German federal cartel office issues historic ruling in favour of ticket platforms to support the shift to rail

• The decision paves the way for a better rail system and more sustainable travel for passengers, powered by market competition
• A failure to provide access to real-time data, open use of all relevant marketing techniques and keywords, and better commercial terms for ticket vendors is unlawful, rules the German Federal Cartel Office
• A huge win for Europe, as innovation for consumers is trumped over the protection of incumbent monopolies
• Changes will bring more people to use rail in Germany and make taxpayer-funded service more cost-effective 

Berlin, 28 June 2023: Omio, the world’s leading booking platform for ground transport, is thrilled by today’s final ruling from the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO), which mandates an immediate change in the way Deutsche Bahn (DB) operates after they were found to have abused their market position by engaging in unlawful practices. This decision is a clear signal of the need to, finally, break monopolies across Europe, in order to enable more competition, better innovation for consumers, and a real chance for sustainable travel to finally develop.

This ruling follows a 4-year-long investigation where Omio was asked to provide evidence of DB’s unfair terms, such as poor commercial terms, restrictions on keyword use, inability to set ticket prices, and the lack of access to real-time data.

Commenting on the decision, CEO and Founder at Omio, Naren Shaam said: “This decision is a landmark win for consumers. It is proof of both the national interest in breaking monopolies in the railway sector, and of the need for improved competition-friendly legislation at the European level. The FCO’s decision has renewed my hope that by coming together and placing consumer needs at the heart of all our decision-making, we can create a future where more customer-centric products are created, and more people feel empowered and confident to travel by train.”

It is a promising sign that competition authorities are focusing on national incumbents, and not just going after big tech from the US. We are, therefore, pleased that the FCO is holding DB accountable for anti-competitive practices in the area of rail ticket retailing, specifically their conduct towards 3rd party retailers such as us at Omio. It is a strong sign for other rail monopolies in Europe that times are changing; the time is over where the usage of taxpayer’s money can be spent with little effect on actual consumer benefits. 

We at Omio have seen the benefit of competition in rail in Europe; following the launch of additional train providers in both Italy and Spain, the incumbents and customers benefited hugely. This has led to a decrease in ticket prices, resulting is a significant increase in passenger numbers using rail rather than flights, which also improves Co2 emissions produced by travellers. We urge governments across the continent to focus on the interoperability of rail infrastructure in Europe, let competition on tracks, and for the sale of tickets play out. Not only is it representative of the EU founding principles, but it’s also a win for everyone.  

We’re excited about a closer working relationship with DB, and look forward to helping facilitate the shift to rail in Germany.

Omio press team: [email protected]