ALLRAIL warmly welcomes the decision of the French Senate to adopt the Projet de loi-cadre relatif au développement des transports, and in particular the inclusion of Article 9 bis.

➣ This is a breakthrough moment for rail passengers in France.

For the first time, the French state-owned rail incumbent SNCF’s market-dominant online rail ticket vendor SNCF Connect will be required to display services from independent long-distance operators alongside those of the SNCF incumbent operator. 

This finally begins to dismantle one of the most persistent barriers to competition in European rail: the control of ticket distribution by state-owned incumbents.

You won’t book what you can’t see.

Until now, the dominant online rail ticket vendors have severely limited the visibility of competing operators, restricting passenger choice and raising barriers to market entry. Opening these digital platforms is essential to creating a truly competitive and passenger-focused rail market.

In line with the EU’s forthcoming Single Digital Booking and Ticketing Regulation (SDBTR), this reform is expected to deliver immediate benefits:

➣ Greater transparency for passengers, enabling real choice between all available rail options

➣ Greater visibility for all types of rail operators, lowering distribution barriers and costs

While the obligation does not yet extend to full display and sale of all operators’ services, it represents a clear and pragmatic step in that direction.

ALLRAIL’s Policy Assistant, Eoin Rollins, says:

“This vote sends a clear message: dominant ticketing platforms must no longer act as gatekeepers.”

“Passengers deserve full visibility of all rail options, and operators deserve fair access to the market. Opening SNCF Connect is a decisive step towards both.”

France now joins a growing momentum across Europe to open rail ticketing markets. 

The direction is clear: open platforms, full transparency, and fair competition.