Simplified Border Control for Global Train Travel on the Horizon
Streamlined International Train Travel in Europe: DB Navigator to Offer Tickets for Cross-Border Journeys
Beginning autumn 2025, passengers will be able to purchase tickets for cross-border train journeys throughout Europe via the DB Navigator. This development seeks to unify the previously fragmented system and offers a significant challenge due to the complexity of the underlying IT system. By the end of 2026, Deutsche Bahn promises to sell "tickets from all major railways of our neighboring countries directly via bahn.de and the DB Navigator app."
In a positive development for international long-distance traffic, DB Long-Distance board member Michael Peterson reports that the company had its strongest year in this area in 2024, with a growth of 22% compared to the pre-Corona year 2019.
Despite these advancements, there are still numerous issues with rail travel in Europe. Matthias Gastel, a Green politician involved with the rail industry, laments that "there is no integrated European rail network." The troubles begin with purchasing tickets, as multiple tickets are often required for cross-border journeys, which must be acquired separately. This is not only inconvenient but also means that passenger rights, such as in the event of a missed connecting train, do not apply.
International routes also face technical problems. Sebastian Wilken, who writes about international train travel on his blog Zugpost, notes that issues such as power supply, signaling technology, track width, and language skills of train drivers can cause problems on cross-border routes.
To address these challenges, European railways have agreed to introduce the OSDM (Open Sales and Distribution Model) interface standard. DB manager Peterson refers to this standard as the "language in which European railways and distribution service providers will exchange their data." This integration will grant DB access to the entire ticket portfolio of relevant railways, and vice versa.
OSDM will initially apply to the Austrian and Swiss federal railways ÖBB and SBB from autumn 2025, with new partners added monthly.DB expects that by the end of next year, Europe will be almost completely covered by this system, allowing for the booking of tickets across Europe in one simple booking step via familiar distribution channels.
Despite the involvement of Flix, a competitor to the Bahn, in the development of OSDM, the system does present challenges, especially for new market entrants. Flix mentions costs and complex implementation as key challenges.However, DB customers stand to benefit significantly from this development, with direct price information, easier access to regional transport abroad, and a more streamlined international journeys.
Several improvements in international rail travel have been proposed by both rail operators and the EU Commission. More connections, such as the planned one between Munich and Rome, are supported by the EU Commission. Furthermore, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasizes the need for citizens to be able to use open booking systems to purchase trans-European trips with multiple service providers without losing their rights to refunds or replacement trips.
The EU Commission plans to present a legislative proposal "on uniform digital booking and ticket services" to ensure that "Europeans can buy a single ticket on a single platform and exercise their passenger rights for the entire journey.” DB's Peterson expresses optimism regarding these proposed regulations, but concerns remain about additional costs and time investments due to the Commission's potential use of a different standard.
German Rail, Europe, Transport Policy, Consumer Protection
- The DB Navigator, set to operate from autumn 2025, will offer tickets for cross-border journeys in Europe, aiming to unify the fragmented system and introduce a more streamlined international train travel.
- European railways are working towards the implementation of the OSDM (Open Sales and Distribution Model) interface standard, which will allow for seamless data exchange and access to ticket portfolios of different railways.
- To further improve international rail travel, the EU Commission has proposed regulations for uniform digital booking and ticket services, aiming to ensure that Europeans can purchase trans-European trips with multiple service providers under a single platform, while also protecting their passenger rights.
- The introduction of streamlined international train travel policies, including employment policies for cross-border transportation, could potentially require vocational training to ensure uniformity and efficiency across European railways, benefiting both businesses and the community.
