Brussels is focused on improving rail connections to reduce carbon emissions stemming from air travel.
However, the vision of seamless cross-border travel faces challenges due to a fragmented network divided into national systems, which critics argue raises costs and creates obstacles.
Travelers frequently need to purchase tickets from various operators to arrange a multi-country trip.
The European Commission is working to change this with new regulations designed to allow travelers to buy a single ticket from one platform for such journeys.
However, this initiative faces strong opposition from rail operators—often state-owned entities—that could impede its chances of becoming law in its current form.
“Booking cross-border train journeys in Europe remains overly complex,” remarked Vivien Costanzo, a centre-left EU lawmaker.
“A unified European rail system needs straightforward bookings, dependable connections, and clear passenger rights. Only then will rail be a true alternative to short-haul flights.”
Currently, most train tickets in Europe are purchased from national rail operators, according to the advocacy group Transport & Environment (T&E).
These operators typically dominate their local markets and lack the incentive to allow competitors access to their ticketing systems, critics claim.
The proposed legislation would require these operators to display competing offers on their websites and make their own tickets available through booking platforms, enabling passengers to compare prices and book trips more efficiently, as per an EU source.
‘Unprecedented’
Alberto Mazzola, head of the Community of European Railways (CER) lobby group, criticized the initiative as an “unprecedented” regulatory overreach by the commission.
“I’m unaware of any instance where companies are mandated to sell competitors’ products. Imagine Lufthansa being forced to sell Ryanair flights,” he told AFP, making a comparison to the airline industry.
Companies that have invested in enhancing their ticketing systems would be required to allow “free-riders” access, and the data-sharing requirement could disproportionately benefit US-operated booking giants, shifting the balance of negotiation, he expressed concern.
He noted that cross-border rail travel only represented about seven percent of the total in Europe, attributing this to a lack of high-speed infrastructure rather than ticketing challenges.
However, proponents argue that the proposal would lead to an increase in train travel.
A 2025 survey conducted by YouGov for T&E indicated that nearly two-thirds of respondents had refrained from traveling due to the cumbersome booking process, with studies demonstrating that booking a train trip typically takes 70 percent longer compared to booking a flight.
“Increased competition in the rail sector will result in enhanced services and lower fares for passengers,” stated Jan-Christoph Oetjen, another centrist European lawmaker.
The commission is also anticipated to revise passengers’ rights regarding missed connections, covering compensation and the option to board the next available train.
This initiative comes amid soaring aviation fuel prices due to the Iran war, raising concerns about shortages during Europe’s peak travel period.
Victor Thevenet of T&E noted that this situation provides rail operators a “window of opportunity” to foster a positive image of international rail travel and to invest in service improvements.
In 2022, rail transport accounted for just 0.3 percent of the EU’s transport-related planet-warming emissions, compared to nearly 12 percent from civil aviation.
To become law, the commission’s proposal will need to be negotiated with both the European Parliament and member states, with the latter likely to voice some of the operators’ concerns.
