Over 300 APIs, one unified view: Koontipalvelu makes public transport data usable

Fintraffic’s Koontipalvelu brings Finland’s fragmented public transport data together into a single, standardised resource. It makes timetables, routes, stops, disruptions, deviations and other transport information easier to use for authorities, operators, developers and passenger information services.

Weasel Software delivered practically the entire Koontipalvelu project: service design, the user interface, the integration platform and the technical implementation. The result is a nationally significant digital service that harmonises public transport data from over 300 APIs, making previously scattered information more reliable to use.

“Previously, creating a nationwide public transport or mobility service required a software development project. Now you can simply request access to a single API instead. By retaining historical data, the service accumulates valuable information every day about how services operate, anomalies and problem areas. This provides rich material for developing situational awareness, disruption information and planning services,” says Jaakko Rintamäki, Development Manager at Fintraffic.

From fragmented data to a shared data foundation

Finland’s public transport system generates vast amounts of valuable data every day. This information needs to be processed for use in journey planners, stop displays, disruption communications, transport planning, analytics and new digital services.

The challenge was that the information had long been scattered across different systems and APIs and published using different practices. Every new service had to address the same questions again: where can the data be obtained, what format is it in, how can it be combined and how can its quality be ensured?

Koontipalvelu solves this by bringing public transport data together in one place and harmonising it into a usable format. When data is easier to access and more reliable to use, it provides a foundation for better mobility services.

“Koontipalvelu serves as a model for bringing fragmented transport data together into a unified resource that delivers real benefits – and the concept can also be scaled to meet international needs,” says Petri Konkka, Project Manager at Weasel Software.

Weasel Software designed and implemented the complete service

Weasel Software had wide-ranging responsibility for the practical implementation of Koontipalvelu, covering the design of the service structure, the user interface, integrations, data processing and technical implementation.

The project combined software development, integration expertise, user experience (UX) design and the ability to manage a technically complex system. Weasel Software built a service that collects and harmonises large volumes of data in different formats and presents the information clearly to users.

“Working with Weasel Software has been seamless and solution-focused. The project began with carefully designed wireframes and detailed UX design, which made a multi-stage process feel clear and manageable. Throughout our collaboration, the team has demonstrated flexibility and the ability to solve problems quickly – a big thank you for that,” says Jaakko Rintamäki, Development Manager at Fintraffic.

What does Koontipalvelu make possible?

The value of Koontipalvelu lies above all in what it enables.

Bringing fragmented public transport data together gives authorities and transport organisations a clearer overall view of the transport system. Developers can use data that has already been harmonised, without having to build the same integrations from scratch for every service. For passengers, this can mean better journey planners, more up-to-date passenger information and smoother digital services.

Koontipalvelu also supports future needs. The accumulation of historical data creates opportunities for analytics, forecasting and the use of artificial intelligence. This data can help identify problem areas, detect anomalies and support better-informed development of public transport services.