Open Data Challenge for Public Transportation 2024 – powered by Project LINKS – is an application contest aimed at open innovation using public transport open data.
Railways, buses, airlines, ferries, and shared bicycles. Association for Open Data of Public Transportation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, is working nationwide to make Japan's public transportation data — often said to be the most complex in the world — available as open data. We look forward to enthusiastic challenges from developers around the globe, aiming to create new services utilizing this data, solve social issues, and drive regional revitalization.

What's Project LINKS

Project LINKS is an interdisciplinary DX promotion project by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT).

By reconstructing various administrative information that has not been utilized so far as "data" and making it usable, the project aims to promote evidence-based policy making (EBPM) and realize the creation of new businesses (open innovation).

Project LINKS Web site

NEWS

July 10, 2024　Open Data Challenge for Public Transportation 2024 web page was launched.

EVENT

Open Data Challenge for Public Transportation 2024 will host webinars and hackathons for developers and transportation operators.

Overview

Organizer Association for Open Data of Public Transportation
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Co-sponsor collaboration Hub for University and Business (cHUB), Faculty of Information Networking for Innovation And Design (INIAD), Toyo University
Institute of Infrastructure Application of Ubiquitous Computing (IAUC)
Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, the University of Tokyo
Association for Promotion of Infrastructure Geospatial Information Distribution
Special Cooperation Tokyo Metropolitan Government, East Japan Railway Company, MobilityData, Google Japan G.K., YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory
Cooperation

＜Railway＞

Akechi Railway, Ise Railway, Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd., Kumamoto city transportation bureau, Kumamoto dentetsu, Keio Corporation, Keikyu Corporation, SAGAMI RAILWAY Co., Ltd., Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company Co., SEIBU RAILWAY Co.,Ltd., Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail Co., Ltd., TOKYU RAILWAYS, Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd., Bureau of Transportation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit .Inc., Tobu Railway Co., Ltd., Toyama Chihou Tetsudou, Hakodate City Tram Development, East Japan Railway Company, Manyosen, Yamagata Railway, Yurikamome Inc., Transportation Bureau, City of Yokohama

＜Route bus＞

Aoi Kotsu, Aomori City, Akiha Bus Service Co.,Ltd, Asa Kaigan Railway, IZUHAKONE BUS CO.,LTD, Itoigawa Bus, Ugo Kotsu, UNOBUS, Oshima-bus Corporation, OdakyuBus Co., Ltd., Kaetsuno Bus, Kanagawa Chuo Kotsu Co.,Ltd., Transportation Bureau, City of Kawasaki, KAWASAKI TSURUMI RINKO BUS CO., LTD, Kan-etsu Transportation Co.,Ltd., Kanto-bus Corporation, Kitaena Kotsu, Public transportaion revitalization council of Kitashitara district, Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau, KyotoBus Co., Ltd, Kusakaru Kotsu, Kushimoto sightseeing bus promotion council, Kumano Gobo Nankai Bus, Gunmachuo-bus Corporation, Gunma-Bus Corporation, Keio Dentetsu Bus Co.,Ltd, Keise Transit Bus, Keifuku Bus Co., Ltd., Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd., Kotosan Bus, Shikoku Kotsu, Joshin-bus, Shodoshima Olive Bus, Shonai Kotsu, Shin Joban Kotsu, Seikatsu Bus Yokkaichi, Seibu Bus Co., Ltd., Sotetsu Bus Co.,Ltd. , Takeya Kotsu, Chikuma Bus, Chuki Bus, Tokyu Bus Corporation, Bureau of Transportation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tohnoh Tetsudou, Tobu Bus Co.,Ltd., Tokushima Bus, Tokushima Bus Nanbu, Toyama Chihou Tetsudou, Nagai unyu, Nagaden Bus, Nankai Rinkan Bus, Seisan Kanko, Nishi Tokyo Bus Co., Ltd., Nippon Chuo Bus Co.,Ltd., Nemuro Kotsu, Nohi Bus, Bus net Tsu, Hamamatsu Bus, East Japan Railway Company, Hitachi Motor Transportation Co. Ltd., FujiExpress.co.,ltd, Hokushin Bus, Hokkaido Takushoku Bus Co., Ltd, Minami-Shinshu regional transportation issues council, Meiko Bus, Mogamigawa Kotsu, Yanbaru Express Bus, Transportation Bureau, City of Yokohama, Ryujin Jidosha

