HAFAS-Fares Module

To offer all-inclusive customer information you also have to consider fares and tariff information. With the HAFAS-Fares Module a comprehensive timetable information with corresponding, individual fare and tariff information is possible. The HAFAS-Fares module can be individually integrated into HAFAS.

General

HaCon already implemented several fares and tariff calculation modules. The basis is a generic fares and tariff calculation kernel including the following features:

• Possibility to interface with the journey planning algorithm through a mapping between the algorithms graphs
• Possibility of an independent request through a XML interface
• Integrated route search in combination with HAFAS (even without searching real journeys)
• Implementation of zone models (fare/tariff zones, fare/tariff groups), distance models (fare/tariff kilometers) and mixed models.
• Highest performance
• Simple data supply

The generic fares and tariff calculation kernel was designed to eliminate the need to implement new and individual fares and tariff modules from scratch. It can map very different fares and tariff models to a common code and algorithm basis. The module consists of a data model as well as several algorithms which are combined to calculate the fares and tariffs. To implement a new fares and tariff module, usually only few specific parts of the calculation algorithm have to be adapted.

The Model

The HAFAS-Fares Module uses a flexible relational database model for the fares and tariff data. Small extensions of the database model allow different fares and tariff systems, e.g. zone based, time based, distance based or journey based fares and tariffs.

In the standard version of the database model the following elements are supported among others:

• Different types of tickets (1./2. class, normal fare, reduced fares, time tickets such as daily or monthly, etc.)
• Different customer profiles (travelling alone, in groups, seniors, juniors, pupils, ...)
• Duration of validity for fares/tariff data. Several versions of fares/tariff data can be managed and provided independently. Therefore changes in fares/tariff systems can be managed continuously.

The binary database file format and the implementation of the software interfaces are platform independent and thus applicable for HAFAS-Internet as well as HAFAS-Windows. There is no third-party database system required.

The binary database files are generated by a separate Transform program. The input format for the transform program consists of simple ASCII-tables or -matrices. Several database models are described by configuration files. The data administration can take place by using standard software (e.g. ACCESS, EXCEL, ORACLE) supplied by the customer.

HAFAS-Fares Module references The HAFAS-Fares Module is already being used by several operating companies (e.g. Bus Operators, TOCs, Transit Authorities, Transit Networks, National Railways). Have a look at our references and the different individualized versions.

If you are interested in a customised version, please feel free to contact us.