MERITS database

MERITS [1] (Multiple East-West Railways Integrated Timetable Storage) is a database, owned by UIC, containing the integrated timetable [2] data of many European countries, comprising a few hundred railway undertakings [3] (RUs), which are published four times a week.

MERITS today is not an application for the general public, but a tool designed for railway companies, which decide themselves on how their information and distribution channels are supplied based on their own commercial policy. Today, EDIFACT is the single format used for importing and exporting the data (SKDUPD [4] and TSDUPD [5] messages).

The MERITS timetable data consist of:

Schedules of trains, a significant number of (inter)regional and long-distance busses and some ship services, including service brand (e.g. Eurostar), generic service mode (e.g. high-speed train, Intercity, bus, ship etc.), and service attributes (1st and 2nd class, reservation advised/mandatory, restaurant car etc.). It contains about 600.000 services in Europe. Many, but not all, RUs deliver the departure and arrival platforms with their timetable data.
Location database, containing about 67.680 European stations and stops, including geo-coordinates and UIC location codes (9-digit number: 4N + 5N).
MCT’s (minimum connection time) per location in minutes + exceptions, defined as service pairs with their specific MCT (this can be a higher or lower number than the location MCT). Also: pedestrian links and connections between locations.

Timetable period represented in MERITS:

Most railway companies publish a 12-month timetable, running from mid-December to mid-December +1. Some publish separate winter and summer timetables. From mid-October, the next 12-month c. q. 6-month timetable becomes available, and MERITS then contains up to two 12-month periods.
A few RU’s publish a calendar year timetable (Jan – Dec) and a few others only publish the period between each update and mid-December.
Services (mainly high-speed trains) hosted in the French inventory system Resarail, e.g. TGV, Eurostar and Thalys, publish their timetable according to their booking horizon, i.e. 4-6 months ahead.

NB: real-time information is not part of the MERITS database.

All MERITS data are in the EDIFACT UN standard format.

There are two types of files used in MERITS:

SKDUPD (see glossary) are used for the exchange of “timetable data”:
- Brand codes, type of train
- Classes, coach groups, seats, couchette...
- Timetables (departure and arrival at stations), running periods,
- Tariffs info for different type of ticket: e.g.: Integrated Reservation Ticket (IRT), Non Reservation Ticket (NRT), reservation information (e.g.: compulsory or possible)
- Service data and facilities: restaurant, sleeping cars, bicycle, mini bar, wheelchair, power supply sockets...
TSDUPD (see glossary) are used for the exchange of “location data”:
- Location codes and names
- Minimum connecting times (MCT, not for all locations)
- Geo-coordinates of location (not for all locations)
- Synonyms, time zone, reservation code, linked sub-location...

How to purchase MERITS products

Click on the MERITS product above and you will directly link to the ETF UIC webshop.
To purchase the MERITS product, you have first to Register in the ETF webshop that allows you to:
Register your company as a MERITS data user
Select MERITS product
Pay, only bank transfers are possible
Accept the General Terms & Conditions of data
Receive download information to access the purchased MERITS product

MERITS Gold

Get the most up-to-date integrated timetable and station data
EDIFACT format
(best suited for distribution purposes)

50k€/ year

Disclaimer
Updated 4 times a week
1 year license, VAT excluded for unlimited access to the product

MERITS Silver

Integrated timetable and station data
(best suited for testing
purposes/ developers)

8k€/ year

Disclaimer
All MERITS data
1 year license, VAT excluded for one single access to the product

MERITS Bronze

Station data only

5k€/ year

Disclaimer
Railway stations data only
1 year license, VAT excluded for one single access to the product

MERITS Gold GTFS

Get the most up-to-date integrated timetable and station data
GTFS format
(best suited for distribution purposes)

50k€/ year

Disclaimer
Updated 4 times a week
1 year license, VAT excluded for unlimited access to the product

MERITS Gold Limited

Get the most up-to-date integrated timetable and station data EDIFACT format
(for a cluster of 1 to 3 countries)

35k€/ year

Disclaimer
Updated 4 times a week
1 year license, VAT excluded for unlimited access to the product

MERITS Bronze +

Station data only

17k€/ year

Disclaimer
Railway stations data only - updated 4 times a week
1 year license, VAT excluded for unlimited access to the product

If a group purchases more than one license:

MERITS Gold up to 6 licences

180k€/ year

MERITS Gold up to 10 licences

250k€/ year

MERITS product user general terms and conditions

MERITS data provider [6] agreement

Data supplier frequency

MERITS data supplier frequency

The data supplier frequency is provided for information, this may change therefore this information is non contractual.

MERITS FAQ

MERITS (Multiple East-West Railways Integrated Timetable Storage) is a database, owned by UIC, containing the integrated timetable data of many European countries, comprising a few hundred railway undertakings (RUs), which are published four times a week. The data received are quality checked, integrated into the existing data and stored into a database. The integration process allows an exact reconstitution of cross border trains timetables through the integration of national itineraries. These data are used by railway undertakings or third parties in their information systems to support journey planners [7] and booking activities.

Of course, you will be able to contact our experts at this email address: MERITS at uic.org

The MERITS data are provided by railways (Data Providers). They cover most of European countries including Turkey.

MERITS added value is: Contrary to assembling data from each individual railway company, MERITS offers one-stop shopping of high quality integrated data updated up to 4 times a week.

You can:

Provide information to your customers in your application or/and your web site
Develop statistics
Develop any product based on timetable or station data

The user is not allowed to share and resell the MERITS product, either in part or totally. The User may adapt elements contained in the MERITS Integrated Timetable and/or Product(s) in order to make it compatible or compliant with the format, content or characteristics of its products or to offer an improved user experience of its products, under the condition as stated in the General Terms & Conditions article 5.

