mastodon 4.6.9We believe that the voices of rail passengers are key to improving cross border rail in Europe. That’s why we are starting a group to make them heard.
United for a More Connected and Sustainable Europe
Happy Europe Day! 🥳 🇪🇺️
Here at the European Rail Passengers Union we believe in the promise of a more connected Europe, with freedom of movement and a sustainable future for everyone.
This week a new Copenhagen–Berlin–Prague service began running. We love seeing new cross-border trains! There’s so much unmet demand. The EU was right to designate this one of their 10 pilot routes in 2022, but Europe needs more. Now more than ever is the time to go from good intentions to action.
Taking the train for cross-border trips in Europe should be the easy choice. But, as passengers, we know how challenging it can be. There’s been a lot of talk recently about how difficult ticketing is and the lack of rights. Now is the time to fix that … and we have a plan!
Read on and join us at: https://erpu.eu
This is first a question of accessibility. But, what makes this issue especially pressing is that the EU Commission’s proposal makes passenger rights contingent on how tickets were purchased. We want to make sure that those who don’t buy their tickets digitally have not only the same options but also the same rights as those that do.
[image: Jebulon] (2/8)
We are expecting the EU Commission to announce their proposal for fixing cross-border ticketing & rights later this week. There’s a lot of hype already, but will it deliver? Here’s what we will be looking for to make sure it actually serves passengers’ needs. 🧵️👇️
A number of countries have introduced flat-fee travel passes (e.g. the Deutschlandticket) to further both social and environmental objectives. Not being able to combine these with other tickets in a way that guarantees passengers rights (because of the “single transaction” requirement) would undermine the attractiveness of these programs and unfairly penalise those who use them.
[image: Sänger] (3/8)
The emphasis on “single ticket” gives the impression that passengers will be able to travel using a single PDF, QR code, or something similar. However, the legislative proposal itself make no such provision, neither legal nor technical. “Single ticket” is merely defined as multiple, separate, tickets that were all purchased at once. How will passengers know that what they are holding is a “single ticket”?
[image: Josef Moser] (4/8)
“Don’t forget international traffic, […] which is one of the fastest growing markets.” –Michael Peterson of Deutsche Bahn
We, as passengers, know that the demand for more and better cross-border rail is there. Now is the time to back it up with policy and offerings that make it possible.
What happens when your train is delayed and you miss your connection? Recently Paul was travelling from Leipzig to Salzburg to visit a close friend. His first train got in to Munich a half hour late, causing him to miss his planned connection by 9 minutes.
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Except that – in practice – when it comes to international journeys many of the rights don't actually work! The current rules¹ are sadly inadequate. Luckily we are working on fixing that. You can check out our policy proposal and campaign at https://erpu.eu
[1]: 1371/2007 was later recast by 2021/782 but the problems persist.
Thank you T&E for highlighting the current problems with cross-border rail ticketing. As passengers we are all too familiar with them, both when it comes to ticketing fails and missing passenger rights. Have you had a similar experience? Let us know in the thread below 👇
Help us pick a logo and colors! (Polls in the following toots.) We're working hard on developing policy and setting up the organization. But we also need branding to better introduce ourselves to the world. Which of these look the best to you?
Given all these issues, why should rights be contingent on how tickets were bought, when it doesn’t change what we will hold in our hand or what the railways will know or be able to do? What technical problem is it meant to address? Was it requested by a stakeholder for a specific purpose? What does it achieve that only requiring that minimum connection times are respected, does not? We are very confused by this.
[image: Khaydock] (7/8)
👀 We are looking for designers to help craft our identity. We especially need a logo, in preparation for upcoming advocacy campaigns this spring. We have some ideas as to elements we would like it to have (trains! passengers! Europe! crossing borders! … or at least some of that.) Also, as we’re just getting started, we are not currently able to offer payment, but we are committed to compensating you for your time and work when we can. — Feel free to get in touch either here or info@erpu.eu
RE: @europeanspodcast@mastodon.social
Thanks for having @jon@gruene.social on to talk both about the current challenges with, and our initiative to improve, international rail travel in Europe!
We're gearing up to push for a more connected and sustainable Europe over at https://erpu.eu
Given that a “single-ticket" is just a stack of individual tickets purchased a certain way, what will passengers have to show in case of a missed connection. Are the tickets enough (as is currently the case with AJC)? Or will also need proof that they were purchased in a single transaction? And what would constitute such proof and how would railway agents evaluate it?
[image: Abraham] (6/8)
“Single ticket” implies, if not a single QR code at least a joint reservation number or some kind of data sharing. But, nothing in the proposal foresees a way for railways to even know about the existence of the other legs of a passenger’s journey, let alone the details of those other tickets. Nor is it clear what they could do with this information even if they had it.
[image: Silvia Stieneker] (5/8)
