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T&E’s reaction to the EU Passenger Package.
From 2027, rail travellers missing a connection due to a delay will automatically be able to jump on the next train, according to new EU rules proposed today. They will also have food and accommodation paid for if they miss the last train. The new guarantee will give more security to long-distance rail passengers, says T&E, but it will not get more people on trains unless lawmakers make it easier for passengers to book multi-leg cross border trips.
Today, passengers often need to go to multiple websites to get tickets for each leg of a rail journey. To encourage a shift to more sustainable mobility options and meet climate targets, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to make it possible for passengers to book whole trips from a single platform¹. The rules proposed today will not require major rail operators platforms to sell tickets for most multi-leg cross-border trips.
T&E said this risks undermining the very reason for this legislation at a time when the EU should be making it easier for passengers to book low-carbon trips at a time of soaring jet fuel costs. It recommends that major rail operators should be required to sell tickets across all available rail routes that passengers frequently fly or drive².
