Cross-border train travel in Europe is set to become much easier starting in autumn 2025, thanks to a new unified ticketing system backed by major European railway operators.
For years, travelers have had to book separate tickets when journeying across European countries by train. This meant buying one ticket for a German leg of the trip and others for segments in Austria, Switzerland, or elsewhere. The process has been inconvenient and, in many cases, frustrating—especially if delays disrupted connections, leaving passengers to buy new tickets out of pocket.
That’s about to change. Starting this fall, a new platform will allow international train tickets across parts of Europe to be purchased in a single transaction. The system will launch with several national rail companies already on board, including Germany’s Deutsche Bahn, Austria’s ÖBB, and Switzerland’s SBB.
According to Tagesschau, more partners are expected to join in the following months, gradually expanding the network. The goal is to eventually allow passengers to book trips like Oslo to Athens or Warsaw to Barcelona with just one click—through standard ticket sales channels.
The shift comes as part of a broader European initiative to make train travel more accessible and competitive with air travel. It’s also a step toward more sustainable transportation within the EU, encouraging long-distance rail travel over short-haul flights.
Today, the lack of a unified system causes problems for passengers, especially when delays occur. Without a single ticket covering the full journey, passengers who miss connections are often not protected under passenger rights laws. The new system aims to eliminate these gaps by offering one coordinated booking—and one set of rights for the entire trip.
Although only a few operators will participate initially, the hope is that more national railways will join quickly. Once fully rolled out, the unified ticketing platform could become a game-changer for European travel, offering greater convenience, transparency, and confidence for passengers planning complex rail journeys across borders.
