In order to facilitate the development of an intelligent and all-encompassing railway information infrastructure with features like high-speed ubiquity, space-ground integration, cloud-network convergence, intelligent agility, green low-carbon operations, and secure controllability, and also to standardize the information systems of different railway business sectors, the Beidou Application R&D Center for the Railway has created the "Railway Spatiotemporal Information Service Platform". This platform through the integration of railway spatiotemporal information data, the creation of a professional railway geographic information database, and the use of Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) technology to deliver high-precision positioning services, timing services, and short-message communication services, is a connection of "when, where, and what kind of relationship" at the industrial level to form a general basic technology platform. The platform comprises two sections: the Railway Geographic Information Platform and the Railway Beidou Application Service Platform.
I. Railway Geographic Information Platform
(I) Platform Positioning
The focus of the Railway Geographic Information Platform is on sharing railway spatial information and services. It is linked to a national geographic information platform, thus enabling the uniform management of railway spatial data. This platform creates a "one map + N services" model that is used for the management and operation of different railway sectors. To date, it has opened 655 spatial data services, is managing 132 types of facility elements, supports 73 business systems, and has more than 200 million accesses in total.
(II) Functions and Features
The Railway Geographic Information Platform divided its functions into 22 modules that collectively cover the main issues of management, release, display, analysis, railway geographic information data support for development, and access monitoring. By the concerted work of these functional modules, the platform can be a complete solution to the different needs for railway geographic information coming from various types of users and business systems. Internally, it might be the management departments and R&D teams of railways, whereas, externally, the cooperative units related to railways; all of them can access the platform to acquire the needed accurate geographic information services.
The platform features three main attributes:
Unified Software Platform: The platform based on China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (CRSG) geographic information platform standardizes various electronic maps uniformly. Besides, it furnishes comprehensive railway geographic data and GIS functional services to different railway business information systems and simultaneously puts a strong operational base for the application development that is based on the Railway Geographic Information Platform. The feature empowers the railways to pass through the different linking stages such as planning and design, engineering construction, operation management, and public services and thus, deeply laying the groundwork for digital railway construction and making the railway industry to progress in terms of digitalization and intelligence.
Unified Data Standards: When it comes to data management, the platform implements the uniform management of the national basic geographic information, railway basic geographic information, and railway professional geographic data. The use of uniform data standards serves as a tool that efficiently facilitates the sharing and utilization of railway spatial data and at the same time guarantees the timeliness of railway spatial data (i.e., the data can promptly reflect the latest changes in railway facilities and the geographical environment). Thus, it is instrumental in providing all-around, standard-compliant, and accurate geographic information data for railway informatization construction and ensuring the smooth conducting of various railway informatization businesses.
Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement: The setting up of the Railway Geographic Information Platform is capable of bringing about the following advantages: it can effectively prohibit the duplicated constructions of similar business systems and also reduce the wastage of resources which are not necessary. Apart from lowering the enterprise's operation and maintenance costs and saving investment funds, this brilliant idea is also going to substantially uplift the level of the management of railway spatial data which will make data management for railways more efficient and orderly. Hence, it not only creates greater economic and social benefits for enterprises, but it also acts as an accelerator for the sustainable development of the railway industry.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
1. When and where is the Expo happening?
The Expo will be at located Hall C, Xiamen International Conference, and Exhibition Center (XICEC), Xiamen, China from 13 to 15 May 2026.
2. How big is the exhibition?
The display area is planned to be 40,000 m² with 350+ booths representing different companies and more than 30,000 professional visitors from all over the world are expected.
3. What are the activities?
Besides more than 80 professional forums and events that will focus on the exploration of topics such as smart mobility, communication in transportation, safety, and sustainable development, there will be also various activities at the event.
4. How many countries and regions are involved?
The participants will attend from 80+ countries and regions, so it will be a world summit for the smartest and most innovative solutions in intelligent transportation.
5. Are there cooperation opportunities?
Definitely, with over 1,000 global partners attending the Expo, it is a place where business collaboration, technology exchange, and investment opportunities can be found in abundance.
6. Who can I get in touch with for more information?
If you require more information, kindly get in touch with the Organizing Committee through the "Contact Us" section on the official website.
