In a new attempt to make cross-border train travel easier, the European Union (EU) is moving forward with a plan to create a single-ticket system, allowing passengers to travel across different European countries with just one ticket.
Currently, travelling by train between European nations requires passengers to navigate multiple booking platforms and different operators, making the process expensive and confusing. As a result, air travel is often the easiest and most convenient option.
Single ticket for the entire trip
Some platforms, such as Omio and RailEurope, already allow reservations for international train journeys, but still sell tickets separately for each section.
Without the option of a unified ticket, the passenger has no guaranteed rights if he misses connections and is forced to bear extra costs alone.
At a hearing on 5 November, the EU Transport Commissioner-designate, Tzitzikostas Apostles, stated that he wants to change this scenario.
“It’s unbelievable that we won’t have this in 2024,” Tzitzikostas said, noting that the system would simplify booking train journeys across Europe.
The proposal is to implement this unified reservation system by 2025, allowing passengers to purchase a single ticket for their entire cross-border journey.
Last attempt didn't work
The initiative to simplify international train travel has been presented before. In 2021, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed a project that allowed passengers to book different modes of transport in one place — trains, flights, buses and even electric scooters.
However, the project faced obstacles from transport companies and digital platforms, who feared the loss of competitiveness and new regulations.
Furthermore, no consensus was reached on who would take responsibility for delays or missed connections, which also contributed to the project's failure.
A new approach
The European Commission's new proposal aims to follow a phased strategy, reducing the risk of conflicts between the parties involved. Regulations for unified train tickets are expected to be presented by the end of 2025.
At the same time, Tzitzikostas seeks to expand passenger rights and improve multimodal transport, allowing for easier combinations between trains and flights.
However, Tzitzikostas has not yet given details of how the single ticket system for trans-Europe will work, nor has he specified whether transport companies will be obliged to share their data.
Parallel initiatives by railway companies
Meanwhile, European rail companies are pursuing their own initiative, the Open Sales and Distribution Model (OSDM), which aims to establish a unified online booking standard for the 22 national rail operators.
Unlike the EU's original plan, this model allows companies to choose who they share their data with, making opt-in voluntary.
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