# Managing Intermodal Tickets Digitally

> DB Systel uses SSI wallets and Web3 technologies to digitally manage tickets, discounts, and additional mobility services. The blockchain-based solution enables transparent and fair revenue allocation between various mobility providers in real time. The goal is an open, decentralized digital ecosystem for the entire transport sector.

**Sector:** Tertiary sector · **Industry:** Rail transport · **Organisation:** DB Systel · **Maturity level:** Pilot

Canonical URL: https://www.sapientblock.com/en/use-cases/db-systel-intermodale-tickets-digital-verwalten

## Documentation status

- **Project status:** Pilot
- **Evidence:** Evidence high
- **Editorial review:** Ufuk Avci, 12 July 2026

## Description

DB Systel, the IT service provider of Deutsche Bahn, uses blockchain technology, SSI wallets and Web3 applications to digitally manage tickets, discounts and other mobility services. The focus is particularly on the transparent and fair distribution of revenues between different mobility providers when travellers use intermodal travel chains – that is, journeys across multiple modes of transport. The platform is intended to create an open, decentralised digital ecosystem that can be quickly expanded to include new mobility providers and build trust between the companies involved without the need for a central control authority.

In the modern mobility market, travellers often use combinations of train, bus, sharing services and other modes of transport – so-called intermodal travel chains. The fair distribution of revenues among the providers involved is complex, prone to errors and requires mutual trust. DB Systel addresses this problem with a blockchain-based platform built on Hyperledger Fabric and supported by IBM as a technology partner. Additionally, SSI wallets (Self-Sovereign Identity) and Web3 technologies are used to manage digital identities and entitlements for tickets and discounts in a decentralised and tamper-proof manner. The solution enables real-time revenue distribution, makes each provider's share transparent and reduces the need for manual billing processes between partners. DB Regio, another Deutsche Bahn entity, is involved in the solution, and the long-term goal is a comprehensive travel platform that bundles the entire mobility offering – from ticket booking and discounts to other services – in an open digital ecosystem.

## Benefits

- Faster and less conflict-prone billing between cooperation partners in the network
- Simple onboarding of new mobility providers into the open ecosystem
- Building trust between competing providers through immutable transaction data
- Transparent and fair revenue distribution between mobility providers in real time
- Reduction of manual billing efforts through automated processes
- Building a trust-based, open mobility ecosystem without a central control authority
- Extensibility of the platform to discounts and other mobility services
- Relief from repetitive manual billing and reconciliation tasks
- New career opportunities in blockchain, Web3 and digital identities

## Challenges

- Need for industry-wide consensus on standards, governance and data access
- High initial investments in technology and integration for all partners involved
- Integration of a wide variety of mobility providers and systems into a common ecosystem
- Creating trust and common standards between competing companies
- Complexity of technical implementation and operation of a permissioned blockchain infrastructure
- Building new technical skills around blockchain, SSI and Web3 within the existing team

## Technology foundation

The solution is based on Hyperledger Fabric as a permissioned blockchain, which IBM and DB Systel use as their preferred platform for enterprise applications. Additionally, SSI wallets (Self-Sovereign Identity) and Web3 technologies are used to manage digital identities and authorisations for tickets and discounts in a decentralised manner. Hyperledger Fabric is particularly suitable for this use case because it enables privacy-compliant, permissioned transaction management between defined participants and meets the requirements of a regulated transport ecosystem.

## Sources

- [The chain of trust – DB Systel Digital Stories](https://www.dbsystel.de/dbsystel-en/Digital-Stories-en/The-chain-of-trust-6165658)
- [IBM and DB Systel Mobility Blockchain – Ledger Insights](https://www.ledgerinsights.com/ibm-dbsystel-mobility-blockchain/)
- [Blockchain & Web3 – DB Systel Consulting and Innovation](https://www.dbsystel.de/dbsystel-en/Consulting-and-innovation/Blockchain-9980134)
- [Blockchain at Deutsche Bahn](https://www.deutschebahn.com/de/blockchain-6898612)