The European Union will force rail ticketing services to display competitor ticketing information and provide passengers with stronger protection in the event of train cancellations. EU Cohesion Commissioner Rafael Fito announced a series of proposals called "game changers" for rail travel. He said: "The best thing about air travel is convenience. You can search, compare prices, and book in a few minutes. Railway passengers deserve the same experience."
Passengers will be able to combine rail services purchased from different operators into one ticket and complete the purchase in one transaction. Services of different modes of transportation such as ferries and long-distance buses will also be included in this package.
EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tsitsikostas said the new regulations will solve the "nightmare experience" of long-distance rail travel.
The new regulations point out that the European Commission aims to make it easier for passengers to buy tickets online and solve "major structural shortcomings" in the railway sector. Operators with a share of 50% or more of the domestic railway market must open their online ticketing systems to all other competitors.
This will directly affect the operations of French National Railways (SNCF), Spanish National Railways (Renfe), German Railways (Deutsche Bahn), etc. in the local market, forcing them to sell competitors' tickets on their own online platforms.