The organization Transport & Environment (T&E) has recently investigated why cross-border rail travel is often still so complicated. The report comes at just the right time, as the European Commission has announced a legislative package for May 13 that aims to fundamentally improve digital ticket purchasing and passenger rights.
Key findings at a glance:
Time-consuming: Those who choose to take the train instead of flying internationally spend, on average, 70% more time booking their tickets.
- Gaps in the system: On nearly half of the major European routes, tickets cannot be booked through the most common sales channels.
- Deterrent effect: Over 60% of travelers have at some point decided against a long-distance train trip due to the high effort involved in booking.
- Price differences: While private platforms help, they often feature wildly fluctuating prices.
Conclusion: The report provides valuable data to counter the frequently heard claim that passengers are already satisfied with the status quo. Even though the study remains rather vague regarding concrete solutions, it clearly underscores the need for action. It is now up to the European Commission to present practical proposals on May 13.
Source: Jon Worth: We now know the scale of EU rail ticketing issues. Commission, over to you!
