SNCF - Wayfinding & Security
Context & challenges
Major railway stations in France are complex, high-traffic environments where passenger flows, security operations and incident management must coexist seamlessly. Every day, thousands of travelers navigate large, multi-level station layouts, often under time pressure and stress.
The project addresses two complementary challenges: improving passenger orientation and wayfinding, while simultaneously reinforcing security operations and incident management. The solution is integrated directly into the official passenger mobile application, enabling a unified experience for both travelers and operational teams.
Project scope
The deployment covers large railway station environments and includes:
Indoor localization within multi-level passenger stations
Support for passengers, visitors and security staff
Integration into the “Ma Gare” mobile application
Coverage of public areas and operational zones requiring enhanced security
This scope ensures consistent indoor location services across busy and complex railway hubs.
Solution deployed
Pole Star delivers an indoor location and wayfinding solution embedded within the passenger mobile application. Travelers can locate themselves in real time and follow precise indoor routes across station levels, reducing confusion and delays when moving between entrances, platforms and services.
At the same time, the solution supports security operations by enabling the real-time localization of security personnel within station environments. In the event of an incident, location data helps improve coordination and response efficiency by providing accurate situational awareness.
Pole Star architecture & solutions
The solution relies on Pole Star’s transport-ready location platform:
NAO® Mobile SDK for smartphone-based indoor localization
NAO® BlueSpot V4 Rugged, adapted to large and complex public infrastructures
This architecture ensures reliable performance in high-traffic railway stations with demanding operational constraints.
Operational benefits
The deployment delivers tangible benefits for both passengers and operators:
Improved passenger experience through accurate indoor wayfinding
Reduced stress and delays within large station environments
Enhanced security operations through real-time staff localization
More effective incident management supported by accurate location data
Partners
