A new YouGov poll commissioned by Transport & Environment (T&E) reveals that complex and fragmented booking systems are discouraging almost two in three long-distance rail passengers across Europe. The survey, carried out in seven EU countries, highlights the need for mandatory ticket sharing and transparent display of competitors’ services to make rail a more attractive and competitive option for travellers.
According to the findings, 61% of long-distance rail users have avoided taking the train at least once due to booking difficulties, while 43% would use rail more often if online booking were easier. T&E warns that restrictive practices by many operators — such as blocking third-party platforms from selling tickets or failing to display competitors’ journeys on their own websites — are undermining the growth of cross-border rail travel.
When asked about potential reforms, 46% of respondents said they want to book all rail trips on a single platform, and 42% believe booking platforms should show every available train for a given route, regardless of operator. Only 10% supported the current system, under which train companies decide where and how their tickets are sold.
Call for EU action
Victor Thévenet, Rail Policy Manager at T&E, said:
“Long-distance travellers face unnecessarily burdensome booking processes by design. This must change if rail is to be a real alternative for cross-border travel. The EU should ensure travellers can book in just a few clicks so rail travel is no worse than other modes. The EU’s Single Ticketing Package in early 2026 is a key opportunity to make this happen.”
T&E is urging the European Commission to require mandatory ticket data sharing and fair display rules as part of the upcoming Single Ticketing Package, to ensure travellers can plan and book journeys across multiple operators seamlessly.
Younger travellers want change
The poll also shows that younger people are particularly frustrated by current booking barriers. Among 18–24-year-olds, 69% said they had avoided train travel due to booking difficulties (compared with 61% of all respondents), and 41% said they would take more trains if online booking were easier.
A majority of young respondents (60%) also want booking platforms to show the climate impact of each travel mode, compared with 46% of all respondents — underlining growing awareness of sustainability among younger generations.
Youth on Track coalition
Last week, a new “Youth on Track” coalition was launched in Brussels to campaign for easier booking and more affordable international rail tickets. Founded by youth, consumer and environmental organisations — including Erasmus by Train, BEUC, the Young European Federalists, and T&E — the coalition calls for seamless booking across operators and stronger passenger rights.
A central demand is the “hop on the next train” guarantee, which would automatically allow passengers to board the next available service at no extra cost if they miss a connection between operators. The survey found that half of all respondents (50%) support this measure.
Victor Thévenet added:
“Poor passengers’ rights mean that when you miss a train, passengers are sometimes left stranded. This is a real barrier to greater use of rail travel. The EU’s upcoming review of rail passengers’ rights must make the ‘hop in the next train’ guarantee become reality. With competition kicking off on many European markets, this is becoming a critical issue also for national connections.”
The YouGov survey was conducted online between 4 and 16 September 2025, with responses from 10,514 adults across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and Romania. Results were weighted evenly across countries to produce a representative European average.
T&E defines long-distance travellers as those who take a train journey of at least 300 kilometres once a year.
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