eTCD - electronic Ticket Control Database

HIT Rail - ETCD


The eTCD, electronic Ticket Control Database, is a centralised, real-time passenger ticket management system developed by Hit Rail, offered as a service for the UIC and in use by railway companies around the world. The service is defined by UIC IRS 90918-4, the common specification for the exchange of control information on railway tickets between ticket issuers and passenger carriers.

The eTCD service is provided by Hit Rail in a Software as a Service (SaaS) mode. The technical components of the solution are deployed in Hit Rail's cloud environment, for a high degree of flexibility in response to varying loads and future changes.

What does eTCD offer?

The eTCD helps railway companies to control non-reservation barcode ticket information onboard trains for all rail travel. Information is exchanged in real-time between ticket issuers and passenger carriers.

This means:

  • Ticket issuers receive up-to-date information on railway ticket verification and usage and
  • Railway carriers receive complete information on the lifecycle of tickets, including when tickets are checked by other organisations and/or cancelled by the issuers.

Thanks to eTCD, ticket security and fraud prevention are increased with real-time exchange of information on:

  • Cancellation and refunding of tickets after ticket inspection on trains.
  • Refunding of tickets in another country at ticket offices.
  • Re-use of tickets on the same train or on subsequent train journeys.

In addition, the eTCD service also communicates information on the extension of validity, delay confirmation, declaration of non-used tickets, class upgrades and downgrades as well as ticket gate checks.

What are the benefits of eTCD for passenger rail travel?

The eTCD service enables full paperless ticketing, thus marking the end of paper train tickets. This increases ticket security, prevents fraud and reinforces electronic ticketing capabilities.

In addition, this smart ticketing technology facilitates seamless multimodal door-to- door mobility, combining rail journeys with urban and local transport modes, and giving passengers a wider choice of multimodal travel options.

eTCD offers numerous advantages for rail passengers in terms of security, flexibility, cost and convenience.

The service enables faster boarding, helps cancel and refund tickets more easily, and informs passengers of changes to their tickets in real-time, thus enhancing the overall travel experience and more effectively meeting customer needs.

Does your company wish to use the eTCD?

In case your organisation is interested in using the eTCD, get in contact with Hit Rail and/or UIC.