When it comes to finding the best ticketing platform for cross-border railway bookings, the answer is not so straightforward. The third-party privately owned booking platforms such as Trainline, Rail Europe, and Omio may not provide a universal solution for all destinations. They focus on answering the question: "Is there a train from A to B, and can we sell tickets for those?" But what if the question you're asking is slightly different, like "How do I go from A to B?"
The disconnect between the platforms and passenger needs
Let's take the example of traveling from Biarritz to Donostia/San Sebastián, a short distance between France and Spain's Atlantic coast. While it is possible to travel by train, these platforms often display bus options or nothing at all. The reason behind this is that the platforms lack information about the Euskotren train service, which connects Hendaye (the last station in France) to Irún (the first station in Spain), and even to Donostia/San Sebastián. Therefore, the platforms fail to provide comprehensive solutions for travelers.
What's the answer?
If you want to travel from Biarritz to Donostia/San Sebastián by train, here's what you need to do: Take the SNCF train from Biarritz to Hendaye (book online), then switch to the Euskotren train from Hendaye to Donostia/San Sebastián. However, you'll need to buy the ticket for the Hendaye to Donostia leg on the spot. Unfortunately, the third-party platforms do not provide this level of detail and fail to recommend this option.
Why are the platforms falling short?
The main reason behind the platforms' limitations is the absence of timetable data for Euskotren in the UIC Merits database, which is widely used by most state-owned railways' travel planners. Additionally, there seems to be no ticketing API for Euskotren that any third-party platform can utilize for ticket sales. As a result, these platforms simply cannot sell tickets for this particular connection.
So, who is actually solving the problem?
One platform that claims to care about cross-border travel is All Aboard. They have acknowledged the issues with Euskotren and even discussed them in a blog post. However, their solution falls short as they only suggest walking from Hendaye to Irún and do not mention the option of purchasing Euskotren tickets on the spot. Therefore, even All Aboard does not provide a satisfactory recommendation.
The crucial problem and possible solutions
If we want to encourage cross-border train travel, we need seamless planning, booking, and reliable information for every border crossing. Major third-party platforms should prioritize filling data gaps and providing comprehensive solutions. Alternatively, a new ticketing platform could emerge that focuses on answering the question: "How do I go from A to B?" and finds a profitable way to do so. Until then, none of the existing platforms are good enough to be universally recommended.
The post Trainline, Rail Europe and Omio – only inadvertently solving cross-border rail ticketing headaches appeared first on Jon Worth.
—————————————————————————————————————————————
By: Jon Worth
Title: Trainline, Rail Europe, and Omio: Are they really solving cross-border rail ticketing issues?
Sourced From: jonworth.eu/trainline-rail-europe-and-omio-only-inadvertently-solving-cross-border-rail-ticketing-headaches/
Published Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2024 11:46:01 +0000
Related posts:
Why the European Commission’s Cross Border Pilot Projects Are a Good Idea – but Not the Way the Commission Communicates It
New Brexit Border Controls: UK Government Finally Implements Full Border Controls on Imports from the EU
Murder of Baltimore Entrepreneur Raises Questions About Community Involvement in Crime Solving
Elon Musk withdrew Twitter from the EU’s Anti-Disinformation Agreement and continues trolling with alt right memes and dogswhistles. This could indicate that Elon Musk will shut down the website for Europe.
Leave a Reply