The European Commission wants to simplify train travel in Europe. The new rules would require the main rail operators in the EU to share ticket platforms with rivals and extend passenger rights for journeys involving multiple operators booked with a single purchase.
The European Commission is ready to facilitate cross-border rail travel so that passengers can make reservations with a single ticket for multiple segments of a journey with different rail operators.
The proposals are included in a broader mobility package published on Wednesday, as reported by Politico.
According to the Commission, the current train ticket reservation system is fragmented and opaque, and competition in this sector needs to be improved.
New rules for selling train tickets
The new rules will require major operators with a market share of 50% or more in national rail markets to open their online sales platforms to competitors.
At the same time, passenger rights for journeys with multiple operators booked in a single transaction will be significantly strengthened. An "all-in-one ticket" will be introduced, allowing a single transaction for an itinerary consisting of multiple journeys, even when they involve multiple operators and separate transport contracts.
To prevent circumvention of the rules, ticket sellers and tour operators will be prohibited from artificially splitting journeys into separate bookings when they could be sold in a single ticket.
Additionally, the Commission wants train tickets to be available for sale earlier, at least five months before the departure date.
Changes to ticket reservations for all types of transport
In addition to specific measures for rail transport, the package includes a third, broader regulation on so-called multimodal reservations, targeting digital booking platforms for rail, air, bus, and water transport. Main booking platforms will be required to order transport options based on objective criteria such as price, travel time, or emissions, not on commercial agreements or sponsorships.
Major multimodal booking platforms with a "significant market presence" will have additional obligations, including restrictions on exclusivity clauses that could prevent transport operators from selling tickets through rival platforms or their own websites.
The proposals will be sent to the European Parliament and EU countries for negotiations.
T.D.