A single train ticket will be launched in Europe: simplifying interstate travel for refugees

In 2025, a large-scale initiative will be launched in the European Union — the introduction of a single digital ticket for rail transportation between countries. The goal of the project is to unify the system of booking tickets for international trains, ensure the compatibility of different national railway operators and reduce the fragmentation of existing platforms. The innovation will apply both to citizens of EU countries and to all persons temporarily staying on the territory of the Union, including Ukrainian refugees. For this category of passengers, the emergence of a single ticket can mean simplification of interstate trips, reduction of transport costs and clearer rules for using services. At the same time, the implementation of the new system involves a number of technical and procedural changes, for which it is important to prepare in advance.

What will change?

In the fall of 2025, the pilot connection of the first operators to the single digital ticket purchase system will begin. The first to join the platform will be German Deutsche Bahn, Austrian ÖBB and Swiss SBB. According to the plan of the European Commission, the full deployment of the system will last until the end of 2026 — and even then it will be possible to buy a ticket from anywhere in Europe to another country through a single service, without separate sections, different sites and conflicting conditions.

According to Michael Peterson, a member of the board of Deutsche Bahn, the new system will make it as easy to book international trips as domestic – in a few clicks, with transparent conditions, protected rights and automatic compensations in case of flight delays or cancellations. This means that if you bought a ticket from Warsaw to Barcelona, ​​you no longer have to look for separate connections in Berlin or Milan, worry about connections or buy additional travel segments through national websites.

Why this is critical for refugees

For Ukrainian refugees living in several EU countries, visiting relatives, visiting consular offices, participating in court hearings, dealing with immigration or social services in another country, the new model of transport integration opens up opportunities that previously seemed unattainable.

First, a single ticket will reduce travel costs. In the current model of rail transport, the passenger is forced to buy separate tickets for each leg – for example, from Krakow to Vienna and then to Zurich. It is not only more expensive, but also more difficult to administer: if one train is delayed, the passenger often loses the rest of the trip without the right to compensation. The unified system will combine the route into a single legal chain. If something goes wrong, you will be able to get a refund or an alternative route.

Secondly, the simplification of booking mechanisms will enable elderly refugees, people with disabilities or those who do not speak the languages ​​of the host country to navigate the EU transport network more easily. Under the conditions of a single standard, you will no longer need to enter personal data on five different platforms, check arrival and departure times in each national application. You will get a single reservation, a single ticket and a single support — regardless of the number of transit countries.

Third, the unified system creates an infrastructure for social protection. If you use a single ticket, your rights as a passenger become clearer: in the event of a delay, loss of luggage, problems with the connection, you can submit one complaint, get a centralized response and, what is especially important, not be left without help in a foreign country.

What is known about the technical base of the new project

The heart of the new system will be the OSDM protocol — Open Sales and Distribution Model. This digital standard allows the unification of data exchange between railway companies and reservation services. In simple words: there will no longer be “stitching” of routes from different railways – they will work on a single platform, which will significantly reduce the probability of errors in transfers and problems when checking tickets.

OSDM is already being tested in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. It was supported by the European Commission, which in 2025 should present a legislative initiative to create a pan-European digital service for buying and servicing tickets. This service, according to the plan, will become a universal point of entry: both for EU residents and for those who temporarily live in Europe under protective status — in particular, for Ukrainians.

Difficulties are possible

Currently, several issues remain that are particularly important for Ukrainian refugees. First, will the Ukrainian language be supported in the new system? For many people who do not speak English or the languages ​​of the host country, this can be a barrier, especially in critical situations (night transfers, transits, delays).

Secondly, it is not known whether the new system will allow taking into account benefits or special tariffs for Ukrainians operating in some countries (such as free trips in Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany). If the service does not read the status of temporary protection or does not integrate preferential mechanisms, some refugees may lose access to an important form of mobility.

Thirdly, it is still unclear whether the system will allow booking international trips from Ukraine (Ukrzaliznytsia) — for example, Lviv–Prague or Kyiv–Warsaw — in a single chain with European trains. This is critically important for those who plan to return or make frequent visits to Ukraine.

The process of introducing a single railway ticket in Europe creates a new model of interaction between the transport systems of the EU member states. For Ukrainian refugees, this means changing the way international travel is booked, potentially reducing financial costs and reducing the number of unforeseen situations during transfers.

At the same time, the implementation of the initiative needs to take into account language barriers, the status of temporary protection and the specifics of Ukrainian documents. The availability of benefits, integration with Ukrainian flights, adaptation of the interface and transparency of conditions are key parameters that will determine the real effectiveness of the new system for users from Ukraine. During the transition period, it is important to monitor the changes in order to adjust travel plans in time and be able to take advantage of the new model.