New EU rules aim to ease cross-border European train travel
Summary
The European Union has proposed new rules to make booking cross-border train trips easier by requiring railway companies to sell tickets for their competitors on their websites. The plan aims to create a seamless travel experience across all 27 EU countries and encourage more train travel to reduce carbon emissions, but it faces opposition from railway operators.Key Facts
- The EU wants train companies to sell tickets from rival firms on their websites to simplify booking for passengers.
- This rule would apply to companies holding at least 50% of a national market.
- The goal is to help passengers buy tickets for multi-country trips in one place and reduce air travel emissions.
- Currently, Europe’s rail network is divided by national borders, making cross-border trips complicated and costly.
- Almost 400 million people flew internationally within the EU in 2024, compared to about 150 million who took international trains.
- The main railway lobby group, CER, opposes the proposal, calling it an unfair obligation.
- The proposal also includes new passenger rights for missed connections on single-ticket journeys.
- The European Parliament supports the plan, but EU member states must approve it, so negotiations are ongoing.
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