Developing public transport is essential to building sustainable cities. The transport sector is responsible for nearly a quarter of global carbon emissions, making its modernisation a key part of achieving climate goals. Effective solutions are particularly important in urban areas, where a significant share of emissions comes from short journeys made by private cars. As a result, attractive and competitive public transport systems not only improve mobility but also make a valuable contribution to reducing environmental impact.

One of the most effective ways to cut emissions is to reduce reliance on private cars. International studies show that carbon emissions per passenger are significantly higher for private vehicles than for public transport. A fully occupied bus, for example, can replace dozens of cars on the road, helping to ease congestion and improve air quality.

Sustainability Requires More Than Additional Services

Research shows that people do not choose how they travel based solely on environmental considerations. Public transport becomes a genuine alternative to driving when it offers a reliable, predictable and comfortable travel experience.

Real-time passenger information plays a crucial role in making this possible. Accurate and up-to-date information reduces uncertainty, improves the passenger experience and helps build trust in the service. Replacing outdated, paper-based information systems with modern digital solutions can significantly increase passenger satisfaction and make public transport more attractive.

Improving public transport therefore involves more than introducing new vehicles or increasing service frequency. It also means enhancing the overall passenger experience. Digital passenger information solutions give travellers quick and easy access to the information they need, making journeys smoother and more convenient.

As a Hungarian-owned research, development and manufacturing company, HC Linear provides comprehensive passenger information systems for vehicles, stations and stops. Our latest innovation, SmartPage, reflects this approach. Its e-paper displays provide real-time passenger information while consuming very little energy. Combined with solar power and a long service life, the system supports sustainability goals while delivering practical benefits for both passengers and transport operators. The result is a solution that is not only modern and informative, but also environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

The Future of Mobility Is Multimodal

One of the biggest challenges facing public transport is the so-called first-mile/last-mile issue – ensuring convenient connections at the beginning and end of a journey. When a stop or station is difficult to access, many people choose to make the entire trip by car instead.

Multimodal mobility offers a solution by integrating public transport with micromobility options such as bicycles and e-scooters. The goal is not for one mode of transport to replace another, but for passengers to be able to combine different mobility options into a single, seamless journey.

As part of the Horizon Europe-funded metaCCAZE project, HC Linear is working alongside the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and MVK Zrt. to develop innovative solutions that bring public transport and micromobility services closer together. The aim is to create a mobility ecosystem that makes urban travel simpler, more convenient and more sustainable.

The transport systems of the future will not be built around a single mode of travel. Instead, future cities will depend on intelligent, connected and sustainable mobility networks that make getting around easier, more efficient and more environmentally responsible.

Energy-efficient and easy-to-operate solutions are playing an increasingly important role in digital passenger information systems. Our SmartPage system addresses this market demand with a modern solution, now presented in detail on its own dedicated website.

SmartPage is an e-paper-based passenger information display system designed to provide real-time timetable and arrival information at stops, stations and public transport hubs. Compared to conventional digital displays, e-paper technology requires significantly less energy. The displays consume power only when content is updated, making long-term operation possible even with battery or solar power.

The new website provides detailed information about the system’s key features and benefits:

• real-time passenger information,
• cost-efficient operation,
• excellent readability in bright sunlight and at night,
• easy installation,
• remote management and diagnostics,
• as well as multi-page content management capabilities.

Gain a comprehensive overview of how the SmartPage system works and discover how it can contribute to a more modern, sustainable and passenger-friendly public transport infrastructure: https://smartpage-epaper.com

The 26th Transport Development and Investment Conference is one of Hungary’s leading multi-day professional forums, focusing on current challenges in transport development, investment priorities, and technological innovation.
Held between March 24–26, 2026 in Bükfürdő, the event also featured a presentation by our Lead Project Engineer. Under the title “Real-time passenger information with the SmartPage e-paper display system”, the session introduced both the concept behind the solution and key insights from its practical implementation.

Following the event, a detailed professional article will also be published in the online journal of the Hungarian Scientific Association for Transport. Below is a summary of how the SmartPage system works and the benefits it delivers.

In public transport, access to accurate and reliable information is one of the most important factors shaping the passenger experience. Timely updates on schedules, delays, and unexpected changes have a direct impact on how services are perceived.
Developed by HC Linear, the SmartPage e-paper-based passenger information system offers a sustainable and cost-efficient solution to this challenge.

The system is designed to provide real-time, dynamically updated information for passengers waiting at stops, while minimising energy consumption and infrastructure requirements. Built on e-paper technology, SmartPage displays are particularly well suited to locations where installing LED or TFT displays would be too costly or technically complex.

One of the key advantages of e-paper technology is that it only consumes power when content is updated, making it extremely energy efficient. As a result, SmartPage devices can operate without a fixed power connection, using batteries or even solar energy.

Thanks to their paper-like appearance, the displays remain highly readable even in strong sunlight, providing consistently high contrast. Designed for outdoor use, the devices withstand harsh weather conditions and can be easily installed on poles or walls.

Through a remote management platform, all displays can be monitored and controlled in real time. Operators can manage content, check device status, and access diagnostic data from a single interface. In addition to timetable information, the system supports a wide range of content, including local news, community updates, and municipal messages, which can be scheduled across multiple pages.
User interaction is reflected in navigation activity, with deployed devices recording an average of 3,000 button presses per month per unit.

QR codes can also be displayed, allowing passengers to instantly access additional digital content or participate in surveys.

Feedback collected by HC Linear shows that the vast majority of users describe their first interaction with the display as positive. Many highlight the convenience of instantly seeing when the next vehicle will arrive, without needing to check mobile apps or printed timetables.

A significant share of respondents would welcome the wider deployment of such displays, particularly at busy hubs and at stops where no digital passenger information is currently available.

Energy-efficient digital infrastructure is playing an increasingly important role in the development of public transport, supporting both passenger convenience and cost-efficient operation. SmartPage e-paper displays offer a simple digital alternative to paper-based timetables and a foundation for a modern, future-ready passenger information system.

HC Linear, the Hungarian company behind the system, has more than 35 years of experience in the research, development, and manufacturing of electronic and software systems. Its R&D centre in Pécs is home to an in-house engineering team working on hardware, software, and system integration solutions.

HC Linear’s transport IT systems are deployed across multiple countries, cities, and regions, helping to simplify mobility for millions of passengers every day.