About the Passenger Demand Forecasting Handbook
The Passenger Demand Forecasting Handbook (PDFH) summarises over twenty years of research on rail demand forecasting, providing guidance on aspects such as the effects of service quality, fares and external factors on rail demand.
It is recognised within the industry as the key source of evidence in this area, which is reflected by the board membership of the scheme.
The Handbook provides guidance on applying this understanding to the preparation of forecasts for:
- investment appraisal;
- pricing decisions;
- timetabling and operating decisions;
- business planning and budgeting.
The PDFH is regularly updated, to ensure all research is both relevant and based on the latest available evidence. The latest edition, PDFH v6.0 was published in May 2018 following consultation with a wide range of industry experts and, in addition to revisions to the guidance to reflect recent research findings, the new version was also designed to be more user-friendly enabling relevant information to be accessed easily.
The PDFH is provided to all Full and Associate members purely as a web-based version created as part of the 2013 update.
PDFH training
One day training courses, in the application of the latest version of the PDFH, take place at our London office. The courses usually run twice a year, in the Autumn and Spring.
For more information, please contact the organiser, Fitsum Teklu by email
