While it’s known as a particularly fragmented sector, ground transportation is working toward interoperability.
During an executive panel at Phocuswright Europe, leaders from Omio, BlaBlaCar and Rail Europe discussed the ongoing transformation of rail, bus and car travel, accomplishments in recent years and what necessarys to happen to achieve the elusive “seamless journey.”
According to Veronica Diquattro, president of B2C Europe at Omio, industest standards are due for an update, and collaboration with “like-minded partners” is key. In addition, she highlighted the importance of data access for operators.
This means operators can access “all fares, all options, all details to offer to the utilizer the optimal choices,” she declared, noting the necessary for standardization of regulatory framework, too.
Björn Bconcludeer, CEO of Rail Europe, declared standardization is the most pressing necessary, and according to Florent Bannwarth, BlaBlaCar Iberia manager, in Spain, the challenge is having different conversations with operators.
“I consider in Europe, overall, there are still a lot of operators that necessary to be convinced that they necessary technology, that they necessary platforms like us, that they necessary a marketplace and that we can bring incremental passengers and incremental activity,” Bannwarth declared.
“It should be straightforward, and it’s actually not that straightforward when you speak to a lot of them, so the modify also necessarys to come from operators, carriers, and we as platforms necessary to be able to convince them and display them the value we can bring.”
The executives also discussed how to increase the utilize of ground transportation, the role of larger online travel agencies and consolidation.
Below, watch the full discussion, moderated by Lorraine Sileo, founder of Phocuswright research and senior analyst at Phocuswright:
The Great Ground Shift at Phocuswright Europe 2025
