Europe could soon get new platform to book train tickets
The European Commission proposed on Tuesday that travelers should be able to buy a single ticket online for any international train journey in Europe—even if it involves multiple national railway companies— through a single, easy-to-use booking platform.
Under the new proposals, new online platforms would sell pan-European tickets, and companies like the Dutch NS, Germany’s Deutsche Bahn, and Belgium’s NMBS would be required to share their data and end their monopoly on sales, de Volkskrant reported.
The plan aims to make booking cross-border train travel as simple as buying a plane ticket. It also includes stronger passenger rights, such as compensation for delays, full refunds, or help with rebooking if a train is canceled.
Passengers would get the same protections as air travelers: 25 percent of the ticket price back for delays up to two hours, 50 percent for longer delays, or compensation if part of the trip is canceled.
The Commission estimates the plan would save citizens around 350 million euros a year in lower costs. Railways would incur approximately 90 million euros in additional expenses, but increased passenger numbers could offset these costs.
Limited compensation rules would apply to trips longer than 12 hours or those using night trains, such as the European Sleeper from Brussels to Venice.
National railways currently protect their own markets, making it hard for online ticket sellers to offer combined trips. The Commission described the current system as “a major structural shortcoming” and said the digital revolution that transformed airlines and hotels has not reached Europe’s trains.
Only about 8 percent of passenger travel in Europe is by train. The EU wants to sharply increase that number to meet its 2050 climate-neutrality goal, especially for trips under 500 kilometers.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised the measure in 2024 at the start of her second term. It was also backed in reports by former Italian Prime Ministers Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta.
