, resource-conserving and sustainable mobility that reconciles environmental friendliness and mobility comfort.

Much has already been achieved in the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab – from a convenient mobility platform that integrates individually usable means of transport such as car- and bike-sharing, as well as intermodal traffic control, to autonomous first/last mile services in on-demand transport, cross-border mobility solutions, an extensive network of cycle paths and innovative fast cycle lanes. And last but not least, the Karlsruhe Tram Train Model, which has attracted worldwide attention.

Secure your stand now and register on our list of interested parties by sending an e-mail to info@it-trans.org! We look forward to hearing from you!

You are a young company and developing innovative products, services and solutions around mobility and public transport? Then make IT-TRANS your stage now and network with stakeholders from all disciplines! Make a note of May 2023 in your calendar: That's when you will find attractive start-up packages for the leading international conference and exhibition for intelligent solutions in public transport on our website.

With our packages, you can secure your presence in a joint start-up booth at IT-TRANS 2024 at excellent conditions. In addition, we offer you the opportunity to showcase your product or solution to a wide professional audience in a lecture as part of our accompanying programme in the Start-up Zone.

Would you like to showcase your product, your service, your innovative solution at the leading international conference and exhibition for intelligent solutions in public transport in May 2024? Register online now and become part of the IT-TRANS family!

Preliminary hall plans for the upcoming IT-TRANS from 14 to 16 May 2024 are now online, with an increasing number of exhibitors booking their stands in recent weeks, all of whom will be highlighting their intelligent solutions for public transport at this leading international conference and exhibition for intelligent solutions in public transport. Take advantage of this opportunity and book your favoured stand location now – more than 60 per cent of exhibition space is already reserved!

Key players such as INIT, Trapeze, Axentia, Amcon and Vianova will make IT-TRANS in 2024 their preferred platform for showing how best they can help keep the public transport wheels in motion. In the dm-arena, in particular, sought-after stand spaces are still available – for example, around the Market Update Forum, where exhibitors will be sharing their best-practice experiences with the expert audience.

Please find the current floor plans as well as the registration documents HERE. The IT-TRANS team is looking forward to welcoming you!

Some results of the survey:

• 96 per cent stated that they had made decisive changes in their mobility habits for various reasons (climate crisis, 9-euro ticket, increased gas price, concerns about being infected with the Corona virus).
• a majority of 55 per cent in average are dissatisfied with the existing public transport services, with the dissatisfaction increasing from big cities to the countryside.
• 89 per cent of respondents were convinced that new mobility offers can impove the quality of life in rural areas and contribute to climate protection.

Most interesting, people are increasingly willing to use autonomous vehicles. Depending on the means of transport – autonomous taxi, bus, driverless underground and tram or shuttle, between 66 and 71 per cent would hop on. At the same time, many doubt that there will be corresponding offers in Germany in the short to medium term: Around half do not expect any autonomous solutions in the next 10+ years.

You will find further information at https://www.bitkom.org/Presse/Presseinformation/Smarte-Mobilitaet-2022 (German language)

Ticketing, connected timetables, facilitated intermodal travelling: Digitalisation has taken public transport to the next level. Nevertheless, there is still work to be done to get more people excited about public transport as a more sustainable alternative and, at the same time, to simplify processes for transport companies, associations and, of course, the passengers. In our interview series on long-standing exhibitors at IT-TRANS, we spoke to Daniel Ott, Managing Director of krauth technology GmbH, a provider of ticketing solutions based in Eberbach, Germany, about the current challenges in the industry.

What developments and trends do you think will transform public transport in the long term?

Ticketing is crucial here: at the moment it is often a real jungle for passengers - especially in large cities. There are two different ticket machines at the bus stop, and then two different validators on the bus. As a passenger you have to think twice which one is the right one for your ticket.

Moreover, many ticket machines are not intuitive. On the interface, you usually find the single ticket as a preferred option, but you may have a bicycle with you and don't know whether you need a separate ticket for it. If you are travelling a long distance, you may have to change the transport association; the first association includes the bicycle in its ticket, but the second does not.

Our surfaces follow a different logic: If you want to travel from A to B, as a customer you are interested in which package is the right and cheapest one. However, the corresponding restructuring often fails due to varying terms and conditions of transport.

