Rail sector publishes second progress report on implementation of CER Ticketing Roadmap
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) has released its second progress report on the implementation of its Ticketing Roadmap, which was published in autumn 2021 and embodies the rail sector’s vision for ticketing and distribution by 2025 and 2030, respectively. The Roadmap establishes concrete actions to further improve the experience of rail passengers in the Single European Railway Area and is a key indication of the sector’s commitment to the European Union’s climate and growth goals.
To assess advancement in terms of implementation of the Roadmap and pinpoint focal areas, CER passenger railways conduct biannual surveys, with results delivered to the CER General Assembly. This report offers a condensed overview of the second survey conducted in April and May of this year, presenting the current status, and highlighting areas requiring strengthened attention. The findings and suggestions from the survey received the approval of the CER General Assembly on September 18th, 2023. In an act of transparency and dedication, it was resolved to provide the essential components of the underlying report to the broader public.
Survey turnout has improved versus the first survey undertaken in autumn 2022. This time, 21 out of 29 CER member railways representing 94% of CER passenger traffic participated. Geographical coverage extends to rail traffic in and between 19 EU Member States on the continent, as well as the Eurostar operations to and from London.
The responding railways largely reconfirmed their individual implementation timelines, with only a very few, non-mission critical delays reported. On the other hand, a number of railways report acceleration in some areas. However, implementation is still somewhat 2025-heavy. CER passenger railways have been urged to consider further accelerating their individual timelines by prioritising tasks accordingly.
The second survey also highlighted the dependence on third parties such as infrastructure managers and national authorities for some of the less mature Roadmap actions, e.g. the extension of booking horizons and the harmonisation of ticket conditions. The railways are asked to address with national stakeholders the need for convergence between national legacies and the requirements of the Single European Railway Area as featured in the Roadmap. Moreover, survey respondents reconfirmed areas where support from third parties such as the European institutions and national bodies is needed.
The next survey to monitor progress in implementation is scheduled for late autumn 2023. Once again, the significant outcomes will be shared following their endorsement by the members of CER.
CER Executive Director Alberto Mazzola said: “The CER Ticketing Roadmap encompasses every step of the passenger journey, and its successful implementation is of paramount importance to CER members. Progress is continuous. For instance 7 railway undertakings are already selling tickets 6 months in advance, while 16 are already members of the CIT Agreement on Journey Continuation, with many following this year.”
> The second implementation monitoring report of the CER Ticketing Roadmap can be found here on the CER website.