Belgian Railways provide intermodal timetable services for business
Belgians always know the way. And this is quite simple: The Belgian Railways (SNCB /NMBS) offer a new free business service to public institutions and companies called “Train Info Services for Business”. Behind this is an intermodal routing that informs about the location of the company or institution and shows how to reach them by public transport.
For this service, HaCon has developed a solution based on the timetable information system HAFAS which is already in use at the Belgian State Railways. The HaCon Print2Web module generates an individual travel plan. The solution can be installed as an interactive HTML page or as a widget, a small window on the website of the business customer. Simply and just at a glance, visitors can compose all relevant information for them and print it out as a PDF file in the final step.
Personal travel plan with all the relevant information
The information service is already pre-configured and therefore can be handled simply and intuitively. The application includes maps, timetable data with real-time data for trains and additional information. Business customers can draw additional footpaths on the map and parking lots, or insert the company’s logo and photographs of the building. So, with only a few clicks, the individual routing is ready. The institution’s or company’s address is already filled in. Thus, visitors only need to enter from where they want to start their trips. With this one input they receive their personal travel plan with all relevant information and timetable data for the nearest stations. Real-time data is available for trains.
As many services of the SNCB, it is offered in four different languages: Dutch, French, German and English.
Since 2007, SNCB/NMBS use HAFAS as their national timetable information system for all modes of public transport. HAFAS is also deployed for publishing printed timetables and Print2Web-media (online calculation of PDF-timetables). In 2010, they also launched a mobile site (m.sncb.be) as well as the iPhone and Android applications which help the travellers to plan their journey with, for example, real-time information on the trains.