Nevertheless, digitalisation will help us massively to simplify ticketing or to offer customers best-price options. As a user, you simply get on, check in, check out when leaving the vehicle, and will be invoiced in the end.

Another trend is cashless payment by smartphone or credit card. And this is by no means just a wish of passengers: many bus drivers would also like to do without any cash contact or ticket sales – this is time consuming, especially when there is a high amount of passengers. krauth technology has a large portfolio of cashless solutions, e.g. small vending machines that are installed on buses so that passengers can buy their tickets without having to use cash or contact the driver.

Which forward-looking mobility projects are exemplary for you?

A project of the aforementioned private railway company is very interesting: The aim was to simplify user guidance at the ticket vending machine. Supported by a consultant, the company conducted workshops with standard public transport users, ranging from commuters to leisure travellers. The result of these workshops was then integrated into a sample vending machine as pseudo user guidance, that helped various user groups test the interface. Based on this experience, a new user guidance system was created. And it was surprisingly small efforts that made a real difference, for example a "gothic-style" display with a black background and white lettering - unusual, but thanks to the higher contrast, it resulted in much better readability.

Why do you think many travellers use public transport services only to a limited extent or not at all?

Especially the areas of safety, cleanliness and comfort are still frequently mentioned. Many passengers don't like to swap their private car with all its comforts for an ageing bus, overcrowded, with folding seats, which might even arrive too late. This is an image on people's minds that we urgently need to address! Because things have changed in the meantime. Many buses are now ultra-modern and comfortable, with power sockets and Wi-Fi access points, clean and on time.

Another aspect is reliability and frequency. Politicians need to become more active again, especially when it comes to the Deutschlandtakt. A much-discussed topic before the Covid pandemic, this issue has now slipped to the back of the agenda. Certainty that there will definitely be train connections every 30 minutes will improve user rates a lot.

And finally, the price-performance ratio: the 9-euro ticket was of course an absolute exception. Nevertheless, I think public transport needs to become more flexible in terms of prices. Especially for travellers who need to opt for either monthly or single tickets. For example, if you travel twice a week, a monthly ticket might not be worth its price. Flex products are crucial here.

krauth technology was already an exhibitor at the very first IT-TRANS. What makes the exhibition attractive for you?

krauth technology is one of the oldest companies in the public transport industry. As a system house of 150 employees, we produce hardware and software at four locations in Germany. Our core business is public transport, and IT-TRANS is the leader in this sector. The decisive factor is that IT-TRANS specialises in distribution technology and digitalisation. It is not about buses and trains in general, but rather dedicated to our area of expertise. This focus also guarantees that the exhibition has just the right size - all the relevant exhibitors and visitors are on site. In addition, we appreciate the networking opportunities and the quality of the expert audience.

Be it real-time traffic data, demand and supply planning, crowd management, and more: Technology plays a significant role in all areas of public transport and is evolving at a rapid pace - this became clear once again during this year's IT-TRANS.

In its Public Transport Trends Report 2022 our partner PTV Group asked industry insiders from all over the world for their opinion on challenges and opportunities. Questioned on technology, solutions for electrification and decarbonization in public transport were the most important for the respondents in the medium term, closely followed by apps for multimodal planning and booking, and AI for data analysis or operation planning. Whereas #digitalization of operations and internal processes or data analysis to improve service quality still play a subordinate role.

Please find further interesting results in the complete report (free download):

In English: https://discover.ptvgroup.com/Download-PTV-Public-Transport-Trends-Report-2022?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=pt-trend-survey_2022&utm_id=pt-trend-survey_2022_messe_karlsruhe&utm_content=messe+karlsruhe

In German: https://discover.ptvgroup.com/Download-PTV-OEV-Trend-Report-2022?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=pt-trend-survey_2022&utm_id=pt-trend-survey_2022_messe_karlsruhe&utm_content=messe+karlsruhe

Photo Source: Pixabay/Pexels

How can a ticket be used interoperably, i.e. between different transport associations, without prescribing the use of uniform fares or a uniform ticket system for all? This crucial question was the starting point for a research project in 2002. Its result: the VDV core application, a common German standard with which transport companies can offer e-ticketing, interoperable, intermodular, but still according to their individual fare structures. The IT-TRANS team asked Nils Zeino-Mahmalat, managing director of VDV eTicket Service GmbH, about the advantages and challenges of e-ticketing.

