Rail travel is viewed by many as a means of reducing the environmental impact of corporate travel programmes, yet the ‘bookability’ of long-distance and cross-border journeys is hindered by entrenched distribution processes and operators keen to protect their own interests. Efforts to unravel these complexities are, however, underway.
In one recent development, Swedish rail operator SJ has become the first in Europe to use the EU’s Open Sales and Distribution Model (OSDM) after revamping its distribution platform and pricing landscape in April based on the new standard.
OSDM is just one of a raft of EU initiatives aimed at digitising and streamlining rail ticketing and improving the overall traveller experience, particularly for…