MultiModX: Bringing multimodal mobility to life

A suite of decision-support tools developed by the MultiModX project will better coordinate Europe's transport systems.

To support the EU's goal of sustainable and smart mobility by 2050, MultiModX set out to create innovative solutions that integrate air and rail planning to enable smoother, more sustainable journeys across the continent.

"Transport systems need to reduce emissions and environmental impact withoutsacrificing efficiency," says project coordinator Eric Tchouamou Njoya, head of economics & transport at aviation think tank Bauhaus Luftfahrt.

At the heart of the SESAR JU -supported MultiModX project are three integrated solutions: disruption management, schedule design and performance assessment. Together, they will allow for improved coordination across transport modes, especially in times of disruption or delay.

One such tool focuses on real-time disruption management. "It's based on a coordinated air and rail schedule adjustment," explains Tchouamou Njoya. "It enables airlines and other stakeholders to respond quickly to disruptions and reallocate passengers, either to rail or air, minimising travel time, delay and costs."

The second tackles schedule design, merging flight and train timetables to optimise transfer time. The team has developed detailed passenger and regional profiles to model demand and preferences across regions and demographics. "Understanding how people choose between time, mode and price lets us optimise more realistically," he adds.

Smart travel, smarter systems

By analysing flight schedules, rail timetables, infrastructure characteristics and passenger mode choices, the third tool predicts emerging mobility trends and indicates how infrastructure and services can adapt. Additionally, it can simulate operations to support real-time planning and ensure a seamless, efficient traveller experience.

Pilots are under way, focusing on intra-Spain and long-haul connectivity from Spain, with the ultimate goal of replicating the approach across Europe. This will be made possible by defining passenger archetypes and developing models that can be adapted to different regional and national contexts throughout the EU.

As the project comes to a close, success for MultiModX means providing a solid foundation for future developments. "If we can demonstrate that integration of air and rail leads to time andcost savings,this couldbe developedinto higherTRL technology in the future," concludes Tchouamou Njoya.

If successful, MultiModX could revolutionise multimodal mobility, where flight delays don't leave travellers stranded, and changing modes is as simple as crossing a platform.

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