VDV eTicket Service: Who we are and what we do
We make (((eTicket Germany. This means that we publish the standard for electronic fare management (EFM) in local public transport (ÖPNV): the VDV core application (VDV KA) and (((etiCORE.
In addition, our team operates and coordinates the technical systems for EFM in public transport and develops new technical solutions for the transport companies and associations. This includes accompanying the participating companies and suppliers and establishing and monitoring organizational rules.
We offer consulting workshops for transport companies and system component manufacturers. Our educational offering includes basic and technical seminars as well as user training.
Security management and data exchange
Another area of responsibility is security management. The service provider T-Systems manages our centrally issued keys and security certificates in a trust center; we control the security process and the web service ‚ASM-Tool‘, which is available to our business customers via our partner IVU Traffic Technologies AG.
The internal data exchange of the business customers participating in the (((eTicket system is handled by the service provider Atos Worldline GmbH. This company operates a 'central switching point' (ZVM) for us and thus enables - network-based - an 'interoperable network' (ION) for the (((eTicket Deutschland.
Certification and joint procurement
We also certify the ticketing components used: contactless smart cards, sales terminals, recording terminals and background system interfaces. The independent company cetecom advanced GmbH operates its own test laboratory for this purpose.
For our participants, we tender smart cards as a central service on behalf of transport companies and associations.
Change Requests
Everyone but especially the participating transport associations and companies can further develop and improve the EFM standard together with us by submitting so-called Change Requests (CR). Our 'Standardization Working Group' (AGS), which consists of experts from the transport companies and associations, supports and advises us in the evaluation of these CRs.
Which CRs are ultimately implemented and included in a new release is decided once a year at the participants' meeting. At the participants' meeting, the representatives of all participating companies come to Cologne.
Our form of organization
We are organized as VDV eTicket Service GmbH & Co. KG. Our limited partnership emerged through a change of name on January 1, 2014 from VDV-Kernapplikations GmbH & Co. KG. This was founded in 2003 as a development company to develop an e-ticket standard in public transport: The VDV-Kernapplikation.
We currently have twelve shareholders, and the VDV is also involved as a general partner through VDV eTicket Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH.
Our shareholders at a glance
- VDV eTicket Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Köln (Komplementärin)
- BVG Beteiligungsholding GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin
- DB Vertrieb GmbH, Frankfurt
- Hamburger Hochbahn AG, Hamburg
- Kölner Verkehrsbetriebe AG, Köln
- Mainzer Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH, Mainz
- Münchener Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH, München
- NVBW-Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbh, Stuttgart
- Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund GmbH, Hofheim
- Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg GmbH, Nürnberg
- Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe GmbH, Dresden
- Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr AöR, Gelsenkirchen
- Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg GmbH, Köln