ALLRAIL is a European non-profit association of independent passenger rail companies (rail operators and ticket vendors). Its recent publication has shown the difference in British and German ticket sales.
In the UK, the transparency of the multi-channel distribution of ticket sales creates cases when a company shows a cheaper and faster option of its direct competitor in favour of a traveller on its ticket sale portal. Deutsche Bahn, with its 90% ticket sale market share in Germany, opposes a similar approach as in the UK, according to ALLRAIL.
As an example, ALLRAIL selected the British passenger rail operator LNER. Its website also offers a faster and cheaper travel option for Grand Central, a DB-owned passenger rail operator (via Arriva UK) in the United Kingdom. This creates transparency for the end customers without needing complicated ways to find other travel options.
Therefore, the message from ALLRAIL is clear: Germany and the EU must primarily think about transparency for travellers regarding the Mobility Data Act, and all train tickets must be sold on all train ticket sales portals.
