EU wants to force common train tickets in Europe

The core of the proposal is that travellers should be able to book the entire train journey with a single ticket - even when the journey involves several operators and crosses national borders.

The Commission also wants to force train companies to make their tickets available to external ticket platforms and resellers. Large operators will also have to include journeys with smaller companies in their sales systems.

At the same time, the proposal means that passengers' rights will be strengthened in the event of delays and missed connections.

EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas describes the initiative as a step towards a more coherent and passenger-friendly European transport system.

The proposal has also received a positive response in the European Parliament, including from Swedish members who have long pushed the issue of easier international rail travel.

Another central part of the package is that rail companies will be obliged to release tickets at least five months before departure for journeys included in the regular timetable. Today, sales periods vary greatly between different operators and markets.

The EU believes that the reform could increase demand for international rail travel while also strengthening competition in the ticket market.

The idea is also that, in time, the rules should cover countries outside the EU's membership, including Norway and Switzerland.

The proposal will now be considered further by the member states and the European Parliament before new rules can enter into force.