TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

European passenger rail operators and ticket vendors active on the European territory recently formally committed to a joint initiative to radically enhance rail booking opportunities: the \”Full Service Model\” (FSM). Building on modern IT developments, this initiative will strengthen business partnerships by making it easier and cheaper for both railways and ticket vendors to provide accurate and transparent information about available rail products, for the benefit of their customers.
The signature of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by companies from both sides, respectively represented by the ticket vendors associations ETTSA and ECTAA and by the railway association CER, marked the formal kick-off of FSM. During a period of 16 months, FSM will concentrate on the functional requirements and specifications for an open, interoperable IT framework designed to be used by a wide number of applications. More choice and information for passengers and additional business opportunities for both rail operators and ticket vendors will be the main outcomes of this outstanding initiative.
Officials indicate that the initiative is the result of a common decision from railways and ticket vendors to join forces to enhance end-to-end journey information and make it easier to book train and intermodal journeys on a diversity of distribution channels, from operators\’ web sites to both \”High Street\” and online travel agencies.
This initiative will be run jointly by train operators, members of CER, and ticket vendors, members of the associations ETTSA and ECTAA. The associations will provide support to FSM in an advisory capacity.
Go to http://www.cer.be for more.