Conditions of use stipulated by Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund GmbH for the provision of timetable information, and of the infrastructure data required for such information, via the “RMV Auskunft API” [RMV Information API].
1. Scope of application
a. As part of these conditions of use, Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund GmbH (RMV), Alte Bleiche 5, 65719 Hofheim am Taunus, Germany, grants the API licensee a licence to use
a.a. specific (relational) timetable information from the RMV database as provided via the RMV Auskunft API
and
b.b. specific infrastructure data provided for download.
b. Insofar as RMV provides further information in addition to timetable information (for example regarding the stops relating to a specific journey or regarding the latest travel announcements and notices of delay affecting a journey), these conditions of use shall apply.
c. In using the RMV Auskunft API, the API licensee agrees to these conditions of use.
d. Any general terms and conditions of the API licensee shall not apply.
2. Subject and amendments
a. RMV and the API licensee acknowledge that the timetable information system is so complex, and so dependant on a variety of updates and timetable amendments as well as, where the supply of timetable data is concerned, on a variety of network partners, that no guarantee can be provided, or any liability accepted, for the completeness and accuracy of the data. The subject of contract is therefore neither the completeness nor accuracy of the data provided, but rather solely the regulation of access to timetable information and the guaranteeing of permission to use such information in the form that RMV makes it available in its own interests or makes it publicly available in its website. This shall also apply accordingly for the infrastructure data provided to the API licensee.
b. These conditions of use shall not be used as grounds for any claim brought against RMV by the API licensee in respect of the provision and/or accessibility of specific data to any specific extent or to any specific quality standard or at any specific date or time. For this reason, RMV assumes no liability for the accuracy of the data that it makes available to the API licensee as part of this contract.
c. RMV reserves the right to makes changes or additions to these conditions of use at any time. The API licensee will be informed of any changes via email. Changes shall be deemed accepted if the customer does not object in writing or via the agreed electronic channel. Special notice of this consequence shall be provided by RMV for the customer when notice of changes is provided. Any objection must be sent to RMV by the customer within six weeks of notification of the changes.
3. Definitions
a. "RMV Auskunft API": RMV's application programming interface via which API licensees:
- are provided with infrastructure data for their information and
- are provided with timetable information produced by RMV's systems in relation to a specific query regarding a journey starting point or destination.
b. "API licensee": any natural or legal person using the RMV Auskunft API.
c. "specific query": a request for connection information relating to a starting point or destination (stop/address) and that includes a specific time.
d. "timetable information": the information provided by RMV's systems in response to a specific query together with any specific additional, stop-related information (departure or arrival point) and any travel notices.
e. "infrastructure data": stop information (name of stop, coordinates in tabular form).
f. "access details": following registration, every API licensee receives access details in the form of what is known as an "API key". This must be used for all data processing requests and enables users to be counted and, in the event of misuse, barred.
g. "purpose of use": the purpose of the intended usage, which is to be stated by the API licensee on registering.
h. "end user": solely natural persons who require the data for their direct personal use.
4. API access and data provision
a. Even without registration, RMV makes its infrastructure data available via the RMV Auskunft API. In accessing the infrastructure data, the API licensee accepts the conditions of use.
b. The API licensee can also register online via this website for API access by stating the intended purpose of use. In so doing, the API licensee will receive access details following acknowledgement of these API conditions of use. Nonetheless there shall be no right to be given access details.
c. API licensees can use their access details for all their projects. Access is user-specific, not project-specific.
d. Prior to the first use or distribution of the application developed by the API licensee, the API licensee shall provide RMV free of charge with a fully functioning test version of the website or app for test purposes (hereafter "Test Software") and shall confer on RMV for the duration of API usage the cost-free, irrevocable, non-exclusive, non-transferrable and non-sub-licensable right to use this test version. RMV shall not modify, process, re-work, decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble or translate the Test Software or in any other way attempt to convert it into source code.
e. Timetable information only on request
f. Infrastructure data on demand (infrastructure data are provided by RMV in total when changes are made to the database)
g. The API is generally available on a permanent basis; nonetheless any claim by the partner for permanent access shall be without grounds. Availability does not include maintenance work, failures due to the non-supply of data from affiliated companies or circumstances of force majeure. Also excluded are technical, and particularly system-related, factors for which the partner is not responsible.
5. Usage rights (licence conditions)
a. The API licensee is granted only those usage rights explicitly specified in these conditions of use. Not granted are copyright or any commercial intellectual property rights to timetable data or to the RMV database.
b. RMV guarantees the API licensee the freely revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferrable and non-sub-licensable right to i) use the RMV Auskunft API for the purposes of accessing infrastructure data and ii) make up to 600 specific queries per hour and up to 5,000 specific queries per day.
c. RMV further grants the API licensee the worldwide, transferrable and irrevocable right to copy, change, process, compile, archive, integrate, display and/or distribute the entire stock or individual parts thereof without limitation of time and in any way it sees fit. Usage is restricted to purpose of use as stated on registering for the API.