What do today's users expect from ticket systems?

Zeino-Mahmalat: What passengers want most of all from public transport ticketing systems is easy access without having to know the fare. No one enjoys standing in front of a timetable and puzzling over whether a journey from the station to the hotel requires price level 1b, the short route for adults or completely different fare levels. What's more, passengers want to be able to pay for their tickets flexibly. A vending machine that only accepts suitable small change is the opposite. Plus, buying a ticket should be done quickly.

What challenges are transport companies facing as a result?

Zeino-Mahmalat: Customers want digital, mobile ticketing and usability - whether via app or chip card. This is what transport companies must provide. This means that they have to digitalise their offer, their sales platforms and their customer service even more, starting with an app and ending with the comprehensibility and user-friendliness of the vending machines on the platform or in the vehicle.

How long does it take to switch ticketing to eTicket Deutschland?

Zeino-Mahmalat: How long the changeover will take depends on the initial situation of the respective transport company or the complexity of the transport association. The personnel resources within the transport company also play a role in the timetable. Another important factor: How many ticket control systems, vending machines and on-board computers need to be converted? With (((eTicket Deutschland we have experienced companies where the implementation took only 14 months. For others, it took several years before everything was digitalised.

What about security – data security for customers, counterfeit protection for the transport companies?

Zeino-Mahmalat: Data protection was already ensured during the development of the VDV core application (VDV-KA) together with the data protection officers of the federal states and the federal government. The system behind (((eTicket Deutschland is based on the guidelines of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). Unless it is an anonymous prepaid e-ticket, the name, gender and date of birth of the passenger as well as the ticket itself are stored on a chip card. Tickets according to VDV-KA are protected against forgery. This applies both to the classic chip card (monthly ticket, annual season ticket, job ticket) and to mobile phone tickets thanks to the copy protection Motics of the VDV eTicket Service.

What other advantages do e-tickets offer?

Zeino-Mahmalat: For passengers, e-tickets are more intuitive and convenient. For transport companies, they are more secure because they are protected against copies and forgeries. (((eTicket Deutschland also works interoperably, i.e. it can be used across all transport networks. This is a huge benefit for both passengers and transport companies.

Talking about intermodular transport: Can e-ticketing lead to simplified processing for the user when switching between different means of transportation - from the bus to the train and then to the e-scooter?

Zeino-Mahmalat: A sure thing. With (((eTicket Deutschland, other means of transport such as car sharing, bike sharing or scooters can be used and paid for in addition to classic public transport. Two examples are the KVB bicycles in Cologne, which can be used with a job ticket or a monthly or annual pass, and the MVGmeinRad of the Mainzer Verkehrsgesellschaft. Theoretically, a visit to the zoo or a day at the public swimming pool could also be paid for with the (((eTicket.

What do you think will prevail with customers in the long term - card, smartphone, wearables,...?

Zeino-Mahmalat: In the medium term, it will lead to a mix of chip cards and smartphones, the latter mainly because of the introduction of Motics, which brings the same level of security as a chip card to a smartphone. This gives transport companies and passengers the choice of where to file which type of ticket. The demand for wearables is still very low. Basically, however, the medium does not matter when it comes to (((eTicket Deutschland. Anything that has a secure chip and an antenna can be an (((eTicket.

Are there any particularly successful, user-friendly or flexible examples using eTicket Deutschland?

Zeino-Mahmalat: Currently, (((eTicket Deutschland is used in nine out of ten metropolitan regions, mainly with chip cards. In total, more than 15 million chip cards with (((eTicket Deutschland are active, i.e. used by passengers. Incidentally, the first (((eTickets were issued in Saarbrücken in 2005. There are really fine examples of (((eTickets: In Schwäbisch Hall and in the Bodensee-Oberschwaben Verkehrsverbund, people can use public transport with a check in/check out function. This means that they hold their chip card up to a reader when getting on and off a vehicle, and the billing takes place in the background. And in Munster, passengers can buy prepaid tickets on chip cards from vending machines and use them for 90 minutes on any bus on any line.

