RNE Path Coordination System (PCS, formerly PATHFINDER)

Single Point of Contact for International Path Requests



What is RNE Path Coordination System (PCS, formerly PATHFINDER)?
PCS is a web application provided by RNE to Infrastructure Managers (IMs), Allocation Bodies (ABs) and Path Applicants, which handles the communication and co-ordination processes for international path requests and path offers. Furthermore PCS assists Railway Undertakings (RUs) and Applicants in their pre-co-ordination tasks related to train path studies and international train path requests. In short, the PCS tool reflects RNE’s OSS (One Stop Shop) philosophy of providing support to business processes and daily activities.

The RNE Path Coordination System (PCS) is being used for approximately 95% of all international path requests in the passenger business.

A major improvement for the use of PCS in the freight business was achieved in 2008: the ‘PCS Integration Platform’ – the new module for enhanced communication with the national systems of IMs/ABs and RUs – was developed and implemented. Thus RNE provides a new, direct communication channel between PCS and the domestic systems of RUs and IMs/ABs allowing two-way data interchange. With this module, one of the major obstacles to the use of PCSin the freight business has been eliminated: RUs and IMs/ABs no longer have to provide the same information about an international train path request twice (once in the national system and once in PCS) – it is now possible to automatically synchronize the international train path request data between national systems and PCS. To benefit from this improvement, IMs/ABs and RUs have to connect their domestic systems to the Integration Platform.

PCS workflow

With the PCS release from 9 November 2009 the implementation of a harmonised and standardised workflow was realised. Originally, the features currently available for placing path requests before and after the deadline of the 2nd Monday in April, and for feasibility studies, were designed as parallel workflows. The new release merges these procedures into one single workflow. RUs will thus be able to treat every case in a standard dossier for all paths. The submission date of a path request to the IMs and the requested timetable period will now define whether a path request has been placed in time for the next annual timetable, or whether it is a late or an ad-hoc path request (see also next “News-Flash”). In addition, the inclusion of the IMs in the preparation phase of a path request has been arranged in a more understandable way. All this leads to a clearer procedure in the decision between an IM consulting and a detailed path feasibility result.

• Workflow solution supporting communication and co-ordination processes for international path requests and path offers
• Documentation of the co-ordination process
• Train composition data for passenger and freight trains
• Message system
• “In house” workflow
• Data import in XML
• Data export in PDF, XML, HTML
• Definition of stop points based on UIC ENEE
• Multilingual - 16 languages available right now
• Connection interface for domestic systems available
• XML-based data exchange possible (PCS Integration Platform)

• Harmonized path requests mean that path offers suit customers’ needs to higher extent
• Railway Undertakings can offer further improved services to their customers (increased reliability of the co-ordinated paths)
• No paper work and no double data input mean that all parties involved save time and resources
• Simplification of the co-ordination process
• Reduction of 'language problems'
• International standardization of the data structure and availability of international timetable data
• Support for the implementation of the EU Infrastructure package
• More planning capacity for growing demand
• With implementation of connection interface double input of the same data can be avoided (PATHFINDER and domestic)

Use of RNE Path Coordination System (PCS) is free of charge for all RNE Infrastructure Managers and customers licensed on any of their networks!

RNE also offers PCS Guidelines and a Handbook for users which can be downloaded here:

PCS Reference Manual (formerly PATHFINDER Orange Book)
PCS Guidelines 2013

 PCS Guidelines 2013 - Czech Version
  PCS Guidelines 2011 - Italian Version


For functional questions regarding PCS, please get in touch with one of our 'PCS Trainers' (experienced colleagues) in your country. PCS Contact list.

More detailed documentation about the usage of PCS Integration Platform for data interchange of national systems and PCS  can be found here.

For technical support, or if your country is not listed above, please get in touch with the RNE IT Service Desk.