Navigation at Russian Railways stations

Goals and objectives of the project

The key goal of the project was to create a highly efficient navigation system that would allow passengers to easily and quickly find the necessary facilities and areas at train stations: ticket offices, platforms, waiting areas, retail outlets and exits. Special attention was paid to creating convenient solutions for people with limited mobility and improving safety.

An equally important task was to provide administrators with tools for analyzing passenger flows and monitoring the work of employees, which made it possible to improve facility management and increase the efficiency of operating station complexes.

Digitization of railway stations and creation of 3D maps

As part of the project, 42 railway stations across Russia were digitized in three months, with the creation of detailed 3D maps of the facilities. More than 3,000 BLE beacons have been installed at 9 of Moscow's largest train stations to accurately position passengers. Digital maps embedded in the system of the Indoors Navigation Platform provide passengers with the opportunity to plot routes and receive up-to-date information about the station facilities in real time.

Application of the mobile application "Railway stations"

One of the key tools for users is the mobile version of the system in the form of the Railway Stations application (available on iOS and Android). The application provides the following functions:

• Interactive 3D map of the station: Passengers can plot routes to places of interest, including platforms, ticket offices, recreation areas and shops.
• Offline mode: Train station maps are available for use without an internet connection.
• AR navigation: The use of augmented reality technology allows you to plot routes in real space using a smartphone camera.
• Routes for groups with limited mobility: Special routes take into account ramps, elevators and passageways, providing comfortable movement for the MGN using voice prompts.
• Train Schedules: The app provides information about the arrival and departure of trains, as well as notifications of possible changes.

Technical architecture of the system

• Fan Navigation: The app helped fans easily find their seats in the stands, avoid queues in the catering area, and quickly navigate crowded areas. This significantly reduced the time spent searching for the right objects.
• Marketing and advertising: Interactive stands and push notifications provided additional opportunities for stadium organizers to advertise and promote goods and services. This decision helped to improve interaction with fans and created a new channel to attract customers.
• Monitoring and analytics: One of the key elements of the Indoor Navigation system was the use of heat maps, which allowed the administration to track the movement of visitors in stadiums in real time. This made it possible not only to optimize the flow of people, but also to prevent congestion and queues in critical areas.

Advantages of the Indoor Navigation Platform system

• Convenience for passengers: The app provides fast and intuitive navigation in train station complexes, helping passengers save time and minimize the stress of finding the right places.
• Efficient passenger flow management: Passenger movement data analysis tools allow administrators to optimize the flow of people and prevent congestion at critical points.
• Additional advertising revenue: The Indoor Navigation Platform offers tenants the possibility of targeted advertising through push notifications, which creates additional channels for monetization of facilities.
• Asset security and control: The system allows you to track the movements of employees and assets, which helps to improve control and security at facilities.

User script and Administrator role

• User scenario: A passenger arriving at a train station opens the Stations mobile app and can immediately plot a route to the desired area: for example, a platform, a waiting area, or a ticket office. And with the help of augmented reality (AR), the user sees virtual hints directly on the smartphone screen that lead him to the goal. If the passenger is a representative of MGN, the system will automatically suggest an optimized route, taking into account ramps and elevators, as well as provide voice prompts.
• The role of the administrator: The station administrator gets access to the IP platform, where he can monitor the movements of passengers in real time, analyze heat maps and manage flows. The system also provides the ability to track employees and assets of the station, which improves the management efficiency and safety of facilities.

Scaling and support from JV

The implementation of the Indoor Navigation Platform at railway stations was supported by the Directorate of Railway Stations (JV), which made it possible to successfully scale to other stations in Russia.: "The geographic information system of the Indoors Navigation Platform helps to create digital maps of railway station complexes, increase the comfort level of passengers and improve customer loyalty

We express our support for your project and interest in the implementation of the national program "Digital Economy of the Russian Federation" within the framework of the federal project "Digital Technologies"

A.V. Belonogov

General Director of JV

Conclusion

The introduction of the Indoor Navigation Platform at Russian Railways stations has become an important step in the process of digitalization of transport facilities. The system not only improved navigation for passengers, but also provided administrators with powerful analysis and management tools. The Indoors Navigation Platform is an innovative solution that helps optimize the operation of transportation facilities, providing a high level of comfort and safety for all users.

Based on the successful implementation experience in Moscow, GIS INP will be scaled to other stations in Russia, which will allow the country's railway infrastructure to continue to be digitized.

The Indoors Navigation Platform is a universal solution for train stations and other transport facilities. Contact us for a consultation and find out how we can help you improve navigation, improve management efficiency and offer modern solutions for passengers.