The European Union (EU) plans to make booking train travel in Europe a lot easier, helping passengers to compare and buy tickets in a single transaction.
Railway companies will be forced to sell rivals' tickets on their websites and share data with booking platforms.
The move comes at a time when rail travel in Europe is growing strongly as travellers opt for rail rather than increasingly expensive short-haul air travel.
Travellers are frustrated when intra-Europe train journeys often mean several bookings and the risk of missed connections.
The ‘single journey-single ticket’ proposal is part of the EU’s attempt to curb short haul air travel in Europe on environmental grounds.
Private rail companies have responded with new overnight sleeper trains connecting some of Europe’s biggest cities.
The EU move should be popular with travel agents who will find it easier to sell rail experiences in much the same way as they sell air travel.