Europe is accelerating towards a more connected, sustainable and passenger-centric mobility system, with air–rail integration gaining renewed political and operational focus. This momentum was underscored on 12 and 13 November 2025, when two high-level events marked a milestone for the EU-funded MultiModX – Integrated Passenger-Centric Planning of Multimodal Transport Networks project, supported by the SESAR Joint Undertaking.
Policy focus at the European Parliament
On 12 November, Members of the European Parliament, industry leaders, passenger representatives and research experts convened in Brussels for a policy lunch debate titled Unlocking Seamless Multimodality in Europe: Enabling Passenger-Centric Air–Rail Integration through Policy, Data, and Collaboration.
Hosted by MEP Sophia Kircher, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), the event was co-organised by the multimodal research initiatives SIGN-AIR, MultiModX and TRAVELWISE. SIGN-AIR and MultiModX are supported by the SESAR Joint Undertaking, while TRAVELWISE is jointly funded by Europe’s Rail and SESAR.
During the discussion, speakers highlighted the need for alignment across ticketing systems, standards and operational frameworks in order to deliver meaningful connectivity across transport modes. The role of aviation as part of a wider mobility ecosystem was emphasised, with a focus on enabling passengers to transition smoothly between air, rail and other transport modes through reliable information and coordinated operations.
Passenger experience remains fragmented
Despite long-standing ambitions to deliver seamless multimodal journeys, participants noted that approximately 90 percent of air–rail trips are still self-assembled by passengers. Travellers are often required to manage separate tickets, pricing systems and disruption responses, frequently without adequate guidance or protection.
Passenger representatives stressed that if Europe is to encourage sustainable travel choices, multimodal journeys must offer clear information, fair pricing and consistent passenger rights across the entire door-to-door journey.
Research-driven solutions for multimodality
The three EU research projects presented concrete developments aimed at addressing the structural and operational barriers to multimodal travel.
SIGN-AIR outlined its work on establishing the legal, contractual and data-sharing foundations required for multimodality, including smart agreements, interoperability templates and tools to validate combined air–rail itineraries.
MultiModX presented open-source tools designed to support performance assessment, schedule optimisation and disruption management across integrated air–rail networks, with an emphasis on evaluating journeys on a door-to-door basis.
TRAVELWISE demonstrated real-time multimodal situational awareness and joint operational planning tools that have been tested at major European hubs including Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol and Bologna, enabling better coordination between transport partners.
Priorities for the next EU mobility cycle
Across the discussions, speakers aligned on five priority areas for future EU mobility policy:
- EU-wide integrated ticketing supported by transparent, real-time data
- Stronger multimodal passenger rights, including provisions for cross-mode journey continuation
- Incentives for timetable synchronisation and cooperation at major transport hubs
- A European framework for coordinated multimodal disruption management
- Continued investment in open mobility data and modelling to support performance-driven policymaking
Participants noted that the period leading into 2026 will be decisive in determining whether multimodality becomes the standard for European passengers or remains fragmented across isolated systems.
MultiModX final event highlights project outcomes
On 13 November, the Airport Regions Council (ARC) hosted the MultiModX Final Event, bringing together stakeholders from the rail, aviation and regional mobility sectors.
Opening remarks were delivered by Sergio Alegre Calero, Director General of ARC, and Erich Valentin, President of ARC. Marcello Kivel Mazuy, Innovation Manager at SESAR JU, outlined SESAR’s role in funding multimodal projects and presented the organisation’s vision for a more integrated, digital and sustainable European mobility system.
Dr Eric Tchouamou Njoya, MultiModX Project Coordinator at Bauhaus Luftfahrt, presented the project’s overall achievements, highlighting its performance-driven approach to air–rail integration.
Technical solutions and future outlook
The conference showcased three core technical solutions developed under the MultiModX project:
- A schedule design solution to optimise integrated air–rail timetables
- A disruption management solution based on an enhanced A-CDM approach to support multimodal coordination
- A performance assessment solution to evaluate environmental and passenger impacts using robust indicators
A high-level panel discussion examined the future of passenger-centric multimodality, addressing operational alignment, passenger rights and sustainability across transport modes.
Building a legacy for integrated European mobility
The two events reaffirmed a shared commitment among EU institutions, industry stakeholders, passenger groups and research organisations to advance seamless and sustainable multimodal travel in Europe.
The MultiModX consortium—Bauhaus Luftfahrt, Nommon, Airport Regions Council, TU Dresden, the International Union of Railways (UIC) and the University of Westminster—concluded the project with a portfolio of validated solutions and policy recommendations intended to support Europe’s transition towards a fully integrated mobility ecosystem.
