Not only is train travel a novel way to experience new European destinations, it’s also more sustainable.
And with 73% of travellers believing it’s important to minimise their environmental impact while travelling, it’s little wonder rail experiences are being revived.
From the European Sleeper bringing back the popular Paris-Berlin night train this year, go a new EuroNight train from Basel in Switzerland, to Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmö in Sweden – train travel is ramping up.
But when your trip across Europe involves multiple trains, sometimes from different operators, things can get a little stressful. Tickets can get confused or connections can get missed.
In good news, these concerns could soon be redundant, with the European Commission proposing a one ticket rule for your entire journey.
The single-ticket policy
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In short, the executive body wants to introduce a ‘single-ticket bookings’ process across multiple rail operators.
This would enable passengers booking a multiple-leg trains journey to find, compare and purchase services from different operators and combine them into a single ticket.
Customers would be able to buy this in one transaction on a ticketing platform of their choice – either an independent platform or a rail operator ticketing service.
This proposal comes after a Eurobarometer survey released by the European Commission, which found there was a strong public demand for ‘seamless travel solutions and reliable online booking systems’.
If introduced this would also guarantee full passenger rights for the entire journey. So, if you were to miss a connection, you would be rerouted to your destination without having to buy another ticket, regardless of whether the two legs were run by the same rail operator.
As well as rerouting assistance, you should also be offered food and accommodation if you’re stranded overnight, as well as compensation.
Train operators would also be required to make tickets available five months in advance, with all ticket options displayed to customers during the booking process.
‘Freedom of movement is one of Europe’s greatest achievements,’ Apostolos Tzitzikostas, commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, said in a statement. ‘Today, we are taking it a step further by making travel across all 27 Member States simpler, smarter and more passenger friendly.’
Although the UK is no longer a member of the European Union, it should also benefit, if this becomes a reality.
When will we know more?
Since this was announced on Thursday, the European Commission has submitted the proposed regulations to the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament.
It should then be examined and approved, with around 85% of laws adopted at the end of the first reading or beginning of the second, according to the European Council.
So keep an eye out for any developments because train travel could be about to be much easier.
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