Daily trips, business travels, and even more vacation journeys are now can be planned easier, faster and cheaper through journey planners (JP). Therefore, leave your car and download a JP application!

    First of all, let us clarify our terminology. A journey planner is a specialised electronic search engine used to find the best journey between two points using some means of transport. JP applications are web and smartphone applications which compute the most cost – effective route involving several nodes by minimizing one or more than one criteria, such as distance, time, travel cost and environmental impact.

    Across Europe there are several journey planners. In Austria, “Scotty” is a JP operated by Austrian Federal Railways, which covers rail, public transport and walking, and is available both in German and English. In the neighboring Czech Republic, “IDOS” helps commuters to get around by a variety of means of transport as includes public transport, rail, air and walking in its options. It concerns a JP which is available in Czech, English and German and is operated by CHAPS Ltd on behalf of Ministry of Transport. Furthermore, “NMBS – SNCB” and “INFOTEC” are two Belgian JPs. The first one deals mainly with rail and public transport, is available in German, English, French and Dutch, and is operated by National Railway Company of Belgium. The second one is operated by TEC – Walloon Public Transport, gives commuters the opportunity to plan their journeys across Belgium and beyond, as it covers rail, public transport and walking, and is available in French and German. In Denmark, through “BilRejseplanen”, operated by Rejseplanen, journeys can not only be planned but also be compared using alternative means of transport instead of car. It concerns a JP which includes rail, public transport, ferry, cycling, car and walking in its options and is available in Danish, English and German. Another JP is the Estonian “Peatus.ee”, operated by Estonian Road Administration, which covers rail, public transport, ferry and walking, and is available in Estonian, English and Russian. Concerning Germany “Reiseaufkunft”, operated by Deutsche Bahn – AG, allows commuters plan their trips using several transport modes, as includes rail, public transport, ferry, car, taxi and walking, and is available in German, Danish, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish and Swedish. In Switzerland, “SBB Online Fahrplan”, operated by Swiss Federal Railways, is another one JP which covers rail, public transport, ferry, car, taxi and walking, and is available in German, English, French and Italian. Through the Irish “Hit the road” commuters can plan their route in the city of Dublin, as it is a JP which includes public transport, private coach, car, train, light rail (Luas) and walking in its options, and is available in English. In Luxembourg, journeys can be planned through “Mobilitéitszentral” operated by Communauté des Transports, which covers rail, public transport and walking, and is available in German, English and French. Another JP is “9292”, operated in Netherlands by REISinformatiegroep, which includes rail, public transport, ferry, car and walking in addition with fare information in its options and is available both in Dutch and English. Moreover, around Poland commuters can plan their journeys though “SITkol”, operated by TK Telekom, as covers rail, public transport and walking and is available in German, English and Polish. Regarding Scandinavian countries, the Swedish “RESROBOT”, operated by Samtrafiken, gives the opportunity to commuters to plan their journeys across Sweden as it connects all means of transport, and is available in Swedish. In the neighboring Norway, through “rutebok”, operated by Norsk Reiseinformasjon, journeys can be planned as it connects all means of transport and is available in Norwegian, English and German. Finally, around Finland “Journey.fi”, operated by Finnish Transport Agency, helps commuters find their way as covers all means of transport and is available in Finnish, English and Swedish.

   GYM’s aim is to develop a trust – worth JP application, which allows commuters – users plan their transports both in local (Greece) and regional (European Union) level concerning their current needs through multiply criteria and emphasizing the environmental impact.

The LIFE GYM [LIFE14 ENV/GR/000611] project is co-funded by the LIFE programme, the EU financial instrument for the environment.

The sole responsibility for the content of this report lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EASME nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Start Date: 15 September 2015 – Duration: 35 months