Upper Austrian Transport Association: Responsive website relaunch for public transport

Clear information, a clean presentation, easy navigation, and short paths – that is what visitors to a website want. These very requirements, based on a customer survey, formed the guideline for redesigning the website of the Upper Austrian Transport Association (OÖ Verkehrsverbund).

The OÖ Verkehrsverbund ensures a needs-based, qualitatively and quantitatively optimal offering in local and regional public transport for the population of Upper Austria. To meet this standard digitally as well, the website was completely redesigned together with the agency raum22 – with a consistent focus on responsive design so that the site is displayed optimally on all devices.

The technical implementation of the omni-channel solution includes integration with the journey planning system, an online application configurator, and e-ticketing – turning the website into a fully fledged digital service portal for the people of Upper Austria.

What makes the OÖ Verkehrsverbund project in 2013 technically complex is the integration with live systems. Timetable data changes daily, e-ticketing requires secure transaction processes, and the online application configurator must work for all usage scenarios – from commuters on desktop to occasional riders with a smartphone.

The fact that the requirements stem directly from a customer survey is by no means a given. Clear information, a clean presentation, short paths – it sounds simple, but it requires solid conceptual work. syreta and raum22 delivered exactly that: a website that makes public transport digitally accessible as well.

Responsive design in 2013 – why this step was pioneering at the time

In 2013, responsive design is not yet a given. Many public institutions and companies run separate mobile websites or ignore the topic entirely. That the OÖ Verkehrsverbund takes this step early on is a deliberate decision — and the right one. Especially a website that supports people in their daily use of public transport must work just as well on a smartphone as it does on a desktop. Anyone looking for the next bus on the go or wanting to buy an e-ticket has no time for a cumbersome mobile presentation. Integration with the journey planning system and the e-ticketing function place particular technical demands: data must be retrieved in real time and displayed correctly, and the ticket purchase process must be secure and simple. Together with the agency raum22, syreta implemented these requirements in a solution that not only convinces technically, but also meets the standard of a customer-survey-based redesign — user-friendly, clear, and optimal on every device.