Streamlined International Rail Travel on the Horizon
Simplified International Train Travel Across Europe with DB Navigator
Starting from autumn 2025, Deutsche Bahn (DB) plans to launch an ambitious project that will revolutionize international train travel by enabling cross-border train journeys throughout Europe to be booked via the DB Navigator. This initiative aims to address the current fragmented system and introduce a more seamless, integrated European rail network.
Deutsche Bahn expects to connect to a technical interface by the end of 2026, allowing passengers to purchase tickets from all major railways of neighboring countries directly via bahn.de and the DB Navigator app. The implementation of the Open Sales and Distribution Model (OSDM) interface standard will enable the DB to access the entire ticket portfolio of relevant railways and vice versa.
Michael Peterson, board member of DB Long-Distance, comments on the emerging trend, "International long-distance traffic is booming." In 2024, DB experienced record growth of 22% in this area compared to the pre-pandemic year 2019.
One of the most challenging aspects of traveling by train in Europe is the purchasing process. As Matthias Gastel, a Green Party politician with extensive experience in railway matters, explains, "There is no integrated European rail network." Current issues include multiple tickets required for cross-border trips, lacking passenger rights, and technical problems with cross-border routes like power supply, signaling technology, and language skills of train drivers.
The implementation of OSDM will address these concerns by offering passengers the ability to book tickets for Europe-wide journeys as easily as national ones. Real-time price transparency will be available, and customers can compare and combine low-cost ticket options from different rail companies. Additionally, passengers will receive live updates via their mobile phones during the journey and can more effortlessly purchase tickets for regional transport abroad.
By the end of 2026, according to Peterson, most of Europe will be covered, making it possible to book journeys like Oslo to Athens or Warsaw to Barcelona in a single booking step via the usual distribution channels. Initially, the system will be available for collaborations with Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). Further partners will join progressively, with the aim of achieving universal system connectivity over time.
Competitor Flix Trains has expressed concerns over the costs and complexities associated with implementing the OSDM standard, but DB customers should benefit from easier cross-border travel and improved consumer protection.
The European Commission recognizes the challenges faced by integrating European rail networks and plans to present legislative proposals on uniform digital booking and ticket services. Ursula von der Leyen's guidelines emphasize the need for streamlined cross-border rail travel, allowing European citizens to purchase trans-European journeys with multiple service providers while maintaining their passenger rights.
As progress is made, the railway industry moves toward more integrated and accessible international long-distance travel, overcoming logistical hurdles and bringing passengers closer to the long-awaited seamless European rail network.
Upon the successful implementation of the Open Sales and Distribution Model (OSDM) by Deutsche Bahn, lifestyle choices could potentially be extended to include more accessible and streamlined cross-border train travel in Europe. This advancement in technology, by harmonizing community policies and employment policies across various railway companies, will also make vocational training more lucrative for workers in the rail industry, as they navigate the growing demands of an integrated European rail network.
