ALLRAIL calls on Poland and CUPT to make the consultation on post-2030 rail tenders genuinely open to all serious market participants.
ALLRAIL wzywa Ministerstwo Infrastruktury oraz Centrum Unijnych Projektów Transportowych (CUPT) do usunięcia barier, utrudniających udział we wstępnych konsultacjach rynkowych, dotyczących konkurencyjnych przetargów na międzyregionalne i międzynarodowe kolejowe przewozy pasażerskie po 2030 roku.
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As the new EU Regulation on railway infrastructure capacity enters into force, the ERP will provide a much-needed collective operational voice for railway operators and other market participants across Europe.
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For ALLRAIL and its members, access to rail capacity remains one of the most
important market barriers facing new entrant operatorsThis new Regulation marks an important step towards a more harmonised,transparent and market-oriented framework for rail capacity management across Europe.
Recent comments from senior Labour figures have put the UK–EU relationship back at the centre of British politics.
Rail passengers have been waiting for this moment for 30 years. Over the past three decades, the internet has transformed how we buy almost everything. Cross-border rail services have grown. Competition on the tracks has started to emerge in several EU Member States. Yet the downstream rail ticket sales market remains fragmented along national lines, creating powerful digital gatekeepers and preventing passengers from accessing all rail options.
From today, independent rail operator Snälltåget launches a new direct daytime open-access service linking Hamburg, Copenhagen and Stockholm - three major European cities, now connected in one seamless journey.
New European evidence confirms a simple reality: rail competition delivers lower fares, better services and stronger growth.
Central coordination and sufficient human resources at EU level, together with a stronger dialogue among manufacturers, ERTMS users and infrastructure managers (IMs) are indispensable to keep the promises of ERTMS deployment alive.
The withdrawal of RegioJet from the Polish domestic market is a stark warning: rail competition in Poland is not working in practice.
RegioJet entered the Kraków–Warsaw route in September 2025 with strong financial backing and a clear plan to expand internationally. Within months, despite stabilising operations by March 2026, it has been forced to exit.
New evidence from the Czech Republic shows why this debate matters: competitive tendering of rail Public Service Obligation (PSO) concession contracts is delivering clear benefits for both taxpayers and passengers.
Yesterday, with the launch of its services on the Koralm Railway (Koralmbahn) between Vienna, Graz, Klagenfurt and Villach, the independent operator Westbahn introduced Stadler high-speed SMILE trains on Austria’s new north–south rail corridor.
From 15 June 2026, the independent rail operator Snälltåget will introduce a brand-new direct daytime service connecting Oslo in Norway with Gothenburg and Malmö in Sweden.
The Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants (ALLRAIL) has submitted evidence to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee scrutinising the Government’s Railways Bill, warning that the Bill as currently drafted is unfairly skewed in favour of Great British Railways (GBR) services and risks not delivering on the Government’s objectives of growth and investment.
ALLRAIL vítá nadcházející zahájení nové komerční dálkové osobní železniční linky provozované soukromým dopravcem Leo Express, která nabídne přímé přeshraniční spojení mezi Polskem, Českou republikou a Německem – a vyšle silný signál pro evropskou železnici v roce 2026.
New Leo Express Service from 2026
ALLRAIL welcomes the upcoming launch of a new long-distance Open Access passenger rail service by the independent operator Leo Express, delivering a direct cross-border connection between Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany - and sending a strong signal for European rail in 2026.
According to media reports, the new CEO of the vertically integrated German state-owned rail incumbent DB (Deutsche Bahn) wants to “eliminate half of the top management posts”.
Newly published figures from France’s South Region (Région Sud) show that the country’s
first competitively tendered regional Public Service Obligation (PSO) rail contract — won by an independent operator — is already delivering impressive results.
From 4 May 2026, the independent rail operator Snälltåget will introduce a brand new daytime direct service connecting Stockholm - Malmö - Copenhagen - Hamburg. Departures from both Stockholm and Hamburg in the late morning will bring passengers to their destination the same evening, offering a comfortable, relaxing and climate-friendly way to travel between Germany and Scandinavia.