＜Community bus＞

Akaiwa city, Akashi city, Ako city, Asago city, Asahi town (Yamagata pref.), Asahi town (Toyama pref.), Ashiya town, Ama city, Aridagawa town, Awaji city, Anjo city, Annaka city, Iiyama city, Iga city, Ise city, Ichikawa town, Ichinoseki city, Inagawa town, Inagi City, Ibigawa town, Imizu city, Iwade city, Ueda city, Uozu city, Ena city, Oshu city, Oizumi town, Oe town, Ogaki city, Ohkura village, Odai town, Omachi city, Oguni town(Yamagata pref.), Hyogo-ono city, Obanazawa city, Oyabe city, Onga town, Kaizu city, Kaiyo town, Kagamino town, Kakegawa city, Kakogawa city, Kagoshima city, Kasai city, Kasamatsu town, Katsushika city, Kato city, Katori city, Kaneyama town, Kani city, Kanuma city, Kahoku town, Kama city, Kamiichi town, Kamikatsu town, Kamikawa town (Hyogo pref.), Kamigori town, Kaminoyama city, Kameyama city, Kariya city, Kawakami village (Nagano pref.), Kawasaki town (Fukuoka pref.), Kanda town, Kisosaki town, Kitakyushu city, Kitajima town, Kitanagoya city, Kinokawa city, Gifu city, Kiho town, Kiyose city, Kusatsu city, Gujo city, Kunitachi City, Kumano city, Kurobe city, Kuwana city, Koka city, Kobe city, Koga city (Fukuoka Pref.), Kokubunji City, Komatsu city, Sagae city, Sakata city, Sakegawa village, Samukawa town, Sayo town, Sanjo city, Shizuoka city, Shimada city, Joetsu city, Shodoshima town, Shonai town, Shirataka town, Shinonsen town, Shingu town, Shinjo city, Shinshiro city, Sue town, Suzaki city, Susami town, Sumoto city, Suwa city, Setouchi city, Seto city, Soeda town, Takaoka city, Takasago city, Takashima city, Takayama city, Takarazuka city, Tagawa city, Taketoyo town, Taki town, Tachikawa city, Tatsuno city, Tateshina town, Tateyama city, Tateyama town, Chikuma city, Chita city, Chiryu city, Tsukuba city, Tsu city, Tsuchiura city, Tsuruoka city, Tsurugi town, Tendo city, Toin town, Chuo city, Tohoku town, Toki city, Tokushima city, Tokushima city transportaion bureau, Tokoname city, Tozawa village, Tonami city, Toba city, Toyama city, Toyoake city, Toyooka city, Toyota city, Nagai city, Nakagawa town (Tochigi pref.), Nagakute city, Toyoyama town, Nakatsugawa city, Nakano city (Nagano pref.), Nagano city, Nagahama city, Naka town, Nakayama town, Nagareyama city, Nagiso town, Nabari city, Naruto city, Nanto city, Nanyo city, Nishio city, Nishikawa town, Nishinomiya city, Nishiwaki city, Nikko city, Nisshin city, Ninomiya town, Nyuzen town, Nogata city, Hakusan city, Hashikami town, Hashima city, Hayashima town, Hanno city, Higashiura town, Higashiomi city, Higashine city, Higashimurayama city, Hida city, Hichiso town, Hino town (Shiga pref.), Himeji city, Hirado city, Fukusaki town, Fukutsu city, Buzen city, Machida city, Matsusaka city, Matsushige town, Matsumoto city, Maniwa city, Mamurogawa town, Mizunami city, Mizuho town, Mitake town, Mitoyo city, Minamiawaji city, Minamiise town, Minamichita town, Minami town (Tokushima pref.), Higashimiyoshi town, Minokamo city, Miyama city, Aichi-miyoshi city, Miyoshi city (Tokushima pref.), Munakata city, Murakami city, Murayama city, Motosu city, Moriyama city, Yaotsu town, Yasu city, Yanagawa city, Yabu city, Yamagata city (Yamagata pref.), Yamagata city (Gifu pref.), Yamatokoriyama city, Yamanobe town, Yuki city, Yokosuka city, Yoshinogawa city, Yonezawa city, Ritto city, Wako city, Watarai town

