EU Moves to Strengthen Passenger Rights with New Multimodal Travel Legislation

Photo source: EU Council

The EU Council has formed its official position on the Commission’s two key proposals aimed at improving passenger rights across Europe, including the introduction of a draft regulation focusing on multimodal travel.

These measures, part of the “passenger mobility” legislative package, aim to enhance the rights of passengers traveling on journeys involving multiple transport modes—such as buses, trains, and planes.

Stronger enforcement of passenger rights

The first proposal amends five existing regulations to improve the enforcement of passenger rights across all transport sectors. It focuses on ensuring better compliance monitoring, more efficient handling of complaints, and clearer reimbursement rules for passengers, particularly when flights are canceled or significantly delayed. However, it does not introduce new rights for passengers but clarifies existing ones, such as the right to full reimbursement for airline tickets purchased through intermediaries.

Photo source: European Parliament – Photo by FRED DUFOUR / AFP

Passenger rights in multimodal journeys

The second proposal aims to extend protections for passengers on multimodal journeys. This regulation will ensure that passengers traveling on integrated trips involving different transport services, under a single ticket, are not discriminated against, and are entitled to essential information and assistance. The regulation includes provisions for compensation or re-routing in the event of missed connections and ensures that passengers with disabilities are supported across all transport modes.

Key provisions of the multimodal journey regulation

Several significant changes have been made to clarify the regulation’s scope and improve its practical application. Notably, carriers must enter agreements to offer transport services as part of a multimodal journey. The regulation also sets out clearer rules for reimbursement, ensuring alignment with EU case law on intermediation fees.

To improve the quality of services for people with disabilities, the regulation mandates that carriers and terminal managers establish quality standards for accessibility and information. The changes aim to streamline the compensation process, reducing the administrative burden for both passengers and operators.

Next steps: Negotiations with European Parliament

With the Council’s position now adopted, the incoming presidency will begin trilogue negotiations with the European Parliament, aiming for a first reading agreement on both proposals. These legislative steps are expected to fill gaps in current EU regulations and provide more comprehensive protections for all passengers, particularly those on complex multimodal journeys.

These efforts are part of the broader EU push to strengthen passenger rights while balancing the operational challenges faced by transport operators.