The creation of the Single Market has opened up a world of opportunities for citizens across Europe. This has equally driven up the need for greater mobility within the EU, as more and more Europeans are now tempted to seek new challenges beyond the borders of their home countries. Consequently, citizens require access to convenient and efficient means of transportation, both within their own countries and across European borders.

The European Union has certainly made progress in facilitating transportation for its citizens. However, significant challenges still exist with regard to long-distance travelling, especially when this requires the use of different modes of transportation. This is partly due to the fact that the business structures of air, rail, ferry and urban public transport companies can vary significantly, which can be inconvenient for long-distance travelers. Differences in booking and ticketing procedures further complicate the matter.

This lack of harmonisation can deter passengers from combining multiple modes of transportation on their journey. For instance, instead of taking a plane and a subsequent rail connection to their destination, passengers may prefer to travel their whole journey by plane in order to avoid any complications that could arise when combining different modes of transport. However, this ultimately leads to a decreased demand for rail services, which drives down investments in the railway industry and the quality of service it provides. 

The European Union has attempted to address the above-mentioned issues in the past and has only recently combined different legislation from 2001, 2004 and 2007 into the so-called  "Fourth Railway Package" that aims to strengthen oversight, improve transparency and modernise services through price incentives in the railway industry. In addition, the EU has established what is known as the 'Single European Sky'. The framework for this was initially established in 2004 as a way to better organise airspace and air traffic flow. Whilst these are steps towards improving mobility, the legislation has yet to achieve all the desired goals of harmonisation between the different modes of transport.

With the complexities associated with travelling using multiple modes of transportation, it is often easiest to simply fly everywhere. This congests airlines, increases costs, and has a greater impact on the environment. By strengthening railways, ferries and other forms of public transportation, the EU can reduce the pressure on airlines and likewise improve citizens’ travel experience across the continent.

When looking at possible solutions, it is important to recognize the complexities of harmonising transportation systems between 27 different countries, as technology, national legal frameworks and investments all have significant impacts on the transportation industry. In light of these challenges, one proposed solution has been to establish an integrated ticketing system. This would provide citizens with a single ticket for their journey, which covers multiple modes of transport.

However the concept of a single ticket is not a panacea. It hinges entirely on a stronger, more integrated transportation system. In order for a single ticket to work smoothly with multiple transport providers, these providers must ensure efficient communication and cooperation. In addition, for a person using multiple modes of transportation to reach a destination in a timely manner, the infrastructure must support their endeavors. This means, for instance, that smooth connections between airports, train and bus or shuttle stations need to be in place in order for passengers to move swiftly between different modes of transportation.

While an integrated ticketing system is not the sole objective or even perhaps the lone solution, this initiative could form part of the overall effort to ensure greater interconnectivity between transportation services. Ultimately, any progress made on this matter will depend on the level of cooperation and coordination between all the relevant stakeholders. If companies work together to improve pre-trip and on-trip information, timetables, pricing, organisational and regulatory frameworks, multimodal transportation will become significantly easier and hence more appealing to European citizens.

Connecting some 500 million citizens across the borders of 27 member states is likely to remain a challenging task for some time to come. But the efforts undertaken to address this concern certainly reflect the determination of EU policy-makers to devise effective solutions to the issues at hand. At the end of the day, the benefits of harmonious and efficient transportation systems in the European Union reach beyond the mere facilitation of long-distance travel. Increased cross-border mobility will ultimately foster intercultural exchange between different member states and hence build bridges that will lead to a stronger and more united European Union.

 

David Casa is a Nationalist MEP