European Commission backs one-ticket rule

The European Commission on May 13 proposed a package of rail-ticketing and passenger-rights rules aimed at making cross-border train travel easier to search, compare and buy across the European Union. The measures would let passengers purchase journeys involving multiple rail operators in a single transaction on a platform of their choice, according to the Commission. The package also sets out stronger protections for travelers who miss a connection on those multi-operator trips. The proposals are part of a broader push by Brussels to make rail travel easier to use for longer-distance and cross-border journeys. ### What exactly is the Commission proposing? The European Commission said the package contains three proposals designed to simplify planning and booking for regional, long-distance and cross-border travel, especially rail journeys involving more than one operator. Under the plan, passengers would be able to find, compare and purchase combined services from different rail companies as one single ticket in one transaction. (transport.ec.europa.eu) The Commission said those tickets could be sold either by an independent platform or through a rail operator’s own ticketing service. The package also includes obligations for operators and ticketing platforms aimed at fair access to ticket sales and the neutral presentation of travel options. (transport.ec.europa.eu) ### Why is cross-border rail booking still difficult now? Current EU rules do not always treat a journey bought in one online transaction as a through-ticket, even when it covers several rail companies, according to the Commission’s legislative proposal. That means a passenger who misses a connection after a delay or cancellation can be left without assistance, rerouting, reimbursement or compensation for the whole trip. (transport.ec.europa.eu) The Commission said fragmented booking systems, the strong market position of some rail companies and limited protections on multi-ticket journeys are among the main obstacles. Its impact assessment and draft legislation say voluntary industry arrangements such as the Agreement on Journey Continuation and HOTNAT remain partial and non-binding. (transport.ec.europa.eu) ### What would change for passengers if the rules pass? Passengers holding a single ticket for a multi-operator rail journey would receive full passenger-rights protection for the entire trip, the Commission said. Those rights would include assistance, rerouting, reimbursement and compensation if a missed connection disrupts the journey. (transport.ec.europa.eu) Ticketing platforms would also have to display offers in a neutral way, the Commission said, including sorting by greenhouse-gas emissions where feasible. The Commission said the rules are meant to make the rail market more transparent and accessible. (transport.ec.europa.eu) ### How big is the rail market the Commission is trying to address? Eurostat said on May 14 that people in the EU took 8.7 billion rail trips in 2024, totaling 444.5 billion passenger-kilometres. Germany and France recorded the largest passenger transport performance, at 109.1 billion and 107.3 billion passenger-kilometres respectively, with Italy next at 55.9 billion. (transport.ec.europa.eu) Eurostat said Luxembourg had the highest number of rail passengers per capita, followed by Austria and Denmark. Six EU countries recorded less than 1 billion passenger-kilometres in 2024: Lithuania, Estonia, Luxembourg, Latvia, Greece and Slovenia. ### Is this already law across the European Union? The Commission adopted the proposals on May 13, but they are not yet in force. (ec.europa.eu) The package now moves to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, which must negotiate and approve the legislation under the bloc’s ordinary legislative procedure. President Ursula von der Leyen had already tasked Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas with preparing a single digital booking and ticketing proposal, according to his mission letter. The Commission’s passenger package page says the legislative texts and supporting material are now published as part of that next step. (commission.europa.eu) (transport.ec.europa.eu)