Mobility data is becoming increasingly indispensable for a functioning and efficient mobility system. Simplifying the exchange and use of mobility data across all modes and means of transport makes an increasingly important contribution to ensuring that infrastructure and services can be optimally planned, operated, and utilized. The Federal Council therefore proposes the establishment of a national mobility data infrastructure (MODI), through which the various stakeholders can network more efficiently and provide, link, and access mobility data in a standardized manner.
The demand for mobility is steadily increasing. Since the expansion of transport infrastructure cannot keep pace with this growth, more efficient use of existing infrastructure and both private and public services in passenger and freight transport must be fostered. The key to this is data. Today, this information is not sufficiently available, harmonized, or easily usable in a connected way. What is lacking is a cross-modal national data infrastructure and an organization independent of market interests to facilitate the necessary networking of actors.
© FOT
The Federal Council therefore intends to establish a national mobility data infrastructure (MODI). The MODI is intended to simplify the exchange of mobility data across different modes of transport and levels of government. It enables participants to network and to provide, link, and access mobility data and digital services in a standardized manner. A new federal law on the mobility data infrastructure (MODIG) will create the legal, organizational, and financial framework for this purpose.
Trust is central to data exchange. For this reason, the following core principles apply to the MODI: neutrality, independence, openness, voluntariness, participation, needs orientation, non-discrimination, transparency, reliability, and future viability. Moreover, the use of the MODI is voluntary. The MODIG law does not impose any obligations to provide data. Data owners decide which data is made openly and freely available and which may only be accessed by a limited group of users. This is subject to any specific legal requirements. The data remain with their respective owners but are made discoverable and linkable in a standardized way via the MODI. The MODI systems must be modular, decentralized, open source, data-efficient, and secure.
A lean competence center for mobility data (KOMODA) will develop, operate, and continuously improve the MODI. The MODI comprises two sub-infrastructures: the Transportation Network CH (National Geodata Infrastructure for Mobility) and the NADIM (National Data Networking Infrastructure for Mobility).The Transportation Network CH is the system for spatial referencing and linking mobility data, enabling a consistent digital representation of Switzerland’s transport system. It is operated by the Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo). The NADIM is designed to provide and exchange data related to mobility services in passenger and freight transport, as well as infrastructure data for rail and road. Public and private mobility providers, operators of digital customer solutions (such as apps), public authorities, and other stakeholders, including those in science and research, will be able to exchange and utilize data more efficiently, fostering better collaboration. The KOMODA will balance the needs of all actors across the mobility sectors and will be based within the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) under the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC).
The MODI will be developed gradually and based strictly on identified needs. In 2024, the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) collaborated with relevant stakeholders to create approximately thirty use cases. Out of these, seven use cases have been prioritized for the first phase, which will be the main focus at the launch of the MODI.
The financial requirements for the MODI amount to an average of 25 million Swiss francs per year (initially 17 million CHF/year, rising to a maximum of 33 million CHF/year after 12 years). The funding for the MODI, which serves as the digital layer for transport infrastructures and services, will be equally divided between the Rail Infrastructure Fund (BIF) and the National Roads and Agglomeration Transport Fund (NAF). Additionally, in the medium term, it will be supported by financing based on user contributions.
Documentation
Diskussionsgrundlage: Vorschlag für ein Standardisierungskonzept MODI – Fokus NADIM, Version 2.0 (in German) (PDF, 3 MB, 05.03.2025)Übersicht vorhandener Standards im Bereich Mobilitätsdaten. Beschreibung ihrer jeweiligen Einsatzbereiche, Vor- und Nachteile sowie Empfehlungen für deren Verwendung. Das Konzept soll Grundlage für Diskussionen mit und zwischen den zukünftigen Nutzerinnen und Nutzern der NADIM sein und richtet sich in erster Linie an Fachpersonen und Entwicklerinnen und Entwickler.
Links
LinkingAlps – Travel information in the Alpine region be improved
