Viscom

What Viscom does

VISCOM Datensysteme GmbH is a German IT services and software company founded in 1987 and headquartered in Düren, Germany. It operates as the software and systems house of the RATH Group, with R.A.T.H. GmbH holding a 50% stake since 2014. The company delivers railway-specific IT solutions across three divisions: system integration (network and server infrastructure, 24/7/365 support), application development (custom railway software and SaaS hosting), and consulting (IT projects, data protection, process optimization). Its primary clients are RATH Group operating companies — Rurtalbahn, RTB CARGO, VIAS, and their international subsidiaries — serving rail freight and passenger operations across Germany, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It also serves external regional Mittelstand customers with custom software development.

The company's core technology is the railIT platform, a modular software suite for cross-border rail freight and passenger transport. Key modules include CarO (freight train planning and disposition), CarAS (cross-border invoicing and factoring), CarPe (personnel scheduling and payroll preparation), CarO 2.0 (React-based web interface with live updates), RBL (real-time data management via VDV interfaces), the Digitales Übergabebuch (digital fault reporting), and the Dispo-Tool (passenger service personnel scheduling). The platform is built on a unified data model where CarO feeds CarAS for billing, and the system is hosted via redundant, geographically distributed German data centers through long-standing hosting partners. Software is delivered via SaaS or on-premise installation depending on customer requirements.

VISCOM's revenue model combines professional services (system integration, custom development, consulting) with recurring SaaS subscriptions for hosted software. The company operates as the captive internal IT provider for the RATH Group while also selling externally to regional SMEs. Go-to-market is direct enterprise engagement rather than channel-based, with limited digital marketing presence (LinkedIn, Xing, Facebook, RATH Group career portal). The company has shown continuous organic growth across 30+ years, with multiple office expansions (2018, 2021) and a central data center buildout (2023), supported by a long-running cooperative partnership with Hochschule Niederrhein for dual studies in Computer Science.

Name

Viscom

Legal name

VISCOM Datensysteme GmbH

Website

https://viscom-online.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VISCOM Datensysteme GmbH is the software and systems house of the RATH Group, providing railway-specific IT solutions — system integration, custom software, and consulting — to rail operators (Rurtalbahn, RTB CARGO, VIAS) across Germany, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands, plus external regional SMEs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway Management Software

NAICS

Support Activities for Rail Transportation (48821), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (488210)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Customer Visibility Portals & Shipment Collaboration (TLAEADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Railcar & Wagon Tracking (GPS/RFID Wayside) (TLAEAMAH), Contract & Tariff Management (Carrier Contracts, Accessorials, Lane/Zone Rates) (TLAEAIAB)

Keywords

• Railway IT solutions
• System integration services
• Railway management software
• Custom application development
• IT consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stolberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. System Integration Services: Installation, configuration, and maintenance of network and server systems for the RATH Group and external customers, including 24/7 support and user assistance.
2. Application Development Services: Custom railway-specific software development for group companies and external customers in the regional Mittelstand. Services include design, development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of software packages.
3. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Hosting: Hosting and management of software for customers through SaaS packages, utilizing redundant, geographically distributed data centers located in Germany with long-standing hosting partners.
4. IT Consulting: Consulting services for IT projects, investments, data protection, and process optimization. Advisory services cover system integration, application development, and data privacy compliance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Viscom Datensysteme GmbH operates as the software and systems house of the RATH Group, providing railway-specific IT solutions across three divisions: System Integration (infrastructure procurement, configuration, and 24/7/365 support), Application Development (custom railway software and SaaS hosting), and Consulting (IT projects, data protection, and process optimization). The company develops and maintains the proprietary railIT software platform with specialized modules (CarO, CarAS, CarPe, RBL) covering the full value chain of rail freight and passenger operations.

Product overview

Viscom Datensysteme GmbH is the software and systems house of the RATH Group, offering railway-specific IT solutions through its core railIT platform and related services. The product portfolio is organized around three main divisions: System Integration (infrastructure procurement, configuration, management with 24/7/365 support), Application Development (custom software and SaaS hosting), and Consulting. The railIT platform is the central software product family comprising specialized modules including CarO for freight train planning and disposition, CarAS for billing and invoicing, CarPe for personnel deployment, RBL for real-time operations management, the Digitales Übergabebuch for fault documentation, and the Dispo-Tool for passenger service personnel scheduling. The railIT modules work together on a unified data model to digitally map Europe-wide trains, with CarO feeding data to CarAS for cross-border billing. Viscom serves both internal RATH Group companies and external regional SMEs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• railIT: Modulares Softwaresystem für die Erbringung von grenzüberschreitenden Schienengüterverkehren und Schienenpersonennahverkehr (SPNV), einschließlich Module für Planung, Disposition und Echtzeitdatenmanagement (RBL).
• CarO
• CarAS
• CarPe

