In many public transport operators, service information is managed in a fragmented way. Timetables are maintained in spreadsheets, routesare defined in GIS systems, calendars live in separate tools, and data exchange files are manually updated whenever an operational change occurs. This approach not only consumes time and resources, but also makes it difficult to maintain control and consistency across data.
When the data model does not accurately reflect real operations, the impact quickly extends to both the organization and the passenger.
Standards such as GTFS, VDV-452 or NeTEx have become key formats for structuring and sharing public transport data. However, in many operators they are used only as a final output: a file generated to meet an external requirement—passenger information, system integrations or reporting—without being part of the daily operational process.
This approach typically leads to recurring issues:
Over time, data management becomes reactive and increasingly complex.
In the European context, VDV-452 defines a standard data model for public transport networks and timetables. It is not acertification or a feature in itself, but a common structure that enables consistent exchange of information about stops, lines, routes and calendars between systems.
Using VDV-452 as a reference provides a solid semantic foundation, but its real value emerges when this model is integrated into the core of planning and not limited to occasional exports.
Static GTFS describes the planned service offer: network, routes, timetables and frequencies. It forms the basis for journey planners and passenger information applications.
However, real operations rarely match the plan 100%. Delays, cancellations, detours or temporary reinforcements require an additional communication layer. This is where GTFS-RT comes into play, enabling the exchange of real-time information such as:
Clearly separating scheduled information (GTFS) from dynamic information (GTFS-RT) is essential to avoid inconsistencies and provide a reliable passenger experience.
NeTEx (Network Timetable Exchange) is the European standard for public transport data exchange, based on Transmodel. It is designed for complex and multimodal scenarios, and allows detailed descriptionof networks, timetables and other transport system elements.
In many European contexts, NeTEx acts as an interoperability framework between authorities, operators and systems across different countries, complementing other formats that are more focused on data publication or internal integration.
When VDV-452, GTFS, GTFS-RT or NeTEx are managed as isolated components, clear inefficiencies emerge:
Data quality stops being a purely technical concern and becomes an operational and organizational challenge.
Many data issues are not detected in tables, but on the map. Inconsistent routes, incorrectly positioned stops or overlapping services arefar easier to identify when data management includes an integrated geographic dimension.
In addition, daily operations require managing real-world scenarios: construction works, temporary detours, special services or service reinforcements. Without a structured model, these changes create parallel versions that are difficult to maintain and validate.
For standards such as VDV-452, GTFS, GTFS-RT and NeTEx to become an operational asset, a solution designed for operators should enable:
When these capabilities are integrated, data management ceases to be a burden and becomes a lever for efficiency, transparency andservice quality.
In this context, Goal provides a platform that natively integrates the management of VDV-452, GTFS, GTFS-RT and NeTEx within the operator’s operational model. The solution enables centralized network definition, management of stops, lines, routes and timetables from asingle source, integration of cartographic views to validate services,management of real operational scenarios, and consistency between planning, operations and the information delivered to passengers, both scheduled and real-time.