HIT Rail

What HIT Rail does

HIT Rail B.V. is a private Dutch company founded in 1990 and owned by 12 European railway companies (ADIF, CD, DSB, FS, MAV, ÖBB, SBB, SNCF, ADIF Alta Velocidad, SLO, Belgian Train, ZSR). Headquartered in Utrecht with a representative office in Brussels, the company provides cloud-based IT services and VPN connectivity that enable cross-border interoperability for the European railway industry. Its core offering centers on the Hermes VPN — a secure, IP-based private network connecting over 60 railway companies from 28 countries with a 30-plus year operational record and a 100% virus/intrusion-free claim — supplemented by the HEROS message interoperability platform hosted on Amazon AWS.

The product portfolio is built on a platform-plus-modules architecture. Layered on top of Hermes VPN, HEROS provides middleware translation services including the Passenger Reservations Translator (IBM MQ binary ↔ XML, UIC IRS 90918-1 / TAP TSI B5), the H2O Translator (Hermes UIC 918-1 ↔ OSDM API), TAF/TAP TSI Common Interface as a Service operated on behalf of Rail Net Europe, the eTCD Electronic Ticket Control Database, the DRTF (Database for Rail Tariffs and Fares) Platform, IBM MQ queue management for UIC 90918-1, and the new UIC RTMDE real-time mobility data service. These services address EU-mandated TAF (freight) and TAP (passenger) Technical Specifications for Interoperability and support legacy-to-modern protocol migration.

The business model is a managed-services SaaS arrangement with individually negotiated pricing structured to cover operational costs rather than maximize margin, consistent with its not-for-profit orientation. Go-to-market is direct enterprise engagement with European Railway Undertakings and Infrastructure Managers, supplemented by participation in UIC working groups, the FSM Sounding Board, and Shift2Rail initiatives. All services are hosted on Hit Rail's own infrastructure in Amazon AWS, with 24/7 helpdesk, proactive monitoring, and SLA commitments. Named customers and partners include ProRail, Bane NOR, SNCF Voyageurs, Deutsche Bahn, NS, Rhätische Bahn, UIC, Rail Net Europe, Raildata, ETTSA, AlmavivA, inQdo, and BT.

Name

HIT Rail

Legal name

Hit Rail B.V.

Website

https://hitrail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Short description

HIT Rail is a Dutch not-for-profit IT firm owned by 12 European railway companies that provides cloud-based VPN connectivity (Hermes VPN) and message interoperability services (HEROS) to over 60 European railways across 28 countries, enabling TAF/TAP TSI-compliant cross-border reservations, ticketing, and operational data exchange.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway IT Interoperability Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (488210), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (48821)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Rail Asset & Infrastructure Status Monitoring within OCC (Condition/Alarm Management) (TLAJAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cybersecurity & Safety Assurance for Rail Control Centers (SOC/OT Security, Safety Cases) (TLAJAEAM)

Keywords

• Railway IT services
• Rail interoperability platform
• VPN connectivity services
• Cloud messaging middleware
• EU TSI compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. SaaS / Managed Services for Railway IT: HIT Rail provides its cloud IT services (eTCD, DRTF, CI, IBM MQ, Passenger Reservations Translator, RTMDE) on a Software as a Service (SaaS) basis. Services are fully managed by Hit Rail with SLA guarantees, including software maintenance, security, monitoring, 24/7 helpdesk, and configuration. Pricing is agreed with customers and aims to cover operational costs as a not-for-profit oriented company.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HIT Rail provides cloud-based IT and connectivity services for the European railway industry, anchored by the Hermes VPN — a private, secure IP network connecting over 60 railway companies from 28 countries. The HEROS platform adds managed message interoperability services (Passenger Reservations Translator, IBM MQ, Common Interface, eTCD, DRTF, H2O, RTMDE) hosted on Amazon AWS, enabling cross-border passenger reservations, freight messaging, ticket control, fare distribution, and EU TAF/TAP TSI regulatory compliance.