d. The API licensee shall further enjoy the non-exclusive, transferrable and revocable right to store timetable information provided on request via the RMV Auskunft API and to supply such information to the end-user. The API licensee should thus be in a position to use its software to access and display timetable information from the RMV database, to which extent the API licensee shall be entitled to integrate the API into its own systems so that it can be used in its products and services. The API licensee shall not be entitled to make any changes to timetable information beyond those required for the approved integration, re-formatting or re-compiling of the timetable information for use in its products and services.
e. If the timetable information contains additional links (deep links) to RMV's informational and sales systems, this must be indicated to the end user when the journey is displayed and a simple option provided for using the link(s) in question (parameterised deep link). The configuration of the links is to be agreed between RMV and the API licensee.
f. The API licensee shall ensure that the timetable information it makes available to end users via its software in accordance with these conditions of use is clearly discernible and shall name RMV as the source of the data and display RMV's logo.
g. The API licensee shall for the duration of use of the RMV Auskunft API grant RMV the free, irrevocable, non-exclusive, non-transferrable and non-sub-licensable right to use the API licensee's software and shall immediately after approval inform RMV of the access details required for such usage ("free test licence").
6. Obligations of API licensee
a. The API licensee shall use all timetable information provided via the RMV Auskunft API solely for the purpose of passenger information.
b. The API licensee shall preserve strict confidentiality over its access details and shall not disclose them to any third party.
c. The API licensee shall not access the RMV Auskunft API in any way other than via the API licensee's software or enable access for any third party in any other way.
d. Timetable data may be accessed only by way of specific query for the purpose of obtaining timetable information and may be provided only to end users. End users are natural persons who need the data for their direct personal use. A specific query is a request for specific timetable information in accordance with the end user's enquiry. It is therefore forbidden to store, otherwise duplicate, distribute and/or make publicly accessible the data, or to enable or promote such handling of the data, in such a way that an essential part of the timetable information is displayed. The systematic and repeated reproduction, distribution and/or making publicly available of non-essential timetable information shall be considered equivalent thereto if it is contrary to the normal utilisation of the timetable information or unreasonably impairs RMV's legitimate interests. This restriction shall apply regardless of whether the acts in question are carried out for the API licensee's own purposes or the purposes of third parties or the end users and regardless of whether the acts take place on the API licensee's own storage media or those of third parties or the end user.
7. Technical security, platform specification
a. The licensee shall ensure that the information accessed meets the relevant statutory regulations both in the way it is presented and in terms of the context in which it appears on the website or app (e.g. advertising on the same site) and shall especially ensure that it does not contain any political, criminal or otherwise unlawful content or content that is likely to corrupt minors.
b. The API licensee shall not deploy methods such as robots or spiders or screening or other technologies to access the RMV website or RMV database for the purposes of obtaining information of any kind.
c. The licensee shall put technical security measures in place to ensure that no third party can access large amounts of data via the website or app.
8. Fee
a. The use of the RMV Auskunft API in accordance with these conditions of involvement is free of charge.
b. RMV reserves the right to alter, update, restrict or develop the RMV Auskunft API at any time. The cost of any adaptation required on the licensee's side shall be borne by the licensee.
9. Guarantee and exclusion of liability
a. The data provided by RMV shall be provided in the form in which it is available and without any guarantee of any kind either explicit or implicit or resulting from statutory provisions, convention, common law or customary commercial practice. RMV provides no guarantee and accepts no liability of any kind relating to ownership, infringement, errors, completeness, faults, appropriateness for a specific purpose, marketability or any other considerations.
b. With the exception of liability for intent or for the breach of cardinal duties, which liability cannot be excluded or limited on statutory grounds, no liability is accepted for loss caused by anyone to anyone in using the RMV Auskunft API, regardless of whether such damage or loss is caused by the API licensee or a third party and regardless of whether or not RMV has acted culpably. This exclusion of liability includes, but is not limited to, all specific, incidental and indirect loss as well as punitive damages and compensation for loss of sales, data, likely profit or business. This exclusion of liability shall also apply if the licensor has been informed of the possibility of such loss.
10. Duration and termination of data provision
a. Subject to four week's notice, RMV reserves the right at any time and without stating grounds to cease providing data via the RMV Auskunft API and to exclude individual API licensees from its use.
b. to automatically delete the API access of an API licensee without prior notice if the API licensee has not logged in with his access data for more than 180 days.
11. Severability clause
Should any of the provisions of this contract prove to be wholly or partly void or legally invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected. Uninvoked or invalid general terms and conditions shall be replaced by statute law (§ 306 para. 2 German Civil Code [Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch – BGB]). Otherwise the parties shall, unless a supplementary interpretation of the contract takes precedence or is possible, replace the void/invalid provision with a valid regulation that comes as close as possible to the commercial intention of the void/invalid provision.
12. Closing provisions
Applicable law shall be solely that of Germany. Exclusive jurisdiction shall be Frankfurt am Main.
In the event of any discrepancies between the English and the German versions of the Conditions of use, the German version shall always prevail in case of doubt.
©Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund – no guarantee is provided for the information provided in this document.