Planning a multi-country rail trip across Europe has long meant piecing together separate tickets, navigating different booking platforms, and losing passenger protections the moment a connection fails. The European Commission has proposed rules that would change that: a single ticket for the whole journey, with full compensation rights throughout. The reform targets one of the biggest practical barriers to cross-border rail travel in the EU.
Under new rules proposed by the European Commission, passengers travelling across Europe would be able to book multi-leg rail journeys involving different operators on a single ticket. They would also be entitled to compensation and assistance across the whole journey if a connection is missed.
Single booking‚ full protection
The rules would allow passengers to find, compare, and buy combined rail services from different operators in a single transaction, via a platform of their choosing, including independent ticketing websites or apps provided by the railways themselves. Passengers travelling on a single ticket would also receive full protection across the entire journey, covering assistance, rerouting, reimbursement, and compensation for delays or missed connections on any segment.
Under the current rules, such protections do not apply when different tickets or operators are involved. The Commission says the main goal of the reform is to make rail travel more accessible, transparent, and attractive, particularly for long-distance cross-border journeys.
Freedom of movement is one of Europe’s greatest achievements. Today, we are taking it a step further.
— Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism
Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas framed the proposal in broader terms. “Freedom of movement is one of Europe’s greatest achievements. Today, we are taking it a step further by making travel across all 27 Member States simpler, smarter and more passenger friendly. With digital tools and integrated mobility services, Europeans will be able at the click of one button to plan, compare and purchase multimodal journeys across borders,” he said.
Rail connectivity as a single market issue
The proposal also has implications beyond transport. Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms Raffaele Fitto said rail connectivity was “not just a transport issue — it is a cohesion issue and a Single Market issue.”
“When we reduce fragmentation and make borders less visible, we strengthen our internal market and ensure that living in a border region or a rural area is not a disadvantage,” Mr Fitto added.
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The Commission says the proposals reflect growing passenger demand for simple and reliable booking. A recent Eurobarometer survey found broad public support for integrated travel solutions across Europe. Member states must also speed up implementation of the Intelligent Transport Systems Directive to enable seamless data-sharing between national ticketing systems. The package now goes to the European Parliament and the Council for negotiations under the ordinary legislative procedure.
