Online ticket provider TheTrainline is implementing service-oriented architecture and virtualisation as part of an overhaul of its core IT system designed to provide extra customer-facing functionality and improve corporate services.

The firm is nearing completion of the first phase of the web site re-engineering process, as the underlying technology on which the business was built in 1999 approached the end of its useful life.

“It was a double whammy, as we identified a clear need for a tech overhaul and felt we could do an architectural refresh at the same time,” said TheTrainline’s development director Rob Parkinson.

“This is an evolution from where we were, which was a very monolithic set up to a modular, service-oriented architecture which will allow us to be more agile and help us deal with the demands placed on us.”

Migration of web sites powered by TheTrainline’s service onto the new platform is underway and will cover sister company Qjump, as well as rail operators including Arriva Cross Country, First Group, First Great Western and Hull Trains.

During the transition period, operators will either implement minimal change or make fundamental alterations to their own set-up, but all companies are expected to be fully integrated by May 2009.

“The underpinning factor was the refresh, which will allow the kind of flexibility that was not possible before,” said Robinson.

Virtualisation plays a central role in the overhaul, which includes new HP servers and Sun Microsystems equipment running Oracle software.

TheTrainline is also working on a web services gateway, developed in partnership with travel specialist Hogg Robinson Group to allow the company to provide its functionality to corporate users.