EU Proposes New Rules to Boost Rail Travel, Facing Operator Opposition

The EU has unveiled new rules to boost train travel by forcing railway companies to sell rivals’ tickets on their websites and share data with booking platforms. This initiative aims to make journeys more seamless, helping passengers find, compare, and buy tickets in one go across all 27 member states.

The European Commission seeks to improve rail connections to cut carbon emissions from air transport. Currently, passengers often buy multiple tickets for multi-country trips, and in 2024, 400 million people traveled internationally by air within the bloc, compared to 150 million by cross-border train.

The Community of European Railways (CER) lobby group, however, opposes the plan, calling it an «unprecedented» regulatory overreach. CER head Alberto Mazzola argued that obliging companies to sell competitor products is unfair and would benefit US-operated booking giants. He also noted that high-speed infrastructure, not ticketing, is the primary barrier to cross-border rail, which accounts for only 7% of train trips in Europe.

Despite operator opposition, the proposal has support in the European Parliament. Lawmakers like Vivien Costanzo emphasize the need for simple bookings and reliable connections to make rail a genuine alternative to short-haul flights. A 2025 YouGov survey found that nearly two in three respondents avoided rail trips due to booking hassle, with train bookings taking 70% longer than flights.

The commission also proposed updating passenger rights for missed connections on single tickets. The responsible company would have to re-route or reimburse travelers and provide assistance, including accommodation and meals. Passengers delayed by disruptions should also be allowed to board the next train. This comes as rising jet fuel prices offer a «window of opportunity» for rail operators to invest in services, as rail accounted for only 0.3% of EU transport emissions in 2022, compared to almost 12% for civil aviation.