Customer information – New display system

Imagine knowing exactly where your train will stop on the platform before it even arrives…

Whether you are travelling with a pushchair or a bicycle, or you wish to sit in first or second class, you would already know in advance how to quickly find the spot that suits you best.

Sounds futuristic? Not anymore. For several months Christophe and Emmanuel, together with colleagues as well as an external partner, have been working on a sophisticated system that makes it easier to orient yourself on the platform and board the train.

A picture says more than a thousand words

Some passengers may have already noticed: the usual image on the overhead display screens – those screens providing useful customer information on platforms – has changed. After revising and simplifying the content (see also: Passenger Vocabulary), these dynamic displays now provide not only useful details such as the next departing train, but also information about the train’s composition.

“Passengers now know, even before the train arrives, where they need to stand on the platform if they want to board quickly at the right spot,” explains Christophe, who is managing the project on behalf of the CFL together with the external service provider Funkwerk. “This makes boarding much more comfortable for passengers and, at the same time, faster and more targeted boarding helps ensure the train departs punctually,” adds Emmanuel.

“In addition to updating the content on the overhead displays, it was also important to equip stations and stops with consistent reference points, making it easier for passengers to judge their position on the platform in relation to the incoming train,” Emmanuel continues. To this end, the CFL have installed various signs in stations, dividing platforms into different sections (A, B, C …) where necessary.

Passenger-focused information

For this project too, the CFL have relied on direct customer contact and feedback. As early as 2024, the CFL worked closely with a broad panel of passengers.

“Involving our customers is strategically important, because coherent, simple and therefore clear and consistent passenger information makes a significant contribution to service quality,” emphasises Luce, Quality and User Experience expert at the CFL.

As of today, 64 overhead displays at 27 stations/stops have been equipped with the new display system. In future, additional information will be available on platforms and in the planned new CFL app. “To make finding a free seat even easier, the CFL are currently working hard to provide passengers with information about seat occupancy in the different carriages,” adds Emmanuel.