Master Data and Metadata – Overview

Brief Description

We provide various master and metadata. On the one hand, information about the basic infrastructure components of the Swiss public transport system, i.e. lines (including partial lines), services, areas and stops. On the other hand, details about the means of transport, business organisations and large-capacity profiles for car trains.

Thanks to close cooperation with the Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), we also provide the basic network for all transport services on the Swiss transport networks (VnCH).

Data and interfaces

 We offer the data sets in three “versions”:

1. “Heute”: Daily updated status of the data.
2. “Fahrplanwechsel”: Status of the data on the first day of the upcoming timetable (timetable change).
3. “Alle Versionen”: All versions of data.

Functional Description

The master data and metadata contain a wide range of different information.

In Switzerland, the Customer Information System Tasks (SKI) is responsible for collecting, consolidating and publishing a wide range of master and metadata in the context of customer information (see https://www.oev-info.ch/). It does this CENTRALLY for public transport throughout SWITZERLAND. For some of these data, SKI has launched the ‘Swiss Identification for Public Transport’ initiative (SID4PT for short). This includes:

• Lines and sub-lines, e.g. the ‘S5’ line that runs between Zurich and Zug. They are uniquely identified by the Swiss Line ID (SLNID).
• Service Points, Areas, Stop Places, e.g. a travel counter operated by a railway undertaking, but also specific stops such as ‘Bern, Bahnhof’ as well as stops and areas. They are uniquely identified by the Swiss Location ID (SLOID).
• Business organisations, e.g. ‘BLS’. A business organisation therefore usually corresponds to a transport company. They are represented by the Swiss Business Organisation (SBOID).

With regard to the stops, we are also providing the FOT-Stoplist.

We also provide information on the large-capacity profiles of BLS, the basic network of the Swiss transport network, , the lists of means of transport and notes, as well as the service directory of mobility services.

Explanations of terms

Term	Description
Service Points	A collective term that describes all places that have a function in public transport, from stops to travel agencies, for example. Not all of them are relevant for publishing the timetable. See also picture below.
Operation Points – Service Points	Departments relevant to operations without a commercial mandate (e.g. branches, depots, …)
Freight Points – Service Points	Departments relevant to freight services for loading and unloading goods
Stop – Service Points	The term ‘stop’ is used differently. Opentransportdata.swiss refers to the place where passengers (passenger services) have official access to public transport. Thus, a stop represents the generic term for all modes of public transport. This means, for example, stations, boat docks or cableway stations. Every stop in Switzerland originates from the atlas application (see also here). This ensures that it is uniquely identified and given a unique name and that this name complies with the Geographical Names Ordinance. A stop is usually divided up more finely, e.g. into stops, sectors or platforms. However, it can also be combined with other stops in a higher level, e.g. meta stations or mobility points.
Stop Place – Service Points	Are the places where people can board a means of transport (e.g. platform, platform)
Stop Area – Service Points	Enables several stops to be grouped (e.g. into platforms) or even areas.
Meta stop	Meta stops are various stops that belong together specifically for changing trains. A typical example is the station stop for local transport and the station itself.
Line	In public transport, the primary means of transport are trains and buses. These usually have a designation, e.g. ‘S5’. The line or line designation helps public transport users to identify the means of transport to be used. However, the concept of the line goes much further than this ‘commercial’ view (see further information on SLNID).
Sub-line	A route segment bundles journeys within a line according to operational or concession criteria. As with the lines, the concept is more complex and can be read in more detail in Further information on the SLNID.
Business organisation	Business organisations (business organisations) usually correspond to one transport company. However, there are also transport companies that comprise several business organisations. For example, if the company offers both rail and bus services.
Transport companies	The source for transport companies is the Directory of Transport Companies published by the Federal Office of Transport. The reference between the business organisation and the transport companies is maintained and published by SKI in the atlas system (see also here).

Further Information

• Swiss Line Identification (SLNID)
• Swiss Location Identification (SLOID)
• Swiss Business Organisation (SBOID)