RailData is actively involved in the implementation of TSI Telematics (Technical Specification relating to the Telematics subsystem of the rail system in the European Union for Interoperability of Data Sharing in Rail Transport).
TSI Telematics was published in the Official Journal of the EU as Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2026/253 of 6 February 2026, available in all official EU languages.
The new TSI Telematics replaces the former TSI TAF (Technical Specification for Interoperability relating to the Telematics Applications for Freight).
Additional information, including the Technical Documents (TDs), Compliance Reports, List of National Contact Points (NCPs), ERA Railway Factsheets (including TSI TEL implementation degrees), can be found on the TSI Telematics section of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) website.
RailData supports TSI Telematics implementation in several ways: we help our Users to fulfil specific TSI Telematics obligations and also contribute to specification development and improvement at the EU level.
Railway Undertakings (RUs) connected to the ORFEUS system fulfil the TSI Telematics requirements for the Consignment Note function. ORFEUS enables comprehensive data exchange between cooperating RUs in any role (contractual, successive, or substitute carriers).
Thanks to the joint efforts of RailData and the Joint Sector Group, supported by the ERA, the TSI Telematics specifications were aligned with COTIF and with ORFEUS as the best practice. A new version (1.6) of the ORFEUS message “ECN” was developed in full compliance with the TAF data catalogue. This format (ECN v1.6) has been adopted as the official XSD schema for the TAF Consignment Order Message (COM).
On request from RailData, ERA checked compliance of ECN v1.6 with the TAF official schema and afterwards issued a compliance certificate confirming that the ORFEUS versions translation service produces TAF compliant messages.
It means that all ORFEUS Users are TAF compliant, even if they use an older version of the ECN message.
ISR is the central tool for exchanging wagon status information between Railway Undertakings and plays a key role in fulfilling the TSI Telematics requirements for the Wagon Movement function.
RailData succeeded, with support from the Joint Sector Group and from ERA, in influencing the TSI Telematics specifications to follow ISR as the best practice for the list and definitions of wagon event types, and also to specify the Wagon Status Message (WSM) as the universal message format for all event types.
Moreover, RailData developed a new version of WSM (v61) aligned with the TAF data catalogue, building on the current version v60. Through the TAF Change Management process, version 61 was adopted as part of the official TAF schema for wagon movement reporting.
On request from RailData, ERA checked compliance of WSM v61 with the TAF official schema and afterwards issued a compliance certificate confirming that WSM v61 is TAF compliant. ERA also confirmed that the ISR versions translation service produces TAF compliant messages.
It means that all ISR Users are TAF compliant, even if they use an older version of the WSM message.
RailData receives Train Running Information from RailNetEurope’s TIS application, using the TAF TRI message and the TAF Common Interface.
Train run data are enriched with wagon information and used both for wagon status updates and as train run information for the RUs.
As part of this process, RailData translates between TAF CRD location codes and UIC location codes using a lookup table.
RailData actively represents the interests of freight Railway Undertakings (not only its Members and Users) in TSI Telematics-related bodies such as the Joint Sector Group (JSG), Sector Management Office (SMO) and Telematics Cluster.
In recent years, we have submitted multiple change requests contributing to the ongoing revision and improvement of the TAF regulation. We have also intensively contributed to the development of the new TSI Telematics.
A dedicated RailData TAF working group has long been in place to support these activities. This group is open also to non-RailData members. RailData also holds regular meetings with ERA to exchange on Telematics matters.
Upon request from the Joint Sector Group, RailData established two Telematics Experts Groups: TEG 5 for the Consignment Note function and TEG 6 for the Wagon Movement function.
Both groups developed change proposals for the respective TAF Telematics functions, which were accepted through the official Change Management process.
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