Product overview

HIT Rail offers a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on the Hermes VPN (core connectivity product) supplemented by HEROS (message interoperability services). The product portfolio includes: Hermes VPN for secure cross-border railway connectivity; Passenger Reservations Translator for binary-to-XML message translation; H2O Translator for Hermes-to-OSDM protocol translation; TAF/TAP TSI Common Interface (CI) as SaaS for EU TSI compliance; eTCD for real-time electronic ticket control; DRTF Platform for international fare distribution; and IBM MQ Service for UIC 90918-1 message exchange. All services are delivered via HIT Rail's cloud IT infrastructure on Amazon AWS.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HERMES VPN: The Hermes VPN is a trusted and cost-effective connectivity solution for European international railway applications, providing secure IP-based virtual private network connecting railway companies across Europe.
• HEROS

Products and services

• Hermes VPN A trusted and cost-effective secure IP-based virtual private network connecting over 60 European railway companies from 28 countries for cross-border, business-critical applications including passenger reservations, freight pre-advice, train running information, and infrastructure path requests. Supports Ethernet links, dedicated leased lines, IPsec tunnels over the Internet, and private cloud connections.
• Passenger Reservations Translator (H01) Middleware that translates in real time between IBM MQ binary protocol and SOAP WS/XML formats (UIC IRS 90918-1 / TAP TSI B5), and between old and new XML formats. Provides a single connection point to all passenger railways, eliminating the need for multiple bilateral interfaces.
• H2O (Hermes to OSDM) Translator Translates seat reservation messages between the Hermes UIC 918-1 protocol and the OSDM API in real time, enabling railway companies migrating to OSDM to interoperate with legacy systems.
• TAF/TAP TSI Common Interface (CI) as a Service Middleware and access to the Central Reference Database (CRD) provided on a SaaS basis. Allows railway companies to connect with the Common Interface remotely without deploying and operating their own systems, ensuring TAF (freight) and TAP (passenger) TSI compliant message exchange.
• eTCD (Electronic Ticket Control Database) Centralised, real-time passenger ticket management system defined by UIC IRS 90918-4. Enables railway companies to control non-reservation barcode ticket information onboard trains, supporting real-time exchange of ticket verification, cancellations, refunds, re-use, class upgrades/downgrades, delay confirmations, and ticket gate checks across international operations.
• DRTF (Database for Rail Tariffs and Fares) Platform Centralised fare distribution system implementing OSDM offline functionalities as defined by UIC IRS 90918-10. Enables railway companies to distribute and receive international fare and price files for NRT tickets, loaded onto each company's sales systems.
• IBM MQ Service for UIC 90918-1 Hit Rail configures, hosts, tests, and operates IBM MQ queue managers on behalf of railway customers, on its own infrastructure in Amazon AWS. Used for transmitting binary reservation messages between reservation systems or communicating with the Passenger Reservations Translator.
• RTMDE (Real Time Mobility Data Exchange) Service providing real-time status of active passenger train services and disruptions per UIC IRS 90918-11. Provides a one-stop-shop for real-time train status information to railway and ticket-selling organisations, supporting the CER Ticketing Roadmap and EU Passenger Rights Regulation obligations.
• HEROS (HERmes Open Services) Platform HEROS is Hit Rail's multi-channel open service platform for rail interoperability, hosting message translation services (Passenger Reservations Translator, H2O Translator, IBM MQ Service, Common Interface, eTCD, DRTF) that enable seamless communication between different railway IT systems and protocol generations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% virus and intrusion-free network over 30+ years of operation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and strategic.

