Railroad ticketing system enters new track

Modern railroads are not just about high-speed trains and comfortable platforms, but also about information systems that account for how passengers plan their travel, buy tickets and take advantage of concessions. One of the latest solutions gaining popularity among European carriers is OSDM - Open Sales and Distribution Model. This open standard, developed by the International Union of Railways (UIC), was created to streamline and standardize ticket sales across Europe, in both stationary and online channels.

OSDM is a solution that eliminates the limitations of traditional sales systems. For years, rail carriers relied on closed and inflexible structures that did not allow them to respond quickly to changing market needs. Each fare or offer change required a multi-step, time-consuming process. Integration with other carriers' or platforms' systems was complicated, and cross-border sales were difficult to implement in a passenger-friendly manner. As a result, travelers were often forced to purchase tickets separately from each carrier, complicating trip planning and increasing costs.

One standard, many options

OSDM solves these problems. Thanks to its open approach, the standard allows carriers to independently manage their offers, price lists and fare terms, and distribute them in real time across multiple sales channels - both in-house and third-party. The unification of the "language" of communication between sales systems means that whether a passenger buys a ticket on the carrier's website, mobile app or from a third-party partner, the system responds in the same way. This translates into consistent offers, less risk of errors and greater user comfort.

Through the use of the API system, OSDM also makes it possible to sell multiple offers in a single request, handle cross-border trips, limit available seats and automatically combine rail and bus sections. In practice, this translates into a simplified purchasing process - from searching for a connection, to selecting an offer and concessions, to payment and generating a ticket using UIC-compliant 2D codes. All of this can be implemented by external platforms, opening up new opportunities for cooperation between carriers and sales partners.

For carriers, the implementation of OSDM also represents real operational and business benefits. In traditional sales systems, each offer change was time-consuming and carried the risk of errors. With OSDM, fare changes can be implemented almost instantly, significantly increasing the competitiveness of the offer and the quality of passenger service. What's more, centralization of data and automation of sales processes translate into reduced operating costs and improved efficiency of the organization's operations.

Antumo implements the first OSDM implementation in Poland.

OSDM on European tracks

The first implementation of the OSDM system has already been carried out in Poland - this project was carried out by Antumo, which was the first company in the country to successfully implement this standard at a rail carrier. The Antumo team was responsible for the full preparation and implementation of the implementation: from the analysis of needs and adaptation of the system architecture, through integration with the carrier's existing IT solutions, to the startup and stabilization of the system. The company's experts also ensured compliance with the requirements of the International Union of Railways (UIC) and European technical standards, offering comprehensive technical and substantive support at every stage of the project.

What is important, OSDM is not an experimental solution - it is already a functioning standard that is used in many European countries. Examples of implementations can be found, among others, in the Czech Republic (České dráhy), Germany (Deutsche Bahn), Poland (Koleje Dolnośląskie) and Sweden (Statens Järnvägar). Thanks to the use of a common, open language, the system allows for easy collaboration between different operators and sales platforms across Europe.

Looking at the development of the market and the needs of passengers, there is no doubt that the OSDM system is the future of rail ticket sales. The openness of the standard, its flexibility and compliance with European regulations mean that more and more operators will choose to implement it. Antumo, with its experience in working with operators and providing solutions tailored to their needs, plays an important role in the digital transformation of rail transportation.

See inside - learn about OSDM from Antumo.