UIC selects new OSDM platform for international rail ticket prices

The International Union of Railways (UIC) is switching to a new OSDM (Open Sales and Distribution Model) platform from 2021.

OSDM is the new industry European-wide standard for ticket sales, reservations and prices distribution – a project jointly managed by the UIC, railway companies and ticket vendors. The new service will distribute international travel tariffs and prices among railway companies’ distribution systems, making them available to third party vendors, like Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) around the world.

The UIC has awarded the contract for the provision of the new OSDM Platform to Hit Rail B.V., replacing the current PRIFIS database.

OSDM results from the fusion of the previous FSM (Full Service Model) and nTM (New Tariff Model) projects. OSDM utilises state-of-the-art technologies to support the implementation of the new UIC International Railway Solution (IRS) 90918-10.

The OSDM platform will be provided by Hit Rail in a Software as a Service (SaaS) cloud-based mode. Its architecture will enable the ongoing introduction of future UIC services related to the distributing of tariffs and prices data. The technical components of the solution are deployed in a fully virtualised, enterprise-grade cloud environment managed by Hit Rail.

The UIC OSDM platform will be one of the first steps in the realisation of the vision of providing seamless train sales and after-sales processes. The UIC aims to have the OSDM platform available for railway partners and ticket vendors in April 2021.

“The benefits of OSDM will be felt by passengers, being able to easily purchase rail and multimodal transport tickets across Europe at the most beneficial prices and tariff conditions,” commented Antonio López, general manager at Hit Rail. “We will be assisting railway companies of all sizes in adopting and interoperating with OSDM.”

The contract covers the provision of the platform and services for a period up to 31 December 2025, effective from 1 April 2021.