As Bulgaria moves towards more connected and efficient public transport systems, data standardization plays a vital role. For our cities, regions, and national platforms to provide accurate, real-time information and integrate with European-level services, we must adopt internationally recognized data formats.

This is not just a technical evolution—it’s a regulatory and strategic necessity.

Under EU Delegated Regulation 2017/1926, member states are required to make static and dynamic travel data available in standardized formats to enable multimodal travel information services across Europe.

Understanding Transport Data: Static and Dynamic

To understand the importance of these standards, it helps to first know what kinds of data are involved:

• Static data includes planned information that doesn’t change frequently: timetables, routes, stop locations, and fares.
• Dynamic data refers to live updates: vehicle positions, delays, service alerts, and real-time arrivals.

Both are crucial for passenger information systems, journey planning apps, and overall transport coordination.

The Most Widely Used Transport Data Standards

NeTEx (Network Timetable Exchange)

Developed under the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), NeTEx is an advanced XML-based format for exchanging static public transport information. It supports complex transport networks, fare systems, and multilingual services. NeTEx is the officially recommended standard by the EU for the publication of static data in National Access Points.

SIRI (Service Interface for Real-time Information)

Also developed by CEN, SIRI handles dynamic data exchange: vehicle monitoring, disruption notifications, estimated arrival times, and connection management. It enables real-time passenger information systems to communicate seamlessly across platforms and agencies.

These two standards are comprehensive and highly flexible, making them ideal for use at national and international levels. For Bulgaria, adopting NeTEx and SIRI is the most effective way to meet EU regulatory requirements and modernize transport services.

GTFS & GTFS-realtime (GTFS-RT)

The General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) was created by Google and TriMet (Portland, Oregon) and is widely used worldwide, especially in North and South America. GTFS supports static data such as routes, stops, and schedules, while GTFS-RT adds real-time updates like delays and vehicle positions.

These formats are simple and well-supported by many journey planning tools, including Google Maps. However, they have limitations in handling complex networks or regulatory requirements, which is why Europe has moved toward NeTEx and SIRI for official implementations.

GBFS – General Bikeshare Feed Specification

Created by the North American Bikeshare Association and now maintained by MobilityData, GBFS is used for sharing dynamic data from micromobility services—such as bike or scooter availability and dock statuses. It plays a key role in integrating micromobility into broader MaaS (Mobility as a Service) platforms.

Tripco is Leading the Way in Bulgaria

At Tripco, we believe that smart mobility starts with smart data. That’s why we’ve invested in the tools, know-how, and infrastructure to support the conversion and publication of public transport data in NeTEx and SIRI formats. We’re ready to help Bulgarian authorities and operators align with EU regulations and unlock the full potential of modern transport systems.

By embracing standardization, we’re not only ensuring compliance—we’re building a more transparent, accessible, and efficient future for mobility in Bulgaria.