＜Ferry＞

Itsukishima Kisen, Uwajima Unyu Co., Ltd., Kyusho Ferry Co., Ltd, Sakata Ferry Office, Sanwa Merchant Vessel Co., Ltd., Orange Ferry, Shingu town, Suonada Ferry, Taneyaku Kousokusen, Tokai Kisen Co.,Ltd., Toba city, Naruto city, Nippo Kisen, Haboro Enkai Ferry Co., Ltd., Himeshima Village (Oita Pref.), BINGO SHOSEN CO., LTD. , Fujikyu Marine Resort, Mt.Fuji Shimizu Port Cruise Ltd., A"Line Ferry Co., Ltd., Marubun Matsushima Kisen Co., Ltd, Munakata city, Meimon Taiyo Ferry Co., Ltd

＜Airline＞

All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., okyo International Air Terminal Corporation, Narita International Airport Corporation, Japan Airlines, Japan Airport Terminal

＜Bike share＞

OpenStreet, DOCOMO BIKESHARE, INC.
Open Data Partners PLATEAU, MLIT DATA PLATFORM, Organization for Vitalization of Local Economy by Digital transformation, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan Meteorological Agency, National Police Agency, Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Open Data to be Released

Open Data Challenge for Public Transportation 2024 – powered by Project LINKS – will release the following data.
For details on the data, please refer to the respective linked sites. Additional data will be made available as it becomes ready.

Public Transportation Open Data Center
This platform for public transport open data is operated by the Public Transport Open Data Council. It provides data on railways, buses, ferries, airlines, and shared bicycles. Some data will be available exclusively for the challenge.
List of Provided Data
Railway
JR East's GTFS-formatted timetable data, GTFS-RT train location data, and operational information, along with a variety of other railway data, will be provided.
Bus
Timetable data in GTFS format for Toei buses and others, GTFS-RT bus location data, and a wide range of other bus data will be provided.
Ferry
A variety of GTFS-formatted route information data will be provided.
Airline
Flight schedules and real-time arrival/departure information for airlines such as Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, along with other aviation-related data, will be provided.
Bike share
docomo Bike Share and OpenStreet (Hello Cycling) will provide GBFS-formatted bike share station information.
GTFS Data Repository
Municipalities and private bus operators that operate community buses release public transportation data, such as bus schedules, in GTFS format. This data, organized chronologically and registered in repositories, can be downloaded or accessed via API for use under an open license.
The operation is supported by the Japan Bus Information Association and managed by Association for Promotion of Infrastructure Geospatial Information Distribution.
List of Provided Data
Railway
The GTFS format data for railways operated by private operators, etc.
Bus
GTFS format data for community buses operated by municipalities and buses operated by private bus companies.
Ferry
GTFS format data for ferries and maritime vessels.

＜Cooperative Open Data＞

Please utilize the following open data sites as well.

Entries Wanted

We are seeking applications and services that leverage various datasets, including public transport open data, to address challenges and explore new data utilization opportunities in local areas.

Schedule

Contest Duration July 16, 2024 (Tuesday) - March 14, 2025 (Friday)
Application Period October 1, 2024 (Tuesday) - January 17, 2025 (Friday)
  After the application period ends, we will conduct the first round of screening.
Final Judging and Award Ceremony February 15, 2025 (Saturday)
Award

Total amount of prizes 3,000,000 JPY

Additionally, special awards from sponsoring organizations will be available.