You will find timetable data including:

Brand codes, type of train

Classes, coach groups, seats, couchette...

Timetables (departure and arrival at stations), running periods,

Tariffs info for different type of ticket: e.g.: Integrated Reservation Ticket (IRT), Non Reservation Ticket (NRT), reservation information (e.g.: compulsory or possible)

Service data and facilities: restaurant, sleeping cars, bicycle, mini bar, wheelchair, Wi-Fi...
And/or station data including:

Station codes and names

Minimum connecting times (MCT)

Geo-coordinates of stations

Synonyms, time zone, reservation code, linked sub-location...

MERITS data are in the EDIFACT UN standard format. There are two types of files used in MERITS:

SKDUPD are used for the exchange of “timetable data”

TSDUPD are used for the exchange of “station data”

You can get a sample of timetable and station data here link to download samples, please note that these data are not updated.

The specifications of the MERITS data standards are available in the following documents:

UIC leaflet 916-1 / ERA Technical document B.4

ERA code lists

MERITS user guide

visit: https://service.unece.org/trade/untdid/d04b/timd/skdupd_c.htm

visit: https://service.unece.org/trade/untdid/d04b/timd/tsdupd_c.htm

MERITS products can be purchased clicking on the selected product in the catalogue, you will be redirected to the ETF UIC webshop (https://shop.uic.org/) in which after your registration you will be able to purchase the selected MERITS product.

You will be able to pay for your MERITS product by bank transfer, a payment functionality is provided by the ETF UIC webshop, the validation process can take up to one week.

After the purchasing phase and the General Terms & Conditions validation phase you will receive by email an FTP address and your access rights that will enable you to download the MERITS products whenever you want.

Please consult the catalogue.

No, each legal entity in your group needs to have its own license. Please note that you can purchase a multi-license package. We offer two packages:

Up to 6 licenses

Up to 10 licenses

You will be able to validate the MERITS General Terms and Conditions in the dedicated web base MERITS management license tool. All the related information will be sent to you by email after the purchasing phase.

The validity date will start when you will accept the General Terms & Conditions and it will last one-year.

Disclaimer

Considering that Raw Timetable are sent to MERITS by the relevant carriers through a separate agreement, UIC shall do its best efforts to deliver complete and qualitative data, and shall cooperate in restoring the required quality of its Product(s).
The UIC makes no warranties concerning any data published via within the Product(s) or any MERITS data/database/ecosystem/tool, which are provided “as is.” The UIC disclaims all warranties, express or implied including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. The UIC does not warrant the accuracy, currency, appropriateness, applicability or completeness of the Product(s) or any MERITS data/database/ecosystem/tool, nor of any particular guideline, template, or continuing program, or make any representation regarding the use or the results of the use of the Product(s) or any MERITS data/database/ecosystem/tool for whichever use, treatment or purpose.
Although UIC monitors MERITS, it cannot prevent all incidents and consequently does not provide a guarantee as to the availability of its data. The same applies in the event of maintenance: planned service interventions and service changes (particularly in the format, content or distribution method) will however always be communicated to the Data User beforehand.

UIC shall be liable for any damages of any kind including direct, incidental, indirect, special or consequential damages arising out of or in connection with the license granted under the Agreement or use of the Product(s) or any MERITS data/database/ecosystem/tool including, without limitation, loss of life, physical injury , property damage, loss of data, loss of income or profit, or any other damages, losses or claims, if its liability may be proven.

In no event UIC’s liability to a Data User or to any Third party [8] claiming through a Data User or on behalf of a Data User shall exceed the purchase price of the Product by the Data User for the concerned period. The Data User agrees and acknowledges that this exclusion and limitation of liability are reasonable in the circumstances and that the price of the Products would have been increased if such exclusions and limitations were not enforceable.

Glossary

[1] MERITS (Multiple East-West Railways Integrated Timetable data Storage) is a UIC activity using a system (tool, database) designed to exchange timetable data. The data received are quality checked, integrated into the existing data and stored into a database. The integration process allows an exact reconstitution of cross border trains timetables through the integration of national itineraries, except for those international services managed in their entirety by a single RU. These data are used by railway undertakings or third parties in their information systems to support journey planners and booking activities.

[2] Timetable: List of commercial transport services offered by a railway undertaking during a given time interval.

[3] Railway undertaking (RU): Any public or private undertaking the principal business of which is to provide services for the transport of goods and/or passengers by rail, with a requirement that the undertaking must ensure traction; this also includes undertakings which provide traction only.

[4] SKDUPD: MERITS file containing timetable data in EDIFACT format, UNECE standard (https://service.unece.org/trade/untdid/d04b/timd/skdupd_c.htm).

[5] TSDUPD: MERITS file containing location data in EDIFACT format, UNECE standard (https://service.unece.org/trade/untdid/d04b/timd/tsdupd_c.htm).

[6] Data Provider: Railway company which has signed a Data Provider Agreement (DPA) with UIC, on behalf of the participants, to provide services for MERITS.

[7] Journey planner: IT system able to propose journey solutions.

[8] Third party: Public or private undertaking, which is not a railway undertaking or infrastructure manager and provides services ancillary to, or in connection with, the services/transport services. Public Authorities can be Third Parties.

[9] Passenger: a person who intends to make, or is making, or has made a journey using the transport services and other services of one or more railway undertakings.

[10] Timetable integrated data: MERITS timetable data set resulting of the quality control and integration procedures for cross border trains, in EDIFACT format (can as well be provided in PIVOT or other formats).