ALLRAIL welcomes yesterday’s announcement of the European Commission’s High-Speed Rail Plan — an important step towards a more connected rail system that all parts of society can afford. The plan rightly recognises that the success of Europe’s high-speed network depends on it being open, interoperable and competitive, so that every European can benefit.
🚆 Rail is already doing its part. The EU ETS should now do more for rail.
As the EU Commission prepares to revise the EU Emissions Trading System, Europe’s rail sector has a clear message: uphold the polluter pays principle and ensure a level playing field.
ALLRAIL’s Eoin Rollins says: “Rail already bears ETS costs through electricity while providing one of the cleanest forms of passenger and freight transport. It is not asking for an exemption. It is asking for a fair share of ETS revenues to be reinvested in rail.”
As previously highlighted by our Secretary General, Nick Brooks, ALLRAIL, the Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants, welcomes the publication of the new EU Passenger Package by the European Commission. In response to the criticism already emerging, ALLRAIL is today setting out 9 myths shaping the current debate on rail ticketing and passenger rights — and adding the facts and experiences from rail new entrants that are too often missing from the discussion.
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Reports that the UK Government has floated a “single market for goods” with the EU raise a simple question: why should freight move more freely between Britain and Europe, while passengers, rail operators and transport services are left behind?
The Italian state-owned operator FS Trenitalia is quite right: the next stage of rail competition is no longer only on the tracks. It is on the screens - where passengers go to buy their tickets.
ALLRAIL félicite chaleureusement la décision du Sénat français d’adopter le projet de loi-cadre relatif au développement des transports, et en particulier de l’inclusion de l’article 9 bis.
ALLRAIL warmly welcomes the decision of the French Senate to adopt the Projet de loi-cadre relatif au développement des transports , and in particular the inclusion of Article 9 bis.
Despite earlier warnings, the Polish authorities are still planning to remove competition from regional passenger rail by repealing Article 22a of the Public Transport Act (UPTZ). This law requires rail services to be awarded through competitive procedure
Pomimo wcześniejszych ostrzeżeń, władze polskie nadal planują ograniczyć konkurencję w regionalnym transporcie kolejowym poprzez uchylenie art. 22a ustawy o publicznym transporcie zbiorowym (UPTZ). Przepis ten nakłada obowiązek przyznawania usług kolejowych na drodze konkurencyjnych przetargów, co sprzyja wyższej jakości usług dla pasażerów oraz bardziej efektywnemu wykorzystaniu środków publicznych.
Recent statements from senior politicians in the ruling Labour Party point towards closer alignment with the European Union (EU).
A new draft law could allow regional authorities to award rail contracts to their own operators, protecting up to half of Poland’s regions from competition.
Projekt nowelizacji ustawy o publicznym transporcie zbiorowym obecnie będący przedmiotem konsultacji publicznych, przedstawiany jest jako techniczna reforma mająca poprawić funkcjonowanie transportu publicznego.
ALLRAIL welcomes reports that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), through the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), is exploring structural reform of Amtrak into separate infrastructure, rolling stock and train operations entities.
International evidence is clear: where infrastructure management is genuinely separated from train operations - and markets are opened under transparent, nondiscriminatory rules - passenger numbers grow, fares fall and taxpayers receive better value.
But reform must be real.
The Railways Bill, published this week, confirms some of the risks created by the Government’s plans for Great British Railways (GBR). However, it fails to recommend the full suite of safeguards needed to provide the necessary assurances which would give confidence to the private sector to continue to invest in Britain’s railway, fostering growth and productivity.
ALLRAIL welcomes the renewed emphasis by the United Kingdom government this week on improving rail connectivity with the European Union. This follows remarks made last week by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer about “taking the UK deeper into the EU single market”. Rail is a natural and logical area for
Europe has declared its ambition: high-speed rail must become the backbone of long-distance mobility. With 2026 shaping up as the Year of High-Speed Rail, EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas has a unique opportunity to turn vision into results.