Entry

Application Process

Step 1: Register as a developer on the Public Transport Open Data Center
Step 2: Enter the Public Transport Open Data Challenge 2024
Step 3: Develop your project
Step 4: Submit your project

Eligibility Requirements

Application Conditions

Entry Rules

These public transportation open data challenge entry rules (“Entry Rules”) stipulate the eligibility requirements and entry conditions for submitting applications, web services, and IoT gadgets (including but not limited to similar items) to the public transportation open data challenge (“the Challenge”) implemented by the Public Transportation Open Data Council (“the Council”) and others.

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Only those who agree to the Entry Rules (“Developers”) may enter the Challenge.
  2. Anyone can enter, whether an individual, group, or corporation.
  3. There are no restrictions on nationality, age, place of residence, etc.
  4. A single Developer (including groups and corporations) may submit multiple works. Developers may also belong to multiple groups.
  5. The sponsor of the Challenge (the “Sponsor”) will refuse entries from Developers whom it determines to be organized crime groups as defined in Article 2(2) of the Act on Prevention of Unjust Acts by Organized Crime Group Members (Act No. 77 of 1991), organized crime group members as defined in Article 2(6) of that Act, associate members of organized crime groups, companies affiliated with organized crime groups, stockholder-meeting extortionists, racketeers claiming to be political activists, organized crime groups specializing in intellectual crimes, other groups or individuals that pursue economic gain through violence, intimidation, fraud or other such means, or other persons equivalent thereto (collectively, “Anti-Social Forces”), or from Developers whom it determines to be cooperating with or involved in the maintenance, operation or management of Anti-Social Forces through funding or other means, or to have any interaction or involvement with Anti-Social Forces. Even if an entry is initially accepted, it will be invalidated if the Sponsor determines that the Developer is an Anti-Social Force or has any interaction or involvement with Anti-Social Forces.

