“International rail travel has been steadily increasing for years. New cross-border connections and growing demand show that travelling by train in Europe is becoming increasingly attractive. Yet today, it is still often easier to fly between two European cities than to book a cross-border rail journey with several legs. Single ticketing for travellers is what free roaming is for mobile phone users: a practical European solution that makes cross-border mobility simple and seamless. This is exactly where the Commission’s proposal comes in: greater transparency, simpler ticket booking and clear passenger rights can make travelling by rail significantly more convenient,” said Jens Gieseke MEP, EPP Group’s spokesman on transport.
The European Commission will present its Passenger Package, aimed at making multimodal journeys easier, improving digital ticketing and clarifying rail passengers’ rights. The EPP Group believes that more modern digital infrastructure is a basic need for increased use of public transportation.
“At the same time, we are further opening up national markets and thereby creating more competition in the railways sector: another step towards a genuine European Single Market. If implemented correctly, this package can become a decisive turning point towards more choice, better prices and more convenient international rail travel for passengers across Europe,” Gieseke concluded.
