EU proposes end to five tabs, three apps and a prayer' for cross-border train bookings

"Now, however, the European Commission has proposed that before the end of the decade passengers should be able to buy one ticket for one journey and be better protected when trains are late or cancelled. Europeans will be able with the click of a button to plan, compare and purchase multimodal journeys across borders while benefiting from stronger rail passenger rights, greater transparency and better protection every step of the way, the EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, told reporters on Wednesday, as he published new rules intended to transform the excessively complex experience he said rail travellers meet when booking tickets."

"Under the plans, major railway companies, such as Deutsche Bahn, SNCF and Trenitalia, would be forced to sell competitors' tickets on their website, and share data with booking platforms enabling an offer of single tickets for long cross-border journeys. In an expansion of consumer protection laws, passengers would be entitled to help in the event of a missed connection: the operator that caused the delay would ensure the passenger has the right to hop on the next train, or reimbursement, food and accommodation, depending on the circumstances."

"Asked about the timing, he said: Before the end of this commission mandate [in 2029] we will have this new era of rail on the ground working. The plans have to be agreed by EU member states and the European parliament before they become law, and they already face stiff opposition from train"

The European Commission proposes new rules to simplify cross-border train travel by enabling passengers to plan, compare, and purchase multimodal journeys with a single ticket. The goal is to reduce the complexity of booking across multiple websites and apps while improving transparency and passenger protections. Under the plans, major railway companies would be required to sell competitors’ tickets on their websites and share data with booking platforms so long journeys can be offered as one ticket. If a connection is missed due to a delay, the operator responsible would provide the right to take the next train or offer reimbursement, food, and accommodation depending on circumstances. The proposals require approval by EU member states and the European Parliament.

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