Brussels takes aim at fragmented rail ticketing in pan-European shake-up

Brussels has set out the most far-reaching overhaul of European rail ticketing in more than a decade, proposing rules that would force operators to offer single-ticket bookings for journeys spanning multiple carriers and borders.

The European Commission's "Passenger Package", unveiled on 13 May, bundles three legislative proposals: a regulation on rail ticketing, a regulation on multimodal booking, and a revision of existing rail passenger rights rules. The reforms, championed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, aim to make booking a Berlin to Barcelona journey as straightforward as buying a flight on the same route.

Under the proposals, travellers would be able to find, compare and purchase combined services from multiple operators in a single transaction on the platform of their choice, whether an independent reseller or a rail operator's own sales service. Ticketing platforms with a market share above 50 per cent would be required to display competitor options, and rail companies would have to put tickets up for sale online at least five months in advance. Switzerland and Norway are expected to be brought into the scheme through existing transport agreements.

Passengers who miss a connection on a multi-operator journey purchased as a single ticket would gain expanded rights including assistance, rerouting, reimbursement and compensation, closing a gap that has long left cross-border travellers exposed when delays cascade between operators.

Industry reaction was mixed. Transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas acknowledged pushback from large incumbents but said booking remained "far too complicated". The European Rail Passengers Union warned that tying rights to how and where tickets were bought risked creating a two-tier system, while Railfinder founder Stefan Lindbohm cautioned that prescriptive display rules could chill innovation among independent platforms.

The proposed regulations now pass to the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, where incumbents are expected to lobby hard on thresholds and timelines.