With the climate crisis and rising energy costs, public transport plays a decisive role in intelligent and sustainable mobility. How relevant the key topics at IT-TRANS 2022 were, was also reflected in higher visitor and exhibitor numbers:

- 6,500 attendees from 71 countries

- 276 exhibitors from 33 countries

- 180 speakers at the IT-TRANS conference

- 800 delegates attending, with 130 people joining remotely

Since the 2020 edition could not take place in person due to the pandemic, it was above all the desire for networking and face-to-face encounters that moved both exhibitors and participants:

Nico Hess, Operational Sales Director Europe, Luminator Technology Group:

“We are all very happy with how IT-TRANS went. We had a huge number of industry visitors at our stand. I think you could tell at the event that everyone was delighted to finally speak face to face, shake hands and talk to customers in person again.”

Peter Möhl, Vice President Central & Eastern Europe, PTV Group:

“We are so happy to see IT-TRANS take place as an in-person event again. Maintaining personal contacts is so important. We value being able to both present our company and listen to our partners and customers. The organisation was also excellent.”

Annette Weisser, Head of Corporate Communications, IVU Traffic Technologies AG:

“Both we as an exhibitor and our customers are happy that the first in-person IT-TRANS since the pandemic was a success. We will definitely be back next time and the time after that!”

Alexander Szlezak, CEO, Unwired Networks:

This year’s IT-TRANS really surprised me. The visitors were of a very high quality, especially on the first day. I think that everyone was ready to meet in person again after the pandemic. We also had the perfect spot for our stand in hall 1.”

Jürgen Kindler, CIO and CTO, Transdev Vertrieb GmbH:

„I have been a guest at IT-TRANS for many years, because this is where I find all the key players in the industry. After the Corona crisis, it was important for me to finally meet the people in person again.”

Anna Herzberg, Strategic Software Procurement, Deutsche Bahn AG:

“At IT-TRANS we met many of our suppliers and were also able to make new contacts. The range of products for our segment is good, especially since everything is centralised in one place and yet easy to find - we definitely felt we were in good hands here.”

Visitor feedback proofed that IT-TRANS once again was the must-attend event for intelligent and sustainable solutions in public transport: 95 per cent of the attendees had a very positive view of the exhibitors’ presentations. The number of rebookings also reflects a high contentment level: By the third day of the show, around half of the stand spaces have already been reserved by exhibitors.

See you at the next IT-TRANS from 14 to 16 May 2024 at Messe Karlsruhe!

Be it new forms of mobility, climate change or digitalisation: public transport is facing many challenges. In its trend survey, PTV Group wants to find out which topics are moving the public transport sector, how companies are getting ready for the trends of today and tomorrow and which solutions and tools are crucial to stay fit for the future.

Answering the questions will take no longer than five minutes:

To PTV Group’s trend survey

The survey is running until 17 June. As a thank you, you will be granted exclusive access to the results.

"They come to the metro, not to be transported, but to save their lives." With these words, Viktor Braginsky, CEO of KYIV Metropoliten, summed up the hardship faced by the people of Ukraine, especially in the cities that were particularly affected by war. "Safety is an important function of public transport. More than 20,000 people worked day and night in our metro stations. We have 46 metro stations. They can shelter 100,000 people, but also transport 1.5 million people every day."

Be it seniors, small children and even pets: To meet the various needs of the people sheltering was challenging for the metro employees and volunteers. Film presentations, animation and art performances were organized to calm down especially children.

When the Kiev Metro was opened in the 1960s, World War II was only a few years away. Under this impression, the contructors decided to build the network deep enough to provide security even in times of war, making the Kiev Metro one of the deepest subway railroads in the world. The Arsenalna stop is 105 meters underground.

The Karlsruhe Mobility Lab of the TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe (TRK) will celebrate its premiere at IT-TRANS. Through its partners, the Lab is already a globally recognized center for the development of intelligent concepts for the urban and regional mobility of the future. "A major focus of the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab is on the on the further development of local public transportation as well as the development of entirely new mobility concepts," explains Jochen Ehlgötz, Managing Director of TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe GmbH, "Researchers from the region are thus contributing region are contributing essential building blocks to the mobility revolution worldwide. The mobility and TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe can rightly call itself a pioneer in terms of sustainable mobility development."

Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe, is also convinced of the importance of the project: "The Karlsruhe Mobility Lab makes a significant contribution to the positioning of Karlsruhe as a mobility location, in which the topic of 'smart mobility' is particularly formative“, she says. „This core competence is reflected in the diversity of the exhibitors at the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab - a globally unique compilation of science, institutions, transport companies and industry. In this environment, the fan-shaped city is naturally predestined as a venue for congresses and exhibitions with mobility themes, such as the IT-TRANS, which has been held here since 2008. In this respect, we are also pleased that the current application submitted by Karlsruhe to host the UITP Global Public Transport Summit under the motto Smart Mobility Karlsruhe for the years 2025 and 2027 is supported by all important stakeholders in the region."

About the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab

In a unique ecosystem, science, business, the public sector and innovative transportation companies work together on interdisciplinary approaches. "It has succeeded that the TRK's stakeholders now appear together under the umbrella of the 'Karlsruhe Mobility Lab'", explains Lukas Kurzmann, TRK-UITP Liaison Officer. „This strengthens our activities both into the region, but especially outward." In the region, ideas for the mobile world of tomorrow are being created, put into practice, analyzed and tested with citizens. For example, the autonomous FZI Shuttle, which was used last year in the Weiherfeld-Dammerstock district of Karlsruhe to test the operation of networked and autonomous mini-buses for the last mile from the bus stop to the front door.

"The Karlsruhe Mobility Lab is developing groundbreaking concepts for the mobility of the future. With digital solutions, we are strengthening sustainable mobility options and making more comfortable," says Andrea Mohr-Braun, Marketing Director at INIT SE. „We at INIT are also working with great commitment to strengthen public transport in the modal split. Our IT solutions make the possibilities of digitalization usable - to the advantage of our customers, the transport companies, but also for their passengers." For example, ASSISTIVEtravel

Politics and science are also relying on this unique climate of innovation: for example, state institutions such as the Baden-Württemberg Institute for Sustainable Mobility and the planned future and the planned location of the German Center for Mobility. „As a university and research location, the TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe offers a unique density of mobility-related research projects and institutions", says Dipl.-Ing. Sascha Ott, Managing Director of the KIT Center Mobility Systems. „These have been in the 'Profile Region Mobility Systems Karlsruhe' to make this potential more visible.

A glimpse into the still somewhat further future of mobility is available at the exhibition with mu-zero HYPERLOOP. The more than 70 students from Karlsruhe and Stuttgart are working on functioning Hyperloop pods, which act as transport capsules will float through nearly airless tubes at close to the speed of sound.

In addition to the scientific community, several leading international companies such as Volocopter, INIT or PTV have their headquarters in the region and distribute "Made in TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe" successfully all over the world.

Much has already been achieved in the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab, e.g.

• A convenient mobility platform that integrates individually usable means of transportation such as car and bike sharing as well as intermodal traffic control, autonomous first/last mile services in on-demand traffic,
• cross-border mobility solutions,
• a large-scale network of bike paths and innovative high-speed bike lanes, and last but not least
• the globally acclaimed Karlsruhe Tram Train Model.

At the exhibition stand, the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab will also present to the public transport experts the concepts being developed for the future: the future of mobility, the future of the urban and suburban living, but also the future of digital support. Large parts of Karlsruhe's mobility vision will be on display at IT-TRANS:

• The mobility portal of the TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe.
• The mobility platform regiomove with numerous mobility offers as well as their expansion options for the future - from autonomous shuttles to tube-based to tube-based high-speed transport systems. The combination with the logistics sector: from the KArgotram to city hubs, cargo bike to delivery drones and farm loading streetcars that promote sustainable mobility and agriculture at the same time.
• Other research and innovation projects that use digitalization to provide a information or functions for various stakeholder groups through digitalization.

The demonstrations in the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab go far beyond the presentation of concepts. Virtually all the solutions can actually be touched or even tried out for try them out.

Partners of the Karlsruhe Mobility Lab at the IT-TRANS 2022 are all major mobility players in the region. In addition to TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe GmbH, these are:

Automotive Engineering Network e.V. (AEN), efeuCampus Bruchsal GmbH, FZI Research Center for Information Technology, Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA), INIT SE, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) with the Performance Center Profile Region Mobility Systems Karlsruhe, Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund (KVV) with Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft mbH (AVG) and Karlsruhe Transport Authority (VBK), Messe Karlsruhe, mu-zero HYPERLOOP e.V., PTV GmbH, raumobil GmbH, Civil Engineering Office of the City of Karlsruhe, UITP Regional Training Centre Karlsruhe, Urbanloop SAS from Nancy and VeloCARRIER GmbH.

