1. Introduction

The present document attempts to develop a vision of the type of services expected to be available in the near future to people travelling in Europe. These services would be provided on a personal basis through ITS applications before, during and after travelling.

The context in which such services could develop is based on the following assumptions:

• The transport services referred to belong to the set described in the document "Passenger Transport Services", and respect the "intermodality" paradigm introduced.
• Market regulations related both to transport services and information services could vary from country to country. However, it is assumed that services will be offered in a competitive context, possibly with a mix of private sector obligation and public sector regulation. The market approach will differ between modes and within modes, but, in general, more freedom will be given to the market forces than in the recent past.
• Pressure to regulate road traffic will increase as a consequence of the demand for safer and more sustainable mobility. Traffic restrictions, road pricing, etc., will extend their penetration. The user will therefore have greater interest in being informed on the actual conditions of road transport networks. Monitoring the real-time status of networks will be of great importance through Europe.
• Progress in the telecommunication sector will continue. The combination of telephone technology and "Internet" (WAP and GPRS in the near future, UMTS tomorrow) will offer a new set of opportunities to be exploited by the operators, providing further services to users.

This document builds on the assumption that the user will have both the interest and opportunity to exploit in an "optimal" way all transport services offered on the market. To this end, he/she will have access to specific, transport related, information services and be able to build up a personal, intermodal transport chain, fitting his/her needs.

The basic services will include:

1. Planning information, reservation, booking and ticketing for multimodal routes and multidestinations.
2. Localisation, routing and other information concerning activities such as tourism related to one or many destinations of travel.
3. Practical information and payment facilities for multimodal transport facilities used, tariffs, regulations, tolls, car rental, parking, taxis, car pooling, demand responsive buses, tours, short breaks, hotels, bed and breakfast etc.
4. Updated information on the prevailing conditions of traffic/transport and weather that the traveller is likely to encounter during its journey.
5. Post trip services including invoicing, customer satisfaction, baggage handling, insurance claims, etc.

These services could be made available in response to personal requirements of an individual, on behalf of businesses and groups, or as a comprehensive person-to-person product and possibly on-line assistance.