From EuroNews:
“What would a single-ticket
booking system mean for your next European train adventure?”
The complexity of train travel
across Europe’s borders could soon be made easier with plans for a single
ticket. Have you ever travelled by train to visit several European destinations
in one interrailing adventure and wished there was a simpler way to cross
borders? Right now, you probably have to have your wits about you as you
navigate through a myriad of booking platforms and work out the different ways
in which rail providers sell their seats and arrange their schedules. But it’s
not only the inconvenience of booking that’s the issue with the current system.
If you’re committed to more sustainable travel options or simply enjoy the more
leisurely experience offered by train travel, then you tend to pay a lot more
money than opting to fly between destinations on a budget airline.
The good news is that this could
change in the next two years, with the launch of a single European booking
system for train tickets. What this means is that you could travel to multiple
destinations on just one ticket with your full travel schedule clearly mapped
out. This new hassle-free experience probably won’t interest you if you have an
adventurous spirit and like to regale your friends with stories of missing
departures and negotiating cultural differences at the railway station. But if
you’re on a budget or have a time limit on your trip, and you can’t afford to
miss connections or pay for new tickets out of pocket, then the new
single-ticket system will definitely appeal to you.
Right now, most travellers rely
on experts such as Mark Smith, the brains behind Seat61.com, one of the
earliest websites offering tips and solutions to the frustrations of travelling
across Europe by train. While it’s early days, a few platforms are
already in place that could inspire this new booking system. For
example, Rail Europe and Omio already offer train trips across international
borders, yet they still sell each part of the journey on separate tickets. This
new single-ticket proposal is just one of several made by the new EU transport
commissioner, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, who is focused on promoting sustainable
transport and decarbonisation solutions. “It is unbelievable that we do
not have this in 2024,” says Tzitzikostas, who adds that it would make booking
trains as easy as booking a flight. Tzitzikostas has also proposed
ambitious plans for a European high-speed rail network that will better connect
Europe’s capitals, including using night trains. His goal is that by
coupling green and digital innovations, travelling through Europe will “remain
safe, accessible and affordable”.
As Euronews Travel has previously
reported, European sleeper trains are undergoing a renaissance. More exciting
routes are being added, including one that allows you to have dinner in
Brussels and wake up in Venice early enough to still catch the bustling morning
‘Mercati di Rialto’ (Rialto market).
The Community of European Railway
and Infrastructure Companies (CER), which represents over 70 railway companies
and national associations across Europe, was one of the first supporters of the
proposed scheme. It says, “This recognition that digitalisation is essential to
help modernise the transport system is vital.” The new pan-European train
booking system is due to launch at some point in 2025.
^ This is long over-due. ^
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