Products and services

• railIT Modular software platform for cross-border rail freight and passenger transport operations, supporting order management, subcontractor integration, train planning, time and route tracking, wagon lists, cargo and hazmat information, and operational evaluations.
• CarO (Cargo Optimierung) Planning and disposition software for rail freight transport supporting cross-border operations; enables digital mapping of Europe-wide trains on a single data basis with order entry, subcontractor integration, train scheduling, time and route tracking, wagon lists, and cargo/hazmat information.
• CarAS (Cargo Abrechnung & Schnittstellen) Calculation and invoicing tool for rail freight that builds on CarO data to enable cross-border billing, factoring, invoice shipping, and reporting of train services.
• CarPe (Cargo Personal) Personnel deployment planning and hours capture module for train drivers, with automatic payroll data processing using operational data from railIT.
• RBL (Rechnergestütztes Betriebsleitsystem) Real-time data management system for passenger rail transport handling delay calculation, vehicle communication, and data transmission via VDV interfaces for operational control.
• System Integration Services IT infrastructure services including procurement, configuration, management, and 24/7/365 support of network and server systems for the RATH Group and external enterprise customers across Germany, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
• Application Development Services Custom software development services specializing in railway-specific solutions with design, development, hosting, and SaaS delivery options using German-based data centers.
• IT Consulting Services IT consulting covering system integration advisory, application development guidance, data protection compliance, and process optimization for IT projects and investments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Complete ITK infrastructure deployment for approximately 250 employees at multiple operational locations completed within 8 weeks for VIAS Rail GmbH

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hochschule NiederrheincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Cooperative partnership for dual studies in Computer Science (Bachelor of Engineering). Students can complete their dual studies at VISCOM in cooperation with Hochschule Niederrhein in Krefeld, combining practical work experience with academic studies.
• R.A.T.H. GmbHcoreOthersParent company and majority shareholder (50% ownership since 2014). VISCOM serves as the software and system house for the entire RATH Group, providing IT services to group companies including Rurtalbahn, RTB CARGO, VIAS, and their international subsidiaries.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IVU Traffic Technologies: Berlin-based public software provider specializing in IT solutions for public transport and rail operators, including planning, dispatching, and ticketing. Directly comparable to VISCOM's railIT platform in terms of rail operations management functionality and DACH market focus.
• Scheidt & Bachmann: German family-owned company providing rail signaling, ticketing, and operational IT solutions for railway operators. Comparable to VISCOM as a German-speaking rail software and systems specialist serving similar customer profiles in DACH and Benelux markets.
• HaCon (part of Siemens Mobility): Hannover-based software company providing planning, scheduling, and real-time information systems for rail and public transport. Acquired by Siemens Mobility, but historically a direct competitor to VISCOM in European rail passenger and freight operations software.
• Frequentis: Austrian company specializing in control center solutions including rail operations control and dispatch systems. Comparable to VISCOM's RBL (Rechnergestütztes Betriebsleitsystem) module for real-time rail operations management, with similar DACH market exposure.
• PSI Software: German software company with a dedicated rail logistics division providing transport management, resource planning, and operational control software for rail freight operators. Comparable to VISCOM in providing bespoke rail freight planning and disposition tools to European rail customers.
• init innovation in traffic systems: German provider of integrated IT solutions for public transport including rail, with offerings in fleet management, dispatching, and real-time passenger information. Comparable to VISCOM in delivering rail operations software with similar technology stack and customer base overlap.

Regional players

• Railinc: North American rail industry's IT service provider offering rail data, messaging, and operational software for freight railroads. Functionally comparable to VISCOM's role for European regional rail operators but geographically distinct, serving the US Class I and short-line market.

Broad incumbents

• Alstom: Global leader in rail equipment, signaling, and digital mobility solutions. While VISCOM operates at a much smaller scale, Alstom competes in adjacent areas including rail digital services, signaling IT, and operations management software for European rail operators.
• Siemens Mobility: Global rail technology incumbent offering rolling stock, rail automation, and digital services including operations control and intermodal IT. Provides overlapping capabilities to VISCOM's planning and disposition software but as part of a much broader portfolio serving major rail networks.

Emerging players

• CloudMoyo: US-based software company offering cloud-based rail transportation management and operations solutions for freight railroads. Represents the newer SaaS-native rail software model that competes against VISCOM's bespoke architecture in cross-border rail freight.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/codederzugkunft
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/viscom-datensysteme-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Viscom