25.02.13
Passenger numbers to rise 21% by 2020
Long-distance rail traffic in Europe could grow to over 1.36bn passengers by 2020, a new study shows. Produced by Amadeus Rail, the report looks at growing demand for rail and predicts an increase of 21%, or 238 million from 2011 figures.
The study includes predictive models based on correlations between long distance rail share of total traffic, national population densities, rail densities and rail industry structures across Europe.
The report identifies six key trends which will shape future rail demand: liberalisation, new market entrants, the completion of new high-speed lines, new hubs, air-rail and rail-rail cooperation and the cost of the railways.
Thomas Drexler, director of Amadeus Rail, said: “The Rail Journey to 2020 aims to inform the debate on how seamless cross-border rail services across Europe can become a reality. Building standards for data exchange, booking and ticketing services will fundamentally change the way the traveller will view rail travel, and move even closer towards the EC’s proposals for rail in its Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area.
“It will make rail travel more accessible, and improve the perception that rail is the way to travel across Europe. This will in turn encourage the idea that through-ticketing is a must for this to be successful.
“Amadeus is committed to partnering with railways and travel sellers to achieve this, and our proof is the investment made of the first truly Global Rail Sales Platform that already has SNCF, Eurostar, Thalys, Lyria, Trenitalia and SJ on board with more key European railways to come.”
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