NDS migration FAQs

Intro

The Swedish rail market has undergone significant changes in how tickets are retailed. At the heart of this change is the migration to a new digital system, the National Distribution System (NDS).

NDS is based on the Open Sales and Distribution Model (OSDM) and is designed to connect rail and bus operators in a single distribution solution, simplify the ticketing process, and boost cross-selling opportunities

Updates

Thank you for choosing Linkonline. You can always review the latest changes inside the app under “Linkon Info.” Below is a summary of recent enhancements.

June 17, 2025

Support for return trips

Return journeys booked through external applications that use the SilverRail API now flow seamlessly into Linkonline. The feature is already live inside Linkonline.

May 14, 2025

Special zone

You can now reserve a Special Seat / Compartment on bookable day trains operated by SJ and Tågab (where this product is offered).

Seat map

Interactive seat-map selection is available for SJ Snabbtåg services and for Tågab. See our How-to guide for further information.

SilverRail Roadmap

Next planned release – 26 August 2025:

• VR with Resplus
• Add loyalty card (SJ Prio, My VR) in booking flow

Description of features

In the following table, we provide a brief description of the features mentioned in this article.

Glossary of terms

General Questions

Why has SilverRail changed the way its API and Linkonline work?

Due to the system change in the Swedish market and the introduction of Samtrafiken's National Distribution System (NDS), SilverRail needs to adapt its services to the new system landscape and its functionality.

SilverRail is actively working to minimize the impact, but because of the dependencies on external systems (e.g. NDS and carrier IMS), SilverRail cannot guarantee that the functionality in its platform will be available in the same way after the system change.

What is NDS?

NDS stands for "National Distribution System" and is provided by Samtrafiken.

What is the OSDM standard?

OSDM stands for "Open Sales and Distribution Model" and is a standard for booking public transportation. The NDS uses the OSDM.

What is an IMS?

IMS stands for 'Inventory Management System', which is the system used by rail carriers to hold their fares and availability data.

Will there be limitations in content or functionality after Samtrafiken's introduction of NDS?

There will be limitations. SilverRail is committed to informing Partners proactively about those changes. Known changes are published in this FAQ and will be communicated via the usual channels for our respective products.

Will there be a difference between what content is available in the carriers' sales channels and via SilverRail?

Yes, and there are two reasons for this. The first is that rail carriers choose what content is available in their own sales channels and what products they makes available via the NDS.

Secondly, SilverRail needs to adapt its integrations to offer updated content and products from rail carriers.

We sometimes experience longer response times compared to before the migration. Why is that?

Because SilverRail’s system needs to access external systems, such as NDS and carrier IMS, for content and availability, response times have increased in some scenarios.

We are, together with the other parties involved in the ecosystem, investigating how to improve response times.

Following the migration, what timetable period will be available through SilverRail?

Samtrafiken is responsible for the timetable and SilverRail makes the timetable provided by Samtrafiken available. Hence there can be other timetable periods and connection times available in Carrier direct sales channels, as the carrier themselves are responsible for their timetable.

This situation can lead to the possibility that:

• A carrier showing timetable data on their website that is not in sync with what SilverRail is providing to customers due to the delivery mechanism.
• A carrier showing timetable data on their website that is valid for a longer future period, compared to what SilverRail is providing to customers, due to Samtrafiken hard limit.
• Due to connection times that does not follow Samtrafiken’s minimum connection time rules, a carrier might show connections on their website that are not available via Samtrafiken and SilverRail.

Why is the booking not labeled as Resplus in some combinations?

Travelers can still book a combined Resplus journey in one booking. However, for a limited period, some booking combinations will not be labeled RESPLUS, and the Resplus compensation guarantee will not apply.

If the guarantee applies and where the information is provided, this will be visible in the booking flow and on the ticket.

Roadmap and timelines

Will all accessible content be available via SilverRail's applications (Linkonline and SilverRail API)?

For a period, there may well be gaps in content availability. We are working hard with all parties to make content available as soon as possible. Please see the roadmap for more details.

Will there be a disruption in the sales of SJ multi-ride tickets?

Yes, there will be a disruption in selling monthly cards/multi-ride tickets. Please see the roadmap for more details

Carrier availability

Following the migration, what carriers will be available and when?

Currently, all carriers that were available before the introduction of NDS are available via SilverRail.

However, RESPLUS journeys will not be available for combined trips, including VR or Vy Buss/Bus4You, after the migration. SilverRail will provide an update when more information on RESPLUS combinations with these carriers is available.

