UK’s Rail Delivery Group (RDG) has announced the completion of new system Darwin, which will provide travellers with accurate and consistent information across Britain’s rail network.
As a national project, the new system will help customers access the same information whether viewing online, via app such as National Rail Travel App, or on station screens. This has been designed to provide consistency.
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The live feed will help customers plan their journeys, particularly during times of disruption.
Darwin is the UK’s official train running information engine and delivers real-time arrival and departure predictions, delay estimates, schedule changes, platform numbers, and cancellations.
Being Britain’s only system to take feeds directly from every train operator’s customer information system, Darwin combines the live feed with train location data provided by the railway infrastructure manager, Network Rail.
Rail Delivery Group’s customer experience managing director Jacqueline Starr said: "Our customers tell us that they want better information, especially when services are disrupted. This project is an important step towards addressing that need.
"Many rail passengers will be familiar with the panic that sets in when they are waiting for a train and the screen on the station platform tells them one thing but the app on their phone says another. The improvements we’re making today should bring an end to those moments.
"Being able to trust the origin of information on the railway is crucial for customers so that they can make the best decisions about their journeys."
Around 66 separate customer information systems (CIS) operated by train operators and Network Rail are being replaced by Darwin.
