European Commission wants travellers to be able to book cross-border rail journeys across Europe using a single ticket, under new legislation unveiled on Wednesday. The goal is to simplify international train travel.
The proposal, built on the principle of "one journey, one ticket," aims to make it easier for passengers to combine rail services operated by different companies into a single booking via a single transaction.
At present, booking international train journeys in Europe often remains complex, particularly when routes involve multiple operators and separate tickets.
Under the Commission's plan, travellers would be able to search, compare and combine offers from different rail companies on the platform of their choice, whether through independent ticketing services or railway operators' own websites.
To make this possible, rail companies would be required to share ticketing and timetable data with online booking platforms.
The proposal would also force railway operators that dominate the market to open up their ticketing systems to competitors, with the Commission arguing that many of today's major ticketing platforms are owned by rail companies with little incentive to promote rival services.
The legislation would also strengthen passenger rights.
If a traveller misses a connection during a journey booked under a single ticket, the operator responsible for the delay must provide alternative transport to the final destination at no additional cost or reimburse the ticket.
Companies could also be required to cover meals or hotel accommodation where necessary. The Commission additionally wants to encourage "multimodal" bookings combining trains with other forms of transport.
Under the plans, ticketing platforms would have to present transport options neutrally, using standard sorting criteria such as price, journey duration, departure time and greenhouse gas emissions.
"With a single click, Europeans will be able to plan, compare and book multimodal cross-border journeys while benefiting from stronger rights, greater transparency and better protection throughout their trip," said Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
The proposal must still be examined by EU member states and the European Parliament before it can become law.
The plans have already sparked criticism from parts of the rail industry. The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), a lobby group representing railway operators, described the proposal as "unprecedented interference".
"I do not know of any case where someone is forced to sell a competitor's product," said CER executive director Alberto Mazzola. "Imagine Lufthansa being forced to sell Ryanair tickets."
The Commission argues the changes would make rail travel more accessible and attractive, helping more people choose trains over other modes of transport.
Tzitzikostas said he hoped the new European rail system could be operational before the end of the current EU legislative term in 2029.
