On 13 and 14 May 2014, the conference on Innovative Technologies for Passenger Distribution Systems was held in Sochi. This conference was organised by RZD FPC (Federal Passenger Company) and chaired by Mr Akulov, FPC Director General.
Some railway undertakings presented their latest developments concerning ticketing technologies and functionalities: Finish railways, French railways, Kazakh railways, Czech railways, Austrian railways and Russian railways.
UIC was represented by Mr Marc Guigon, Senior Advisor for Passenger Transport, Mr Clemens Gantert, Chairman of TAP-MD (Telematics application for Passengers – Maintenance and Development), Mr David Sarfatti, Chairman of TAP-TAG (Ticketing Action Group).
Marc Guigon presented the Merits and Prifis stakes (timetable and fares databases). He underlined the interest for the railway undertakings to share the Merits and Prifis data and tools and showed examples of timetables (Russia, Moldova…). He highlighted the high level of participation of all members and asked for some CIS countries to join the community. After FPC joined last year (April 2013 in Kazan), FPC informed the meeting that it would provide its own data (International and Domestic Russian trains) for this summer. All Merits and Prifis members could therefore have Russian timetables updated on a weekly basis.
Clemens Gantert presented the new Hermes developments which are now in production:

• The new price info message which gives the exact price of IRT fares without booking the seat
• A major technical step: the Hermes XML translator which provides the new technology to exchange Hermes messages

David Sarfatti presented the new UIC ticketing projects:

• The rail credit card size ticket (RCCST) which allows international journeys to be printed on smaller paper tickets
• The AZTEC bar code Version 3 which comprises 30 sub versions for all transportation ticket types (NRT, IRT, Interrail, Group tickets, domestic tickets…). This new project simplifies the specifications and implementation of bar codes for the railway undertakings, and each one can read all other tickets
• Ongoing project: Universal Rail Ticket (URT) which should allow interoperable mobile ticketing and avoids each railway undertaking developing its own standard. This ticket will be compatible with all current domestic standards