Entry Conditions

  1. Developers shall create their submitted works after accepting these Entry Rules.
  2. Developers shall create submitted works utilizing data published by the Public Transportation Open Data Center operated by the Council , or data related to railways, buses, airlines, ferries, and shared bicycles that has been published as open data by the organizers or co-organizers of the Challenge.public transportation-related data that is publicly available as open data on the websites of public transportation operators or open data repository sites, including data published by the Public Transportation Open Data Center operated by the Council.
  3. If the submitted work is an application or web service, then it shall be made available for anyone to use free of charge during the Challenge contest period.
  4. When using data, Developers shall comply with the terms of use of the services providing the data and the licenses for the data.
  5. Submitted works must be conceived and created by the Developer.
  6. Developers shall guarantee to the Challenge Sponsor, co-sponsors, special cooperators, cooperators, open data partners and supporting organizations (collectively, “Implementing Entities”) that they have cleared the copyrights for their submitted works in advance so as not to hinder their entry into the Challenge.
  7. Submitted works shall allow for combining their data with other data that does not give rise to copyright issues.
  8. Developers agree to bear all costs related to entering the Challenge, including building the development and execution environments for submitted works and internet communication and connection fees.
  9. Challenge winners shall in principle attend the awards ceremony and give a presentation on their submitted work.
  10. Challenge prize money will be paid by bank transfer to a designated account in the name of the individual winner, the group representative’s personal account (for groups), or the corporate account (for corporations).
  11. For application or web service submissions, Developers shall register their information and information about their submitted work on the dedicated website and make submissions by publishing on Google Play, the App Store, the Windows Store or any website. For IoT gadget submissions, Developers shall register their information and information about their submitted work on the dedicated website and make submissions through dispatch or delivery to the specified address in order to enter the Challenge.
  12. For IoT gadget submissions, Developers agree that they will lose eligibility to enter the Challenge if their submitted work arrives at the address specified by the Council after the submission deadline for the Challenge.
  13. For iOS app submissions, the date of submission to Apple for review shall be considered the submission date to the Challenge for that work. (However, if Apple’s review results in the work not being registered on the App Store, then it will be excluded from judging for the Challenge.)
  14. Apps submitted to the Challenge will not be certified, published, or distributed as official apps or services of the Implementing Entities.
  15. If any issues arise related to copyrights, moral rights of authors, adjacent rights, design rights, trademark rights, utility model rights, patent rights or other rights (“Intellectual Property”), the Developer shall resolve such issues at its own responsibility and expense. If the Implementing Entities or any third parties suffer damage due to the Developer’s responsibility, then the Developer shall be liable to pay compensation.
  16. The Implementing Entities make no warranty whatsoever regarding the accuracy, completeness, fitness for a particular purpose, etc. of the content of the data prepared by the Implementing Entities for the Challenge, and shall not be liable for any damage incurred by Developers from using or being unable to use such information.
  17. Developers agree in advance that the Implementing Entities may discontinue provision of the data prepared for the Challenge or change the content of the data due to the circumstances affecting the Challenge’s Implementing Entities.
  18. Developers agree that the period for provision of the data prepared for the Challenge by the Implementing Entities is scheduled to last until the end of the Challenge.
  19. Submitted works that the Sponsor determines to be contrary to, or likely to be contrary to, public order and morals, or that do not align with the purpose of the Challenge, will be excluded from judging.
  20. The Intellectual Property of submitted works belongs to the Developer.
  21. Developers grant permission for the Implementing Entities or parties designated by the Implementing Entities to use the Developer’s submitted work, name, Developer name, photos of face and full body at the awards ceremony, etc., free of charge and indefinitely for purposes of announcing, promoting, recording and publicizing the Challenge through publication, reproduction, distribution, public transmission or publication (including by electronic means) or other methods.
  22. Developers may announce the fact that they submitted a work to the Challenge on their own websites, social media, etc. However, they must not falsely represent that the Implementing Entities developed the submitted work.
  23. For application or web service submissions, Developers shall include contact information for inquiries about the content (including displayed information) and operation of the submitted work. Developers shall thereby make maximum efforts to ensure that inquiries about the content (including displayed information) and operation of the work they have created are not directed to the public transportation data providers or open data partners.
  24. Developers shall not use the data prepared by the Implementing Entities for the Challenge for any purpose other than developing submitted works for the Challenge and using that data in the submitted works. If it is discovered that a Developer has used the data prepared by the Implementing Entities for the Challenge for purposes other than these, then the Developer acknowledges in advance that the Sponsor may discontinue providing that data to the Developer and may take legal action against the Developer.
  25. If a submitted work causes disadvantage or brings disrepute to the Implementing Entities, then the provision of information to the Developer of that submitted work will be immediately terminated and the Developer will lose eligibility to enter the Challenge.
  26. Developers shall not provide the data prepared by the Implementing Entities for the Challenge to any third parties, whether for a fee or free of charge. Additionally, applications using that data must publish features that anyone can use free of charge during the Challenge period. If it is discovered that a Developer has acted contrary to these requirements, then the Developer acknowledges in advance that the Sponsor may discontinue providing that data to the Developer and may take legal action against the Developer.
  27. If there are false statements in a Developer’s entry details, then it will lose eligibility for awards.
  28. If the Sponsor is unable to contact a Developer to inform it of an award for reasons such as being unable to make contact with it, then that Developer’s right to receive the award may be invalidated.
  29. Information provided at the time of entry such as names and contact details will only be used for contacting award winners, announcing winning submissions, and contacting Developers regarding submitted works. However, this limitation does not apply to future use of the submitted works, names, Developer names, etc., in print or electronic media for publicity, promotion and announcement purposes in Japan and overseas.
  30. No inquiries regarding the selection process for the Challenge can be answered.
  31. The Challenge may be canceled without notice due to various circumstances. Even if prior to learning of the cancellation a Developer has incurred costs for entering the Challenge, the Implementing Entities shall have no obligation to pay compensation for such costs.

Established and effective July 1, 2024

Entry to Open Data Challenge 2024

Past Grand Prizes

1st
Tokyo Trains

2nd
My Bus

3rd
Mini Tokyo 3D

3rd
UpNext

4th
Tratal – Transport Information Portal 2021

4th
Mitu-yoho

4th
Public Transportation Irregular Event Notifier (PIEN🥺) for Tokyo

You can see these works below.

Past Contests