ALLRAIL, the Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants welcomes the conclusion of trilogue negotiations on the Rail Infrastructure Capacity Management Regulation. This long-awaited reform will help harmonise capacity planning across Europe, making it easier to run reliable cross-border services and ensuring fair treatment for all operators.
The new Railways Bill could deliver growth and better services - but only if Great British Railways (GBR) is designed as an open, investment-friendly framework - rather than a closed system.
ALLRAIL’s new Briefing Note gives a detailed response on how to make that happen: transparent decision-making, room for open access, and a genuine partnership with the private sector.
The Energy Technical Specification for Interoperability (ENE TSI) plays a vital role in ensuring efficient and truly seamless rail transport across Europe through the creation of an interoperable energy subsystem. Yet, more than a decade after its entry into force, the situation remains deeply concerning: tangible progress towards energy subsystem interoperability is minimal, and users continue to face serious challenges in several countries - particularly as more locomotives operate across multiple national networks.
In the attached joint statement, AERRL, ALLRAIL and ERFA highlight the significance of this issue - not only for leasing companies and new entrants, but for the health and efficiency of the entire European rail sector.
As Trilogue negotiations advance, ALLRAIL takes this opportunity to highlight key concerns regarding Commercial Conditions, a crucial element in shaping the future of the European rail market and the future Regulation on Rail Capacity Management.
The ten signatory associations representing Europe's railway sector - including passenger and freight transport operators, infrastructure and terminal managers, rolling stock lessors and rail equipment suppliers - welcome the proposal of the European Commission for the continuation of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) as part of the EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, published on 16 July 2025.
ALLRAIL has been quoted in the International Railway Journal (IRJ) following the entry into force of the EU’s new Capacity Management Regulation and the rail sector’s call for the swift establishment of the European Railway Platform (ERP).
ALLRAIL has been featured in Spanish business newspaper elEconomista in an article examining the European Union’s plans to make booking rail journeys across Europe simpler and more seamless.
ALLRAIL has been featured in several leading Polish media outlets following its press release on a new legislative proposal in Poland. The proposal could effectively close the market for tendered Public Service Obligations (PSOs) by enabling the extensive use of in-house operators.
ALLRAIL has been featured in a recent article published by Railway Gazette on the opening of Italy’s rail market and the role of framework agreements.
ALLRAIL is featured in a recent International Railway Journal article on the rail service between Wien and Villach operated by ALLRAIL member Westbahn.
ALLRAIL is featured in the latest editorial article in Railway Age examining the potential restructuring of Amtrak and the future of the Northeast Corridor (NEC).
ALLRAIL’s ticketing priorities are featured in the latest article by International Railway Journal (IRJ) titled “Europe Gets Set to Make Rail Ticketing Simpler.” The article highlights the urgent need for a truly seamless EU rail ticketing market — one that empowers passengers, ensures transparency, and reflects the growing competition in Europe’s rail passenger sector.
Our colleague and Legal Officer, Guillem Ochoa i Pérez, has published an opinion article in the Spanish press analysing the regulatory reforms that ALLRAIL is closely monitoring across Europe, with a particular focus on Spain’s passenger rail market.
👉 The article explores how current and forthcoming regulatory developments risk affecting national passenger rail markets, with a particular focus on Spain. It highlights the implications for competition, market access, and passengers, and explains why these issues matter not only nationally, but also for the wider European rail sector.
Article in The Daily Telegraph covers how ALLRAIL Secretary General Nick Brooks gave evidence to the
Transport Committee of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament.
New Statesman
has published a new Report today on Open Access rail in the country, and our Policy Director
John Thomas
has contributed to it.
Commenting on Belgium’s proposed ‘domestic-first’ rule for train paths, ALLRAIL said it “breaches non-discriminatory access and limits passenger choice, Belgium should expand capacity, not restrict it.”
ALLRAIL wordt vermeld in een recent artikel van Duurzaam Mobiel.