• UIC (International Union of Railways)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2025UIC awarded Hit Rail a contract for provision of the Real Time Mobility Data Exchange (RTMDE) service for a period of up to five years. RTMDE implements UIC IRS 90918-11 and provides a one-stop-shop for real-time train status and disruption data for all European railways. This is the third pillar service (alongside eTCD and DRTF) Hit Rail provides for UIC, supporting the CER Ticketing Roadmap.
• SNCF VoyageursmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2024Hit Rail delivered its H2O (Hermes to OSDM) Translator to SNCF Voyageurs (and DB) for booking seats on TGV/ICE France-Germany trains. The H2O Translator translates seat reservation messages between the OSDM API (used by SNCF Voyageurs) and the legacy Hermes UIC 918-1 protocol (used by DB), enabling the cross-border high-speed cooperation.
• Bane NORmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 2023Hit Rail entered into a contract with Bane NOR (Norwegian railway infrastructure manager) to operate the Common Interface (CI) as a Software as a Service on its cloud IT platform at Amazon AWS. This helps Bane NOR exchange TAF and TAP TSI messages with Rail Net Europe.
• Shift2Rail / 4SECURail ConsortiumsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2021Hit Rail participated in the Shift2Rail-funded 4SECURail project (alongside six other partners), which completed initial work on a Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) for joint EU-Rail cyber security and improved signalling systems. The project delivered mid-term objectives in February 2021.
• ProRailmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2020ProRail (Dutch railway infrastructure manager) contracted Hit Rail for a ten-year SaaS contract to host and manage its Common Interface, providing connectivity for infrastructure, freight and passenger services in line with EU TSI specifications.
• inQdosupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 27 November 2018inQdo supported Hit Rail in migrating its HEROS platform to the Amazon AWS public cloud and provides ongoing IaaS services for Hit Rail's growing infrastructure needs.
• UIC (International Union of Railways)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2018Hit Rail joined UIC as a member to strengthen its support for UIC activities and bring its expertise in pan-European networking and interoperability through direct membership participation.
• AlmavivAstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2017Hit Rail and AlmavivA signed a strategic cooperation agreement for IT and interoperability services to the European rail industry. The cooperation originated from AlmavivA's project with Italy's Infrastructure Manager RFI.
• ETTSA (European Technology and Travel Services Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2015Hit Rail and ETTSA concluded a cooperation agreement to help further joint initiatives in the travel industry, especially the promotion of the Full Service Model (FSM) initiative in the railway sector. Hit Rail subsequently joined the FSM Sounding Board.
• RaildatacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2015Hit Rail and Raildata (a special group within UIC active in development of central information and data exchange systems for European freight rail transport) signed a cooperation agreement to work more closely together, promote existing services, and combine offerings to provide enhanced benefits to their users.
• Rail Net Europe (RNE)coreTechnology or IntegrationHit Rail has an agreement with RNE for the provision of CI software and CRD (Central Reference Database) licences to rail stakeholders. Hit Rail operates the CI on behalf of clients and locally synchronises the CRD, acting as nominated facilities manager for CI management and configuration.
• FSM Sounding BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHit Rail joined the FSM Sounding Board — the body where important stakeholders are kept informed on the progress of the Full Service Model (FSM) initiative — which includes IATA, CIT, European Passenger Federation, European Commission, and European Railway Agency.
• BT (British Telecom)coreTechnology or IntegrationBT supplies the Hermes VPN network infrastructure under a long-term contract managed by Hit Rail. The Hermes VPN contract has been prolonged multiple times (including a 36-month renewal from January 2015 to end of 2017).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Alstom: Alstom provides signalling, digital mobility, and rail infrastructure IT across Europe, including interoperability and control-centre software. Its digital solutions portfolio overlaps with Hit Rail's control-centre messaging and asset status offerings, though it is much broader in scope.
• Atos: Atos is a global IT services incumbent with a dedicated rail and digital mobility practice, providing cloud, ticketing, and integration services to European railways — directly competing with Hit Rail for managed IT and interoperability mandates.
• Siemens Mobility: Siemens Mobility operates a large rail signalling, control-centre, and IT business across Europe. It competes indirectly with Hit Rail for control-centre messaging and OCC-adjacent software, while also being a customer ecosystem participant through operator relationships.

Direct peers

• Cubic Transportation Systems: Cubic is a leading provider of fare collection, ticketing, and real-time passenger information systems for transit agencies worldwide, including in Europe. Its back-office and account-based ticketing platforms overlap with Hit Rail's DRTF and eTCD fare/ticket-control services.
• INIT Innovations in Transportation: INIT provides integrated IT and operations software for public transport (planning, dispatch, ticketing, AVL/MaaS) to transit agencies and railways in Europe, overlapping with Hit Rail's HEROS-style interoperability and managed-services positioning for European rail operators.
• Rail Net Europe (RNE): RNE maintains the Common Interface specification and reference data on behalf of European IMs and RUs. Hit Rail competes with RNE's own CI offerings (and complements them via licensing), making RNE its closest functional counterpart in the European rail interoperability market.
• Scheidt & Bachmann: Scheidt & Bachmann supplies fare collection, ticketing, and rail signalling systems to European railways and metros. It competes in adjacent fare-distribution and ticket-control rails similar to Hit Rail's DRTF and eTCD services, with comparable institutional customers.

Others

• International Union of Railways (UIC): UIC is the global rail standards body that awards and oversees several contracts Hit Rail operates (RTMDE, eTCD, DRTF). It is not a competitor but a critical ecosystem partner and counterparty whose strategic priorities shape Hit Rail's product roadmap and revenue mix.

Emerging players

• Indra (Minsait): Indra's Minsait division delivers IT and ticketing/interoperability solutions to European rail operators (including collaboration with Hit Rail via AlmavivA). It competes for European rail IT modernisation projects that overlap with Hit Rail's HEROS and CI portfolio.
• Conduent: Conduent provides fare collection, public transport payments, and mobility services to transit agencies. It competes in the broader fare/ticket-control stack that overlaps with Hit Rail's eTCD and DRTF, though with a primarily North American and selective European footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 HIT Rail