Are European railways totally connected ?

[Frank-99]

Are railways totally connected ?

There appears to be a European Parliament conference debating how to fully interconnect all the railway information systems. I thought I could book a ticket from anywhere to anywhere . . . not so ?

http://rcevent.org/

So if they seek interoperability of all European railways, maybe there are limits?
Can I go to Kings Cross and book a ticket to Zagreb (which is what I want) ?

And what is this Seat61 people talk about ?

 

[Chester025]

No, try looking for connections from St Pancras - Cologne at Brussels, dire!

 

[Wyvern]

http://www.seat61.com/

 

[Frank-99]

Thanks, a hidden gem.

I'm still intrigued at how railway travel information gets linked together. Despite having several companies in the UK we can arrange the inter-links at a ticket desk, but it seems the European networks are not fully linked yet.

Anybody know how its done (or why parts of it are not done ?).

Frank

 

[Yew]

Maybe it's because they don't have an ORCATS system to share revenue?

 

[Wyvern]

THe different railway systems on the continent are different countries.

In Britain we have had the benefit of a unified fares system since the Railway Clearing House back in the nineteenth century.

Even in this country it is slowly breaking apart as more fares are only available on one company. eg Virgin our London Midland. Sometimes it is hidden as Derby to Brighton (via FCC) where the fare is shared between EMT and FCC alone (I assume) Or Derby to Woking "via London" or "Not London." The proceeds from the latter (which is actually more expensive for a longer journey) presumably goes to Cross Country. So the British fare sytem is falling apart and getting more difficult for the average passenger to understand.

 

[starrymarkb]

of course in Spain its worse where separate tickets are needed for legs of a journey on Intercity and Regional trains. i

 

[Wyvern]

Much easier to get in your car. And you can come and go when you want.

 

[stut]

Much easier to get in your car. And you can come and go when you want.

Yes, but you tend to get arrested when you try to read a book with a glass of wine while driving.

Except in France, maybe.