IBA Group implemented a new integration IT platform for the Eastern European Railway

Olga — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 11:29:25 +0000

Business Challenge

Launch a new IT platform for the Eastern European Railway to add new functionality to the travel tickets sale section of the website and develop a mobile application.

SOLUTIONS HIGHLIGHTS

IBA Group has implemented and set up an enterprise platform for the client. As part of the project, the railway launched a separate system for selling tickets by third parties. The previous version of the platform has been developed for more than 10 years, so it was impossible to add new functionality to it.

The team reviewed the operation of the railway systems providing the sale of tickets, figured out its documented and undocumented features. All processes were created taking into account the objectives of the technical department, passenger service and other business units of the railway.

To address the customer’s assignment, a platform was needed that provides management of microservices. The IBA Group team decided to develop it based on the open source technology of Red Hat OpenShift. The OpenShift architecture allows the system to automatically allocate additional computing power under loads on one of the services, for example, when requesting a schedule during holidays. Third-party online cash desks and other external services can be connected to the system via API.

The security level is monitored by Red Hat 3Scale API Management. This component checks each incoming request and rejects those that it considers incorrect or suspicious. Thus, the platform only processes secure requests. The component automatically scales when the load on the system increases.

New version of the IT platform has become the basis for the mobile application (based on Android and iOS) and the “Passenger Services” section on the client’s website.

Now, the mobile application and the new website sell travel tickets with unnumbered seats of commuter (economy class) and city trains. Earlier, the old website only provided tickets for trains with numbered seats (compartment, communal compartment, etc.). Electronic booking is available: tickets do not need to be printed at the ticket offices – just show the conductor the document specified at checkout.

Results

Integration platform for the sale of travel tickets was put into operation within one year. The mobile application and the new website support multiple languages. The website is adapted for PCs and smartphones. Client’s partners selling tickets can connect to the system via API.

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Mobile application for customers of the Eastern European Railway

Olga — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 08:03:12 +0000

Challenge

Develop a mobile application for customers of the Eastern European Railway to view the schedules of international and commuter trains, buy tickets and obtain help information about services.

Solution highlights

The mobile application was being developed by two teams – Android and iOS. Work on the project lasted a year and a half. Approval of specifications, drafting of the terms of reference, and approval of the styling design took several months.

The IBA Group team participated in the coordination of the styling design for the mobile application: the visual style was to correspond to the unifying vision of a new website and mobile application, and the functionality that was requested by the customer. The application, like the ticket sale section of the website, runs on the basis of a new integration IT platform.

The previous version of the platform has been under development for over 10 years, so when introducing a new concept, the team was faced with multiple issues and improvements. The basic functionality of the mobile application includes viewing train schedules and buying tickets. The users may also view the online information board.

The list of routes provides information on the departure time, train number, the availability and cost of tickets; and a specific seat may be selected on the car diagram. To place any order, specify a personal identity document or mobile phone number (only for commuter trains). Payment for the order is available directly in the application by credit card. Online reservation is available.

When boarding the train with numbered seats, one needs to show the passenger car attendant only the document specified during reservation, and when boarding the train with unnumbered seats – a ticket on the smartphone screen.

All orders are retained in the user account: active, requiring activation (for commuter trains and municipal lines), as well as a full register of orders for the last year synchronized with the old website, and all tickets that have been refunded. The user account also provides opportunity to view selected routes and trains, the schedule by stations (including transfers), the train route, news and promotions, and help information.

Project results

Mobile app runs on Android and iOS. In the first month after launching the application, the platform recorded at least one million requests every day. Most of them are schedules of international and commuter trains.

Today, 2,000 tickets are sold through the mobile application daily. The plans of the IBA Group team include technical support and application development. In the next releases, new functionality will be added, for example, the ability to pay for bed-clothes in the application. The planning takes into account user feedback.

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