Israel Railways and App Developer Clash Over Data Access

Israel Railways is in a heated dispute with the developers of the Better Rail app, accusing them of unauthorized use of its interfaces, causing system strain, and incurring hundreds of thousands of shekels in damages. The app developers deny these claims, refuse to remove the application, and demand to see the railway's investigation reports.

In a formal notice sent on August 9, Israel Railways demanded that Better Rail cease using its information interfaces and remove the app from app stores. The railway claims Better Rail directly and automatically uses data from its systems and APIs for commercial purposes, violating its terms of use. Israel Railways further alleges that the app's data acquisition methods may constitute an illegal intrusion into its computer systems and data, as some information extracted differs from raw data provided to the Ministry of Transport and includes non-public, proprietary elements.

Israel Railways also contends that external data pulls, including those attributed to Better Rail, have overloaded its systems, disrupted digital services, and contributed to system crashes, citing specific incidents in August 2025 and May 2026. Internal investigations reportedly linked these unauthorized uses to stability issues and costs exceeding hundreds of thousands of shekels.

Better Rail, in a detailed response on Monday, refutes all allegations. The developers assert that their app is free, ad-free, open-source, and does not access or damage the railway's systems. They argue that the railway's initial contact in June acknowledged the app's work and suggested access to interfaces had been permitted historically, with future blocking as part of a regulatory process. Better Rail also points to discrepancies between the data provided through official channels like GTFS and SIRI from the Ministry of Transport and the information displayed on Israel Railways' own website and app, citing issues with platform data, stop times, and real-time updates.

The developers deny any unauthorized access or hacking, stating they accessed publicly available information interfaces. They challenge the railway's claims of commercial gain, as the app is free and generates no revenue, and question the assertion of trade secrets for publicly available operational data. Better Rail demands to see the railway's technical data and analyses supporting the damage claims, stating their app's traffic is minimal and stable. While willing to cease direct interface access and transition to official channels, they insist these channels must provide complete and reliable information, raising potential competition law concerns if the railway restricts access while operating its own app.