Visitors will be able to find out about the latest solutions in planning and dispatching, on-demand transport, operational control systems, electromobility, passenger information and vehicle equipment. At IT-TRANS in Karlsruhe, Trapeze will present mobility solutions for today and tomorrow, including on-board computers, routers and modern displays for dynamic passenger information.

Combined innovation prowess on display at the Modaxo stand

Two Trapeze sister companies will also be represented at the stand. Systemtechnik creates fare management systems, while Binary System will present mobility solutions for rail companies. Like Trapeze, these two companies are also part of the Modaxo Group, a global collective of passenger transport technology companies.

https://www.systemtechnik-online.de/home/

https://www.binarysystem.eu/en

GPR3 multifunctional vehicle router for all control systems

The compact and modern GPR3 vehicle router combines a router and a switch in a single device. Alongside data communication, it also enables independent speech communication – a major USP on the market. The GPR3 is optimised for use in ITCS environments and can be used in all control systems. When transferring large amounts of data, it acts as a monitor and offers an extremely high level of IP security against unauthorised external access. The GPR3 also offers flexible installation, as well as several connections and sockets. Devices like multifunction displays or ticket printers can be integrated via the GPR3 into the vehicle network, therefore allowing them to use a common antenna on the vehicle roof.

New generation of in-vehicle passenger information

Introducing the new generation! The third generation of the multifunction display, MFD G3i, is available now for in-vehicle passenger information. The new display not only features an elegant design, but also updated electronics that are fit for the future.

INTROS travel assistance system breaks down barriers

The Independent Travelling Orientation System (INTROS) allows visually impaired and blind passengers, as well as persons with reduced mobility, to use public transport independently. The public transport radar app indicates the required vehicle to the passenger and helps them find the entrance and communicate with the driver. It provides information about the next stops and allows the passenger to alert the driver or signal where they wish to get off. Trapeze is also participating in the LOC#id network initiative “Open Smart Mobility”, organised by the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV), which promotes a fully compatible solution for different infrastructures.

Innovative solutions for mobility on demand

Alongside products for scheduled services, Trapeze also offers interesting solutions for on-demand transport. T.DiMo enables individual on-demand services and will in future allow for unaccompanied goods transport.

Combined with autonomous vehicles, this will enable passenger transport for the first and last mile. Visitors will be able to find out more about this technology and discover how to integrate it into a control system at the Trapeze stand.

Proven solutions for planning and dispatching in bus and rail transport

Our proven solutions deliver greater efficiency and better results for transport companies. The Trapeze Planning System optimises the planning of transport, vehicle circulation and service for public transport providers. The integrated solution makes it easier to create attractive services for passengers. The Trapeze Operation Management System makes day-to-day processes more efficient and optimises results. It provides support in regular/service roster planning, staff and vehicle dispatching, staff communication and automated wage calculation. The system offers a detailed insight into the status of every operating day at any time.

Further support for rail transport

Trapeze-EFB is a high-availability control system for incident management, passenger information and operational monitoring that offers valuable support for regional and private rail operators. It delivers consistent passenger information at all stops and in all trains, both optically and acoustically, as well as via the connected data hubs. This gives the control centre a full overview and control over the processed information at all times.

Trapeze supports IT-TRANS as a Platinum sponsor

This year, Trapeze is once again a Platinum sponsor of IT-TRANS and will therefore host the IT Family Dinner. This will take place at 6 pm on 10 May 2022. We look forward to meeting many exhibition visitors and conference delegates there in person. Would you like to attend the IT Family Dinner? You can find tickets and more information at www.it-trans.org/en/networking.

You can also find more information about our solutions on our website: https://www.trapezegroup.com/

Trapeze Group

Trapeze is a leading global provider of solutions in public transport. The companies of the Trapeze Group provide passenger transport organisations with cutting-edge software, intelligent transport systems (ITS) and mobile technologies. Hundreds of public and commercial organisations in North America, Europe, South Africa and Asia use Trapeze products to increase efficiency, improve quality, broaden their scope of services and transport more people safely at lower cost. The Trapeze Group is part of Modaxo, the global collective of passenger transport technology companies belonging to Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU).

