OREANDA-NEWS. July 08, 2015. Integrated ticketing for travel across EU borders using more than one mode of transport would increase the use of public transport, said MEPs on Tuesday. They call on EU countries to improve and connect timetables and on providers to develop multimodal cross-border "journey planners". If there is no progress by 2020 they will call for legislation.

“Up to now, it has been too difficult and sometimes impossible to get tickets for cross border travel –- especially if someone wants to use different modes, for example a train and a bus,” said the rapporteur, Dieter-Lebrecht Koch (EPP, DE). “In our modern and online times, we must be able to create a more integrated ticket. This would make the lives of travellers so much easier. It doesn't need to stay a dream, let's start working on this now," he added.

In a non-binding resolution passed on Tuesday by 592 votes to 62, with 52 abstentions, MEPs stress the benefits to transport users of buying a single ticket for a "multimodal journey" –- a journey using several different transport modes. The convenience of using integrated ticketing systems will attract more passengers to public transport, they say.

Commission should support efforts by service providers

Transport service providers and providers of journey planners should further develop existing cooperation, eg on providing multimodal, cross-border journey planners, the resolution says. MEPs call on the Commission to take the necessary measures to support and facilitate these efforts.

However, if no significant progress is made by 2020 in creating interoperable cross-border ticketing systems, they ask the Commission to propose minimum rules.

Member states should improve timetable information systems

Comprehensive and easily accessible timetable information is a prerequisite for better ticketing systems, MEPs also stress.

They ask member states, by 2020 at the latest, to introduce national updated timetables and fare information systems “on the basis of open interfaces linking the travel data” for regional and local urban public transport. By 2024 these should be linked on a cross-border basis and made accessible to operators, to providers of journey planners and to consumers.

The Commission should also circulate a proposal requiring all providers to make available all the information needed to put in place better services.

Charter of passenger rights covering all transport modes

Parliament calls again for a Charter of passenger rights covering all modes of transport to be presented by the Commission by the end of 2017.  

Procedure: non-legislative resolution