New ticketing rules would still mean 43% of EU's busiest cross-border flight routes are hard or impossible to book by train

New EU rules on rail ticketing will not protect all travellers taking international trains. On 13 of the 30 busiest cross-border flight routes (43%), rail passengers booking on the platforms that sell most tickets, those of major rail operators [1], might not be allowed on the next train or compensated in the case of a delay, new research finds. This will hinder a broader adoption of long-distance rail travel right when there is more appetite for it, T&E said.

The European Commission’s EU Passenger Package will make passenger rights conditional to booking a single ticket for routes with multiple connections and/or operators. It also introduces new rules establishing for which trips booking platforms must sell single tickets. The package sets extensive passenger rights: by purchasing single tickets, rail travellers will be able to re-route between operators, apply for reimbursement or compensation, and access accommodation or food costs when a connecting train is delayed. However, the limited geographic scope of the requirement to sell tickets on major operators’ booking platforms will prevent many passengers from buying a single ticket, severely limiting the scope of passenger rights.

Georgia Whitaker, Rail Campaigns Manager at T&E, said: “It is in the spirit of this legislation to boost international rail travel by putting an end to burdensome ticket booking processes and poor passenger rights. But the new rules will barely make an improvement for those taking on long international rail journeys. The EU Council and Parliament must ensure this package enables sustainable mobility as it was promised to be”.

The EU Passenger Package established a mandate for major rail operators’ websites and apps to sell single tickets for any available multi-leg national journeys, including journeys from competitors if requested. However, the current proposal will only change booking possibilities for two of the most frequently flown routes in the EU: Barcelona-Paris and Madrid-Porto, where major operator platforms have to start to sell a single ticket [2].

Until now, rail passenger rights have been widely dependent on agreements among operators. T&E said that without creating a requirement for major rail companies to sell their competitors tickets for the rail equivalent journeys to the most frequently driven and flown routes in the EU, passengers will not be able to book popular trips such as Paris-Rome or Barcelona-Milan. This is a crucial addition given that some major operator’s booking platforms sell up to 90% of train tickets. Major operators’ booking platforms could sell these tickets making use of a second new obligation on operators to share their tickets anytime a booking platform asks for it, but many legacy operators seem unlikely to embrace this based on recent statements.

T&E said that the EU should oblige major operators’ booking platforms to sell single tickets on the most frequently flown or driven routes in the EU [3]. It warned that the proposed legislation only delivers partly on EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s commitment to make it easier for people to shift to more sustainable mobility options [4].

Without improved passenger rights, having to pay for costly extra tickets would continue to be the norm. T&E analysed the cost of an extra ticket on the routes where rail travellers do not have guaranteed passenger rights. Passengers would face an average €86 penalty if they miss their connection. That’s 1.6 times the original fare paid a month prior. A last-minute ticket for the Madrid - Barcelona leg of the Lisbon - Barcelona route is the most expensive, with prices soaring by 2.6 times. Same-day fares on the Hamburg - Copenhagen leg of the Amsterdam - Copenhagen route, and on the Venice - Milan leg of the Vienna - Milan route, nearly double their initial cost (increasing by 1.8 on both legs).

On half of these routes, train travellers are likely to have to pay for accommodation to stay overnight. Missing a connection is an alarmingly common reality for European rail passengers. A recent questionnaire by French consumer group Que Choisir Ensemble and T&E reveals that a net 44% of travelers undertaking multi-operator journeys have missed a connecting train at least once.

While the new rules need to be tightened by lawmakers to protect all rail passengers travelling across European countries, they are a massive leap forward for those taking domestic trains, T&E said. The requirement on major operator booking platforms to sell competitors’ tickets will allow travellers to see all existing tickets, including cheaper tickets on one platform, and will put an end to passengers paying for unexpected last-minute extra tickets when travelling domestically and missing connections.

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] In Germany, the competition watchdog showed that 9 out 10 web visits were done on DB’s website in comparison with other rail booking platforms. In France nearly 9 out 10 digital rail tickets are sold by SNCF Connect.

[2] Under the new rules, Renfe will need to sell SNCF tickets on the Barcelona-Paris route if SNCF requests it. Similarly, on the Madrid-Porto route, Renfe will need to sell a single ticket.

[3] Single market relevant routes could be evidenced by air ticket sales data and road traffic, search queries, transport studies, or other relevant market indicators.

[4] Political guidelines for the next European Commission 2024−2029

[5] The questionnaire on international train travelling was available on the website of the French consumer organisation Que Choisir Ensemble from February, 25th to April, 2nd. 352 people participated in the questionnaire. Of the 255 people that replied that they had taken multi-leg journeys, 113 people replied that they had missed a connecting train.