Standard and technological core: VDV core application and (((etiCORE

VDV-Kernapplikation (VDV-KA): This is the name of our open data and interface standard for electronic ticketing or electronic fare management (EFM) in public transport. The VDV-KA is the technological core of the electronic ticketing system (((eTicket Deutschland, on which the EFM systems of transport associations and companies introduced throughout Germany are based.

We are currently developing version 3 of the VDV core application. To enable international manufacturers of components and systems as well as transport companies abroad to work with our open standard in the future, the new version will also be published in English - and will be given an international name: (((etiCORE

Function and expansion stages of the VDV core application

If you work with the VDV-KA as a transport company, you can decide yourself which range of functions you want to use or offer to your customers. A participation agreement serves as the basis, which primarily regulates organizational issues so that all connected systems can work together on an equal footing and in an automated manner.

From a technological point of view, the respective user media (chip cards, NFC or RFID-capable user media such as smartphones) of the (((eTicket Deutschland support all existing expansion variants, even if only certain functions should be enabled in the respective area of use.

Here you get all specifications and releases

At the beginning of December 2021 we have published the VDV KA release 1.10.0. Since then, the release is available for download in the  ASM-Tool. There, participants in (((eTicket Germany can access all specifications of VDV KA free of charge.

The new version of VDV KA is currently under development. It will be called (((etiCORE and will also be available in English. Here you can find the current Release-Plan.

The bilingual glossary for the specifications VDV-KA 1.x and (((etiCORE can also be downloaded here.

The future of the VDV core application is called (((etiCORE

(((etiCORE stands for everything that makes us special - from the three brackets of contactless payment to its core. The internationally understandable pronunciation is also accompanied by the simplification of the standard: (((etiCORE is an improved and, above all, leaner version of the VDV core application.

With (((etiCORE, certificate extensions ensure that user media and SAMs can be used significantly longer. This saves costs. In addition, the ordering and distribution of keys is largely eliminated, which reduces the complexity of handling. In the application, the speed of the issuing, control and capture processes increases significantly.