In 2024–2025, 1.7 billion passenger rail journeys were made across the UK. Yet across those journeys, the quality of onboard information and therefore the overall passenger experience will have varied significantly.
Some passengers experience inactive Passenger Information Systems (PIS) throughout their journey. Others rely on static displays limited to fixed route information, often outdated during disruption. At the other end of the spectrum, some benefit from fully integrated, real-time systems providing live updates, automated announcements, delay information, and even carriage occupancy data.
As the rail industry accelerates its digital transformation and prioritises a passenger-first approach, onboard information is shifting from static displays to fully dynamic, real-time systems that support the entire end-to-end journey.
Early adopters of real-time information
Around 2015 marked a real turning point for the UK rail industry, with an increased focus on passenger feedback and implementing new technology that met their needs and expectations regarding the quality, speed and accuracy of information provided on trains.
At the forefront of this shift, KeTech became the first provider in the UK to deliver a truly real-time onboard Passenger Information System.
Hull Trains was the first operator to deploy KeTech’s PIS, enabling real-time journey updates before departure, throughout the journey, and on arrival, supporting passengers with accurate, end-to-end travel information, including onward connections.
Delivered in collaboration with industry partners including Rail Delivery Group (formerly ATOC), Angel Trains, Alstom, and Icomera, the programme demonstrated what was possible with fully integrated, real-time passenger information and contributed to Hull Trains achieving the highest customer satisfaction score in the 2017 Spring National Rail Passenger Survey.
The adoption of real-time PIS aligns with the principles of E.M Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations theory, which describes how new technologies spread from innovators to early adopters, and eventually to the wider market.
Since then, operators such as TransPennine Express, LNER, West Midlands Trains, Chiltern Railways, Transport for Wales, East Midlands Railway and Avanti West Coast have followed as early adopters. However, widespread implementation across the network remains slower than many passengers might expect. Nearly a decade on, a key question persists: why hasn’t real-time passenger information become the industry standard?
Barriers to adoption
At any point in the decision-making process, an organisation may decide against adopting an innovation, often due to perceived barriers.
Research conducted by KeTech across the industry found that 61% of rail professionals identified complexity as the primary obstacle to implementing real-time passenger information systems. This perception continues to slow adoption, even as passenger expectations increase.
In today’s fast-moving digital environment, one of the most important requirements for software is its ability to adapt to new and changing demands. This is often referred to as software evolvability, also known as modifiability or changeability. Systems designed with a high degree of evolvability can be more easily updated, extended, and integrated, reducing long-term risk and supporting continuous improvement.
However, for organisations without deep expertise in software development, industry data feeds, real-time intelligence, and the integration of wayside systems with rolling stock, designing and implementing such systems can appear highly complex.
This is where KeTech’s experience plays a critical role. With over 25 years of designing and delivering real-time information systems for the rail industry, KeTech has developed the specialist knowledge required to manage this complexity, enabling the delivery of flexible, future-proof solutions that can evolve alongside changing operational and passenger needs.
An open architecture approach
One of the most effective ways to address complexity and future uncertainty is through open architecture.
KeTech’s Passenger Information System is designed with an open architecture approach, enabling compatibility with a wide range of hardware components – both existing and new. This reduces dependency on single suppliers, helping train operators avoid the risk of costly or forced upgrades.
By decoupling software from hardware, operators and train builders re-gain the power and flexibility to select the most appropriate components for their requirements, balancing performance, cost, and innovation; rather than being constrained by a single supply chain.
This approach also enables systems to be modified, scaled, and updated, often remotely and with minimal disruption, ensuring that passenger information can continuously evolve alongside operational needs.
Combined with intelligent system design, this flexibility allows operators to respond quickly to change and adopt emerging technologies, including advancements in data analytics and artificial intelligence, without needing to fundamentally replace their existing system.
Technology, passenger expectations and operational requirements are evolving, and now with KeTech, so is the way train builders and train operators choose and build their information systems.
Featured In International Railway Gazette.