Trapeze DACH

The Trapeze DACH division offers transport organisations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland comprehensive operational control and information systems for better punctuality, shorter journey times, more precise connections and dynamic passenger information. Its product range includes planning and dispatching systems, solutions for on-demand transport, operational control systems, on-board computers, passenger information displays at stops and in vehicles, as well as customer-specific services. More information is available at www.trapezegroup.com.

Press contact Julia Kroll,

Marketing Communications

medien@trapezegroup.com

www.trapezegroup.com

“meet. network. change.” - The Women in Mobility slogan says it all: the network is committed to improving the visibility of women in the mobility industry: whether they are decision-makers or doctoral candidates, leaders or founders, scientists, students or employees. Women in Mobility offer women from companies and startups, organizations and associations, the media and politics a platform for networking, joint projects, cooperation and exchange. Women in Mobility exchange ideas in groups on social media platforms as well as in local hubs in currently ten European cities.

At IT-TRANS, Women in Mobility will present their panel discussion "Carrot or stick - how to achieve sustainable and inclusive mobility innovation" (Wednesday 11 May 2022 at 11 a.m., Market Update Forum B).

The speakers are:

• Dr. Julia Koch, Country Director DACH, Tranzer c/o Mindspace
• Nadine Kostorz, Researcher, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
• Jennifer Kunz, Key Account Manager, MOTIONTAG
• Heike Löffler, Chief Commercial Officer, Mobimeo
• Johanna Reinhardt, Director Communications, Clever Shuttle
• Paula Ruoff, BD Manager, FAIRTIQ GmbH
• Sandra Witzel, CMO, Board Director, SkedGo

These speakers, together with other industry experts, look at mobility innovation through a human-centric lens and analyse new technologies with a critical eye regarding their value for the entire society.

Afterwards, Alexandra Reinagl (CEO of Wiener Linien) welcomes you to a get-together with snacks and drinks.

Register now!

https://www.eventbrite.de/e/get-together-at-it-trans-karlsruhe-tickets-308578505617

More information about the exhibition programme:

https://www.it-trans.org/de/fachmesse/messeprogramm/

More information about Women in Mobility:

https://www.womeninmobility.org/

“The future is already here – we just need to pay more attention…”

Let’s introduce you to the wise words of our IT-TRANS 2022 keynote speaker Gerd Leonhard as he takes to the stage in Karlsruhe with his unique view on humanity and technology.

The world is changing, and public transport finds itself looking to the future in an ever-changing society.

For the eighth edition of the most important event dedicated to I.T. and digitalisation in public transport (Karlsruhe, 10-12 May) the conversations taking place at IT-TRANS will determine what this means for people and our movement.

As digitalisation continues to alter the ways in which we live, interact and move, public transport must always be a people-centric sector.

Gerd Leonhard will bring his unique conversation to the stage in Karlsruhe as our brilliant 2022 keynote speaker.

As a futurist, humanist, author, speaker and filmmaker, Gerd is the CEO of “The Futures Agency” and specialises in the debate between humanity and technology.

Looking beyond conventional futurism, Gerd zeroes in on what the future holds for humanity and how we will create the future we want…remixing futurism with humanism, algorithms with androrithms, science with imagination and business with art. It’s time to talk tech.

IT-TRANS is where international market leaders and key players from the public transport industry meet. It is the only worldwide platform dedicated to digitalisation and IT solutions for the public transport sector. The international Conference and Exhibition also offers fledgling start-up companies an individual stage. Interested visitors will learn more about new ideas and innovative approaches in the Start-up Zone. Start-ups present their competences in formats as diverse as pitches and are open to discuss your questions in the open space of the start-up Zone.

Good to know: At IT-TRANS, young companies traditionally receive special support. The participation of German start-ups at IT-TRANS is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) (program to promote the participation of young innovative companies in leading international trade fairs in Germany). Together with foreign start-ups, whose participation in the exhibition is offered at comparable conditions, they will appear in the start-up Zone.

