Passenger

General context of the business activity

With the emergence of new technologies, changes in customer behaviour and choices regarding mobility, and the development of competition in the rail sector, railway undertakings and infrastructure managers are shifting towards a more customercentred approach when providing services, investing in innovation and research to offer more personalised and seamless journeys.

Against this background, the UIC Passenger Department acts as a lever to transform the railway business by offering sectoral technical solutions (IRS), opportunities for knowledge exchange, networking platforms and tools, and support for the whole rail sector: railway undertakings and infrastructure managers, but also decision makers, research centres, universities or Ticket Vendors, for all aspects related to rail passenger transport.

Reference to how the business is organised

UIC’s passenger activity is inspired by the involvement of its members in the Passenger Global Forum, led by Manel Villalante I Llauradó (Renfe).The forum is subdivided into five areas of activity:

• Passenger Services Group (PSG)
• Intercity and High-Speed Committee
• Commuter and Regional Train Services (CRTS)
• Stations Managers Global Group
• Tourism opportunities for Railways

And a special group:

• RIC/A (Agreements on the exchange and use of passenger cars and self-propelled units in international rail traffic)

Global Passenger Forum

The UIC Global Passenger Forum was set up so that members all over the world could jointly adopt a global approach to UIC Passenger activity, encompassing the five passenger sectors (Intercity and High-Speed, Commuter and Regional Trains, Stations, Passenger Services Group and TopRail) and relevant projects, and discuss and set common priorities, strategies and directives, eventually to be coordinated with other forums and platforms where appropriate.

The purpose of the UIC Global Passenger Forum is to:

• Set out a global and strategic vision for UIC Passenger activities, and establish guidelines and priority lines of work;
• Transversely coordinate and supervise Passenger-related work conducted by the five groups and committees;
• Collect results and deliverables from the different activities and projects undertaken, with a view to disseminating outcomes as widely as possible among members, within the scope of the applicable intellectual property rights;
• Select and endorse candidates put forward for the positions of chair or other roles within the groups and committees, to be ratified by the UIC General Assembly in accordance with UIC Statutes;
• Coordinate with the Railway System Forum and other platforms, such as Digitalisation, Standardisation, RICG (Research and Innovation Coordination Group), Safety, etc., on key issues relating to Passenger activity;
• Promote and facilitate meetings with other organisations relevant to passenger transport, such as UITP (International Union of Public Transport), CIT (International Rail Transport Committee), OSJD (Organisation for Cooperation of Railways), CER (Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies), RNE (RailNetEurope), Association of American Railroads (AAR), etc.
• Integrate and coordinate, in a coherent and consistent way, activities and projects relating to passenger transport developed at the regional level of UIC. Recommend that the General Assembly approve cross-regional projects and activities adopted by the various groups and committees under the Passenger Global Forum.

High-Level Passenger Meeting

The High-Level Passenger Meeting (HLPM), co-organised by UIC and CER, is a strategic event bringing together European Passenger CEOs to discuss the key challenges and priorities facing rail passenger transport in Europe.
This meeting convenes top executives from passenger railway companies across Europe to exchange views on major policy, regulatory and market developments, and to define common positions on the future of international and domestic rail passenger services. The objective of the HLPM is to review strategic issues shaping European rail passenger policy and to address the technical, operational and political challenges required to strengthen rail as the backbone of sustainable mobility.
At the most recent HLPM held in October 2025, discussions focused on improving the cross-European passenger experience through smart digital ticketing and information solutions. Participants reaffirmed their strong commitment to achieving seamless cross-border rail ticketing through the implementation of the Open Sales and Distribution Model (OSDM), the expansion of journey continuation arrangements, and the delivery of the actions set out in the European rail ticketing roadmap, developed jointly by passenger rail undertakings in cooperation with CER, UIC and CIT.

The meeting also highlighted the need for a stable and supportive European regulatory framework to ensure the timely deployment of these solutions. In particular, participants underlined the importance of integrating OSDM into the relevant interoperability regulations, while safeguarding ongoing sector investments and ensuring full compatibility with existing European standards.

Beyond ticketing, the participants expressed their full support for the development of a comprehensive and competitive European high-speed rail network. They stressed the need for coordinated European action to expand and interconnect existing high-speed lines, improve cross-border interoperability through the deployment of ERTMS, and ensure a level playing field with other transport modes, notably with regard to taxation, rolling stock certification and train path allocation.

The discussions further underlined the growing role of high-speed rail as a fast, accessible and sustainable mode of transport for both business and leisure travel. By encouraging a shift from air and road to rail, high-speed rail contributes to reducing emissions, relieving capacity on conventional lines, and strengthening economic and social cohesion across Europe.

Finally, participants agreed on the importance of a sustainable and long-term funding strategy for rail infrastructure. While public investment remains the cornerstone of a resilient European rail system, complementary private financing instruments may play a supporting role, provided that stable regulation, predictable revenues and strong public-private cooperation are ensured. Rail was reaffirmed as a central pillar of Europe’s climate strategy and a key enabler of an integrated, low-emission and multimodal transport system.