Information about Snälltåget via SilverRail:
• For cross-border tickets, the date of birth for each traveller must be added.
• Products visible on Snälltåget.se can be rebooked or refunded for a fee up to 24 hours before departure. Products sold via SilverRail will either have the flexibility ‘not rebookable’ or ‘can be refunded’. Refundable tickets sold via SilverRail can be refunded up until departure time without a fee and will therefore have a higher price.
• Doctor’s certificates are not allowed as a refund overrule code. Please contact Snälltåget directly.

Functionality

Will it be possible to cancel tickets to receive a refund?

As per the business rules set by the carriers, cancelling a charged ticket for a refund will not be possible. We will update the FAQ if there are any changes.

Will it still be possible to refund a ticket booked through SilverRail on the carrier's sales channels or customer support?

No. The reason is that the carriers have different IMSs and carriers can only access their own tickets. Only the retailer with whom the ticket was booked can refund the whole trip.

Refunds due to traffic disruptions, such as delays, canceled trains/departures, or other complaints, must be refunded by the carrier involved.

If the traveler claims "useless travel" and wants the money back, the carrier that caused the disturbance will compensate the traveler for the entire ticket and any return journey from its payment system and not in the application that the reseller booked the ticket.

Will functionality for special refunds be available?

Yes, SilverRail will offer special refunds (Doctor's certificate and Staff Error), which are available through NDS.

Why do bookings need to be paid for within 60 minutes?

This change is a requirement connected to the introduction of NDS, where SilverRail needs to adapt its solution to the underlying IMS systems held by the carriers. Work is ongoing to enable an extension of the timeframe within which a booking needs to be paid.

This change doesn't affect the invoicing from SilverRail to retailers.

Can ancillary services (e.g., breakfast) be added to my booking?

Yes, mandatory breakfast ancillary services will be added automatically, but not optional ancillaries (e.g., meals onboard).

Can a traveler add a loyalty card number (SJ prio) for bookings made via SilverRail?

It is possible to add a loyalty card number to bookings made via SilverRail. Passengers are required to contact SJ within 90 days after travel to register the loyalty card and ensure the qualifying loyalty points are added.

Will travelers be able to see the booked trip on the carriers' respective sales channels?

Travelers will not see the whole trip in the carriers' respective sales channels/applications. The traveler will only see the travel segment(s) operated by the specific carrier in their respective sales channel/application. This is because the carriers have different IMSs and can only access their own segments, meaning only the retailer where the ticket was booked can see the whole trip.

How does Linkonline handle the different refund scenarios?

Please refer to the following table for information about known refund scenarios, the conditions related to each of those scenarios, and how each of those scenarios are handled in Linkonline:

Products

Are Movingo cards available via SilverRail?

Movingo cards are not available via SilverRail.

Is city traffic "Stadszonbiljett" still available?

No. City traffic "Stadszonbiljett" is not available in the Swedish travel ecosystem.

When will exchangeable tickets be available?

As soon as we have visibility from the carriers about when exchangeable tickets will be made available, we will plan SilverRail's development to support this product. We will share an update on this once we have more information.

Will the booking of international tickets be affected?

There are no known changes to international ticket bookings connected with the implementation of NDS.

Support

Where do we go for retailer support?

There are no changes with regard to retailer support. Please continue to use silverdesk.se@silverrailtech.com to contact us for support needs.

Will there be a user manual for all the changes in Linkonline?

Changes are communicated via "Linkonline versionsinformation", which is sent out to all users. The information is also available in "Linkon Info" in Linkonline.

Seating and sleeping

Is it possible to book couchettes and shared compartments on night trains?

Support for booking a single bed in a night train (sleeper and couchette) is available for SJ and Snälltåget. The booking of private 1st-class compartments is supported for SJ (except SJ Euronight).

The booking of 2nd-class private compartments (sleeper and couchette) will come later, please see roadmap for more details.

Is it possible to book a night train compartment for travelers with a wheelchair?

It is currently not possible to book a night train compartment for travelers with a wheelchair. Please refer to our roadmap for updates on upcoming content and functionality.

Is it possible to book pets on night trains?

Currently it’s not possible to book pets on night trains, but SilverRail is working on a solution for this.

Is it possible to see seat availability for travel after the NDS migration?

For travel after the NDS migration, it will not be possible to see what seats are available or whether the train is fully booked. Please refer to our roadmap for updates on upcoming content and functionality.

Will it be possible to book a seat reservation for Öresundståg?

It is not possible to book a seat reservation for Öresundståg. This is outside of SilverRail's control and is due to a limitation in the underlying systems. When available in the underlying system, it will automatically be available through SilverRail.

What are the options for booking seats according to a traveler's preference?

It is possible for travelers to select a specific zone on day trains (e.g., pets allowed, aisle, window, etc.).

Are seatmaps available for all carriers?

SilverRail will offer seatmaps for carriers that make them available.