"Improve Rail Ticket Booking!" — EU Groups of Youth, Consumer, & Environmental Push for Change - CleanTechnica

The article discusses a push by the Youth on Track coalition—a group comprising youth organizations, consumer advocates, and environmental NGOs—to reform rail ticket booking and pricing across Europe. This coalition urges EU policymakers to leverage upcoming revisions to VAT (value added tax) rules and the Single Ticketing Package to make train travel more affordable and accessible, particularly for cross-border journeys. Currently, rail tickets often cost more than flights, despite trains being a more environmentally friendly mode of transport. Notably, rail transport is not exempt from VAT, unlike air travel, which contributes to this pricing imbalance and discourages sustainable travel choices. The coalition highlights that this disparity undermines Europe’s climate goals, as cheaper flights incentivize carbon-intensive travel over trains. They call on EU officials, including Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, to address these issues by simplifying booking systems and reducing rail ticket prices. The article expresses hope that these changes will help shift travel habits toward greener options and improve the competitiveness of rail