On May 5, 2011, the Commission Regulation adopted the technical specifications for interoperability (TSI) related to the sub-system “telematics applications for passenger services” (TAP) of the trans-European railway system. The TSIs were elaborated by the European Railway Agency (ERA) according to which the European Union plans to develop a single ticket reservation system. Based on this new regulation, the ticket reservation system and travel details will be standardized, allowing an exchange of information between railway companies and distributors. Also, transport operators will be required to elaborate information regarding timetable availability in the public domain.
The railway sector is rapidly developing. However, this development is focused more at national level. This also influences the ticket reservation system, which is based on the use of multiple and various systems, most of which are irreplaceable. As a result, passengers have limited possibilities to reserve tickets for international travels, except for a small number of routes, which comes to the disadvantage of the railways in terms of competition against air transport, which facilitates travel planning, ticket reservation and passenger information.
“If we are serious about getting people onto rail, and particularly about having rail compete with air travel over middle distances, then we need to offer rail passengers the seamless planning and ticketing offers that match the airlines. In the future, we plan to facilitate ticket reservation for trains, the same as air transport”, said EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas.
In this context, the new technical regulations will force data standardisation for timetables and ticketing. This is the basic information for travel planning and ticketing. This will help provide information related to train stops, seat availability (based on the class chosen by the passenger) and tariffs. “We want to make it as easy, in the future, to book a rail ticket from Barcelona to Brussels, or Berlin to Bratislava, as it is to book a corresponding flight”, added Kallas.
In 2012, the Commission will elaborate an additional regulation that will be used to guide railway companies and ticket distributors in adapting their IT systems for the implementation of EU standards.
by Pamela Luică
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