Het artikel bespreekt het spanningsveld tussen openbare dienstverlening en vrije toegang tot het spoor, naar aanleiding van een resolutievoorstel in de Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers dat prioriteit wil geven aan binnenlandse ODV-treinen. In plaats van de toegang van openaccess-exploitanten te beperken, zou België moeten inzetten op meer spoorcapaciteit en eerlijke concurrentie – in het belang van álle reizigers.
As a member of ALLRAIL, the association of independent rail operators, RegioJet says it continues to advocate genuine liberalization, cross-border harmonization and a single European rail market. For the time being, however, it warns that the gap between policy and practice continues to widen.
The scheme was welcomed by Nick Brooks, Secretary General of the AllRail alliance of New Entrants to the passenger market. He said it ‘is a move in the right direction, because it is a non-discriminatory development that treats all operators the same way, helping new services with high up-front investment costs to shoulder the burden in the ramp-up period’.
ALLRAIL remarks how the Scottish government cancelled competitive tendering among public and private operators and reverted to a state-owned operator with a directly awarded exclusive contract subsidised by the Scottish taxpayer….
But ticket prices have risen at more than double the rate of inflation. Hundreds of services were cut as part of a ‘temporary’ timetable that lasted four months. No new trains have been ordered, leaving Scotland with one of Europe’s oldest and most polluting rail fleets. Punctuality has worsened compared to the previous competitively tendered service.
Commenting on Gemini’s announcement, the ALLRAIL alliance of new entrants the passenger market said it "welcomes all newcomers — they will bring more choice and more trains to a market that is chronically under served."
According to a joint statement from ALLRAIL, AERRL, and ERFA, the costs of deploying ETCS have become unsustainable, and the current implementation of ERTMS is jeopardising the competitiveness of the European rail sector. ALLRAIL, is calling for urgent reform to avoid a "paralysis" of the market.
In this article for the US passenger rail sector, ALLRAIL stresses how, in the EU, private and public and private operators compete with each other by enhancing service, offering better fares, punctuality, amenities and more. Without any similar competitive pressure, Amtrak will lack the incentive to innovate.
ALLRAIL has officially joined the Ad hoc Committee on Legal Affairs and International Cooperation of
OTIF-Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail
ALLRAIL participated this month as a speaker at the ETCR Summer Course, organised by the College of Europe and the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) in Bruges.
During the session “Single European Railway Area: Views and Challenges”, our Legal Officer, Guillem Ochoa, presented the perspective of independent passenger rail operators on the future of Europe’s railway market. The presentation highlighted the importance of effective enforcement of the Fourth Railway Package, as well as the opportunities offered by the proposed Capacity Regulation and the EU Passenger Package to strengthen competition and improve the attractiveness of rail for passengers.
The panel, moderated by Axel Kiese, also featured Alberto Mazzola, Executive Director of CER. While the discussion reflected differing perspectives between incumbent and independent operators on a number of policy issues, it also demonstrated broad agreement on the need for sustainable infrastructure financing and a more harmonised and efficient framework for rolling stock authorisation. Constructive exchanges such as these are essential to shaping a more competitive and customer-focused European rail sector.
ALLRAIL Policy Officer Eoin Rollins spoke today at the DOVA event with Dutch Regional Transport Authorities.
Legal Officer Guillem Ochoa participated in a round table on service facilities and asymmetric access obligations at the
Florence School of Regulation, part of the European University Institute in Florence, Italy.
ALLRAIL President Elmer van Buuren spoke at the 23rd Conference of the European Passengers’ Federation.
ALLRAIL Secretary General Nick Brooks and Policy Director John Thomas spoke on behalf of ALLRAIL at the 14th International Railway Summit, taking place in London from 2-4 June 2026.
ALLRAIL took part in the 27th Florence Rail Forum on Financing High-Speed Rail, hosted by the Florence School of Regulation.
ALLRAIL took part in the European Climate Pact's annual event, "Together in Action 2026", on 24th and 25th March 2026 in Brussels.
ALLRAIL's Policy Director, John Thomas, attended a panel discussion at the National Transport Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, this week.
ALLRAIL was pleased to take part in the 16th Florence Intermodal Forum on Linking urban multimodal hubs to the High-Speed Rail, organised by the Florence School of Regulation (FSR).
