European Sleeper — Elmer van Buuren
Explained how dominant, state-owned platforms still block visibility for independents and hold back international night trains.
Future of EU Rail Ticketing
Fair access
Transparency
Innovation
SDBTR
Missed Connection Protection
On 5 November, an event on the Future of EU Rail Ticketing took place at the European Parliament, hosted by TRAN Vice-Chair Sophia Kircher with the participation of MEP Kai Tegethoff. The discussion brought together Members of the European Parliament, the European Commission, passenger rights organisations, and independent rail operators to address one of the biggest barriers to a true Single Market for Rail: the lack of fair, transparent, and innovative ticketing.
The debate highlighted the urgent need for a level playing field in digital ticket sales, ensuring that passengers can see and book all available train options—not just those of dominant, state-owned incumbents. Participants discussed how the upcoming Single Digital Booking and Ticketing Regulation (SDBTR) can deliver this goal by guaranteeing real-time data access, non-discriminatory sales conditions, and Missed Connection Protection (MCP) for passengers across Europe.
Highlights & Key Messages
- Independent operators remain hard to find on state-owned ticketing platforms — limiting choice and competition.
- Cross-border through-ticketing is still too complex, eroding passenger confidence.
- The SDBTR can reset the market with real-time, non-discriminatory data access and sales obligations.
- Passengers want full offer visibility and MCP to complete journeys even after a missed connection.
- The new EU HSR Plan confirms it: ticketing remains a major barrier to a genuine Single Market for Rail.
Voices from the Room
Westbahn — Thomas Posch
Showed how opaque platform rules and withheld data undermine fair competition and make cross-border through-ticketing needlessly difficult.
European Commission (DG MOVE) — Kathrin Obst
Outlined the Commission’s vision for the Single Digital Booking and Ticketing Regulation (SDBTR) to fix market failures that limit competition and choice.
Passengers — BEUC (Robin Loos) & Transport & Environment (Victor Thévenet)
Called for stronger EU action to ensure transparency, full offer visibility, and Missed Connection Protection (MCP).
Why This Matters
To encourage more people to choose rail, the EU must remove artificial barriers in ticketing. That means structural separation between train operations and dominant sales channels, real-time non-discriminatory data access for all willing vendors, visibility of every willing operator on dominant platforms, and EU-wide Missed Connection Protection.
Photo Album
You will find the full photo gallery from the event below.
