The European rail network falls short of passenger expectations, with costly ticket prices not always equating to improved service quality, according to a recently published report.
The survey conducted by the Transport and Environment (T&E) campaign group evaluated 27 European rail operators based on eight key criteria: ticket prices, special fares and discounts, punctuality and reliability, the ease of booking tickets, policies for reimbursing customers, passenger satisfaction, the availability of night trains, and accessibility for cyclists.
It comes in the midst of a sentiment that train travel in Europe requires improvement, thereby underscoring the necessity for far-reaching industry-wide reforms to be implemented.
Which are the most reliable and efficient rail operators in Europe?
Italy’s Trenitalia takes the lead in T&E’s ranking, scoring 7.7 out of 10, with its travel experience standing out. It is trailed by Switzerland’s SBB, earning a score of 7.4, with the most punctual trains in Europe.
Among the top-scoring airlines was Czechia’s RegioJet, which is renowned for offering some of the most economical ticket prices on the continent, according to the report.
Which European rail operators are considered to be the most problematic?
Eurostar ranked lowest on the list with an average score of 4.9 out of 10 based on eight criteria. This low rating is attributed to its high prices, accounting for a 25% of the overall score, as well as its reliability issues.
The report discovered that Eurostar was almost twice as pricey as other European operators for routes of comparable lengths.
A Eurostar spokesperson expressed surprise over the survey findings and disagreed with the conclusions of the report.”
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The Eurostar representative mentions that automatic refunds are not provided so that customers can choose the type of compensation they desire.
“The scores we received are likely due for revision and we are optimistic that they will be higher if the evaluation were to be conducted again,” the team reports.
The Eurostar is followed at the end of the list by Greece’s high-speed service Hellenic Train and France’s low-cost rail operator Ouigo.
What are the most reliable rail operators in Europe?
Reliability and ease of booking account for 15% of an operator’s score in the ranking.
Switzerland’s SBB is at the top in terms of overall reliability, followed by Belgium’s SNCB and Spain’s Renfe.
When it comes to purchasing travel experiences, SBB takes the lead, followed by Deutsche Bahn and Austria’s ÖBB. This encompasses factors such as the period beforehand that tickets are made available and if they can be bought through outside platforms.
Only 11 out of the 27 operators surveyed met punctuality rates of over 80 percent.
Germany’s DB, Portugal’s CP, and Sweden’s Snälltåget rank at the bottom in terms of reliability.
What are the cheapest and most expensive train operators throughout Europe?
Comparing the cost per kilometre, train travel in the UK proved to be exceptionally costly. Great Western Railway stood out as the most expensive option, with fares a staggering two and a half times higher than the typical rates charged by EU/Swiss operators.
Eurostar was the second most expensive option in terms of price, costing double what other European operators charge. It notes that in comparison to other international rail companies, Eurostar is notably pricey, up to five times more costly than RegioJet.
The third most expensive was Avanti West Coast from the UK, with fares one and a half times higher than the average of EU/Swiss railways.
It was found to be four times cheaper than the main German rail operator, Deutsche Bahn. Ouigo and RegioJet along with Flixtrain comprise the top three most affordable operators.
Bulgaria’s BDZ, Portugal’s CP, Greece’s Hellenic Trains, Sweden’s SJ, and Italian operators Italo and Trenitalia performed the best out of the 27 operators.
The report also discovered that high prices do not automatically correspond to superior service quality. ÖBB and Trenitalia had some of the best price-to-quality ratios in Europe, whereas Eurostar and Avanti charged steep fares but provided subpar services.
High ticket prices are deterring passengers from traveling.
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on the same routes.
Skyrocketing ticket prices are deterring passengers from using trains,” Thévenet explains, adding that reducing costs is a “mutual responsibility shared by the industry and governments.
Rail operators should offer competitive fares that cater to their customers, while EU countries and the Union itself need to make sure that the competition is fair and the rail tolls are reasonable.
How can the European rail system be enhanced?
Various improvements to Europe’s rail network are currently underway.
This would enable passengers to book tickets for trains crossing national borders easily, never having to worry about missing connections. They would also be entitled to full EU passenger rights in the event of delays.
“Europe has opened up a critical window of opportunity to finally require train companies to share their ticket information with booking platforms, allowing for cross-border booking in just one click,” says Thévenet.
With the launch of the European standard for command and control systems ERTMS, which can enhance train capacity and punctuality, these regulations have the potential to make rail more reliable and user-friendly. It’s now time for the Commission to showcase that these efforts are not mere assertions.
