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EU Proposes Single Cross-Border Rail Ticket With Full Passenger Rights

Brussels seeks to end ticketing lock-ins to let passengers buy one trip across rail companies in a single purchase.

Overview

  • The European Commission unveiled a draft law to let passengers buy one ticket that covers journeys across different rail operators with the same rights for the whole trip.
  • If a missed connection ruins a leg, the carrier that caused the delay must arrange rerouting, refunds, assistance and compensation under shared liability.
  • Incumbents that control at least half of a national market would be required to show competing options and sell competitors’ tickets inside their own channels.
  • The proposal mandates real-time sharing of fares and timetables, at least five months of advance sales, and a ban on platforms splitting one trip into separate tickets when a single ticket is possible.
  • The draft now moves into EU negotiations, with Brussels saying it could lift train travel by about 5% by making rail a simpler, greener choice.