ERA takes action to reduce fragmentation in the European rail data landscape

The ERA Factsheets offer a comprehensive overview of the rail sector across European countries with one-click access. Covering aspects such as transport statistics, railway organisations, rolling stock, infrastructure, safety, market structure, and the legal framework, the tool unlocks data from ERA and other organisations, providing a broad and accurate representation of the European railway landscape.  

Whereas ERA Factsheets bring fragmented data together in an accessible format, ERA’s linked data project changes the fundamentals on how railway data is defined and shared. Today, railway data is typically kept in isolated and incompatible databases. Linked data is central to ERA's strategic plan to overcome challenges such as data gaps, unaligned definitions, and accessibility barriers. It sets the foundation for more efficient data sharing between railway actors across Europe and novel applications. ERA presents the substantial progress that has been achieved and several future use cases.  

Through linked data and the Factsheets, ERA is taking a crucial step towards increasing the efficiency of railway operations, filling knowledge gaps, and facilitating informed policymaking.