Deutsche Bahn intends to massively expand its range of services over the next ten years. This project includes a number of infrastructure projects which will mainly contribute to increasing line capacity. The improved safety system ETCS/ERMTS will help to achieve this goal, while the lines will be upgraded to four lanes and ageing rolling stock will be replaced by modern high-capacity, high-performance trains. As a result, Deutsche Bahn will have to manage many more passengers and therefore a higher passenger flow in its stations. Many stations are not designed to cope with such a high load, which makes it necessary to rebuild in order to increase performance.

In order to ensure safe and functional station operations during the conversion work, Frankfurt Hbf was equipped with the ASE PAS system. This system registers the entire flow of people in the station in real time, warns the security personnel with a web application of impending overcrowding and provides a clear data basis for planning and dimensioning issues.

Renovations of high-frequency stations such as Frankfurt Hbf pose a particular challenge. On the one hand, the station must remain in operation during all construction phases, while on the other hand an efficient construction process and sufficient building space are essential to ensure that the work can be carried out safely and quickly. This means that during the planning & construction phase, a complicated process of using the available space within the station perimeter is in progress. The ASE PAS system supports the planning with models and simulations of possible passenger flows, so that congestion can be reduced and safety and customer satisfaction increased.