ALLRAIL President Elmer van Buuren took part in a roundtable discussion on the need for truly market-oriented capacity management.
The session formed part of the Capacity Management Summit organised by RailNetEurope (RNE).
ALLRAIL's Legal Officer Guillem Ochoa attended the conference “Clean, Just and Competitive: A Blueprint for Europe’s Economies and Societies”, organised by the EU Competition Comissioner Teresa Ribera, with the participation of the European Investment Bank (EIB) President Nadia Calviño and the former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta.
ALLRAIL's Katharina Dekeyser participated in the joint event Association Française du Rail (AFRA) x ADN Mobilités, dedicated to the key issues of ticketing in the rail market.
Our Policy Director John Thomas gave evidence to this Committee in the UK parliament, London, alongside Steve Montgomery of our member operator First Rail and Maggie Simpson OBE of Rail Freight Group.
On 15th December 2025, ALLRAIL Secretary General Nick Brooks had the privilege of joining a special event celebrating a milestone for Belgian rail – the full deployment of ERTMS by Infrabel.
A big step forward for Belgium, and a tangible win for the wider European project.
Nick Brooks spoke at the Transport Committee of the UK House of Commons (Parliament) on 26th November.
An ALLRAIL delegation took part today in the workshop of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Working Party on Rail Transport (SC.2), entitled “Making liberalisation work for passengers and freight – challenges and opportunities.”
On 5 November, an event on the Future of EU Rail Ticketing took place at the European Parliament, hosted by TRAN Vice-Chair Sophia Kircher with the participation of MEP Kai Tegethoff. The discussion brought together Members of the European Parliament, the European Commission, passenger rights organisations, and independent rail operators to address one of the biggest barriers to a true Single Market for Rail: the lack of fair, transparent, and innovative ticketing.
ALLRAIL took part in very open, concrete, and constructive discussions at the high-level event “Cutting Cost in Rail”, co-organised by the Danish Ministry of Transport, Trafikstyrelsen, the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), the European Commission, and the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking.
In January 2024, the Global Ukraine Rail Task Force delegation visited Kyiv, accompanied by representatives from WE AID and Rail Partners, to present a donation cheque of €130,000 to the rail workers of Ukrainian Railways.
This event was covered In July 2024 by PBS News.
Salim was interviewed by the British leading TV channel ITV
ALLRAIL's Secretary General Nick Brooks introduces to our new ALLRAIL podcast series, in which we will discuss the latest policy developments in passenger rail transport in Europe.
We consider the future of passenger rail in the 2020s. There can be little doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has shaken faith in public transport, but rail remains fundamentally attractive for its ability to move people efficiently with minimal land take and an extremely low carbon footprint. This discussion will assess the outlook for passenger operators and how they might adjust to a ‘new normal’.
Fair competition in the rail sector is crucial to securing EU climate change goals and sustainable recovery
Panelists: Erich Forster, President ALLRAIL & CEO WESTbahn
Christian Schreyer, Vice-President ALLRAIL & Transdev CEO for North & Central Europe
Nick Brooks, Secretary General ALLRAIL
• Aleš Ondrůj, Senior Director Communications, RegioJet
• Carl Adam Holmberg, Head of Snälltåget
• Nick Brooks, Secretary General ALLRAIL
• Barbora Mičková, Policy Officer ALLRAIL
-> Recorded 17th June 2020
Links:
• YouTube
• Podcast (Spotify)
After COVID-19 webinar in April 2020 ALLRAIL issued a discussion on YouTube and Podcast channels.
First episode on the impact of COVID-19 on our members:
• YouTube - Key points (10min.)
• YouTube Full version (50min.)
• Podcast (Spotify)
• Podcast (Apple)
• Podcast (Google)
Arthur Kamminga presented ALLRAIL vision on the topic of "How to stimulate international passenger rail?" at the Hearing on European support for international passenger rail transport at the Commission for Mobility of the Belgian House of Representatives, taking place on 17th December 2019 at the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium.