The focus is on FareGo 360, a data management system that supports transport companies in operating a sustainable fare collection system thanks to automated and personalised information. In addition, the system supplier will present its CiBo system, which enables passengers to check in and out easily via smartphone app.

FareGo 360: Excellence in operations

FareGo 360 provides transport operators with a 360° view of their fare collection system, by providing personalised information and assistance to every member of the operational team, when and where they need it. The software solution proactively shares information, including alerts and reminders, anticipating issues and opportunities based on the data in the system and beyond. FareGo 360 automates recurring tasks, spots irregularities and makes intelligent predictions. It streamlines processes and simplifies daily tasks.

Check-in/Be-out Ticketing App

Scheidt & Bachmann offers mobile ticketing with smartphones as a check-in/be-out solution: Passengers check in themselves via smartphone app when they start their journey. This allows for passengers to move without any barriers within the complete network – from bus to rail and back. The related best price calculations as well as all other processes are performed by Scheidt & Bachmann’s powerful account based backend system.

Visitors can learn more about the solutions at booth J3 in hall 1.

Scheidt & Bachmann: Trusted partner for intelligent ticketing systems

Scheidt & Bachmann provides transport agencies and their passengers with efficient, simple and convenient ticketing and comprehensive information systems. We are proud to continually provide one of the finest and most reliable business solutions in the industry that empowers transport authorities to optimise their decision making and increase efficiency. Being leaders of technical innovation we improve public transport services to satisfy our customers’ demand in an ever more connected world.

The aim of the research project is to develop a public transport mobility concept that is to be evaluated by means of an overall system-oriented fleet test under real conditions. The EVA Shuttle project tests connected and driverless minibuses in the city, with a safety driver on hand at all times. The networked and autonomously driving mini-buses are being developed for the last mile from the bus stop to the front door. The vehicles move freely in regular road traffic, where they act independently and react to pedestrians, cyclists and motorized means of transport. Orders are placed on-demand via the "eva-shuttle" app. The project is so far unique in Germany.

A consortium of five partners is involved in the EVA-Shuttle research project: In addition to the FZI Research Center for Information Technology, these are Robert Bosch GmbH, Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe GmbH, TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH and the Deutsche Bahn subsidiary ioki GmbH.

More information about the Autonomous Driving Test Field and the public transport research project EVA Shuttle is available at https://www.eva-shuttle.de/.

Meet the IT-TRANS teams of Messe Karlsruhe and UITP at the ITS WORLD CONGRESS 2021. From October 11 to 15, 2021, experts from the mobility, logistics, and IT industries, as well as representatives from politics and and representatives from politics and associations will meet in Hamburg. The congress will take place under the motto "Experience Future Mobility Now".

At ITS World Congress in Hamburg, the IT-TRANS teams of Messe Karlsruhe and UITP give visitors comprehensive insight into the contents of the upcoming exhibition and the focal points of the conference programme. Visitors who would like to attend the IT-TRANS can book their exhibition tickets directly at the booth - free of charge. Potential exhibitors have the unique opportunity to find out about the hall plannings and the options for participation as well as the numerous networking formats to mingle with industry leaders. The IT-TRANS booth is located in hall B7 and has the booth number 007.

The ITS Congress is the biggest event focused on smart mobility and the digitalisation of transport. The congresses are an industry meeting of intelligent mobility and take place annually.They show the importance of intelligent transport systems (ITS), and are an important platform for industry experts and decision makers.

The trade fair industry is looking forward to the coming autumn. With a comprehensive safety concept and further necessary protection and hygiene measures, Messe Karlsruhe will kick off the restart in September with Platformers' Days - Leading trade fair for mobile lifting and height-access technology. Planning for IT-TRANS 2022 will also continue unhindered. After the world's leading conference and exhibition for digitally connected urban mobility had to be canceled due to developments surrounding the corona virus, the global industry gathering had taken place last year purely digitally as an interactive event platform. "We are grateful to our exhibitors, visitors and partners for their flexibility in going this way with us and at the same time we are already looking forward to IT-TRANS taking place again as a Live event with digital components at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Center", says project manager Jochen Georg.

From March 8 to 10, the International Trade Fair and Conference for Intelligent Solutions in Public Transport, invites you to the international industry meeting for all players in public and private passenger transport.

For more information on dealing with the coronavirus, please visit our website.