Latest news with #MichaelPeterson
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Europe wants seamless international train travel. Deutsche Bahn says it's getting there
This autumn, Deutsche Bahn (DB), Germany's national railway company, will begin rolling out a new digital infrastructure that it says will streamline international rail bookings. The move is part of a long-awaited push to simplify travel across Europe's patchwork of national railway networks. '[You will] be able to book an international journey just as easily as a domestic one,' Michael Peterson, DB's board member for long-distance transport, told German press agency DPA. 'This brings us closer to a major goal,' he continued: seamless cross-border rail travel across Europe, powered by a unified digital system and regulations backed by the EU. Starting this autumn, DB will adopt a new data-sharing standard known as OSDM (Open Sales and Distribution Model). This EU-endorsed interface is intended to give European rail operators instant access to each other's ticketing systems. Using the OSDM as a framework, DB says it aims to offer integrated ticketing for virtually all major European railways by the end of 2026, including local transport, through its website and DB Navigator app. Rail expert Jon Worth is quick to point out that this will not be a single ticket, but rather 'a better way to stitch together tickets from different railways,' however. DB will initially integrate with Austria and Switzerland's national operators – the ÖBB and SBB, respectively – with other operators to follow in the coming months. Currently, booking international train tickets through DB's platform can be confusing, limited and, in many cases, expensive. While passengers can already buy some cross-border tickets running through Germany, many popular routes still require piecing together fares from different companies or making sense of multiple national rail sites. No single rail provider can cover a journey from Berlin to Barcelona, for example. Aside from convenience, the new system could begin to address a gap in passenger rights. Currently, travellers using separate tickets for different legs of a cross-border trip risk losing protection if a delay causes a missed connection. Addressing this issue – and ensuring full passenger rights throughout the journey, including rebooking and reimbursement – is such a priority that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made it a cornerstone of her second term. 'Cross-border train travel is still too difficult for many citizens,' she wrote in 2024. 'People should be able to use open booking systems to purchase trans-European journeys with several providers, without losing their right to reimbursement or compensatory travel.' Related Taking the train can be almost twice as fast as flying for some journeys in France Journey through the rainforest in luxury on Malaysia's last remaining sleeper train But such protection isn't yet guaranteed. Worth says that the OSDM doesn't compel rail operators to sell unified tickets. It also doesn't ensure consistent enforcement of passenger rights. 'What DB is doing is welcome for Germany, in particular, but it is insufficient,' he explains. 'To get genuine portals on which you can book any train anywhere in Europe, we need more than a technical standard – which is what DB is implementing, essentially – but [rather] binding rules for data sharing, commissions for ticket re-sale and better passenger rights if something goes wrong in a multi-operator rail journey.' The initiative comes amid increasing pressure from Brussels. EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas has said he plans to propose legislation to create unified platforms and make full passenger rights mandatory. That's causing some concern for DB – 'already one of the best' rail operators in Europe, according to Worth. Related The European tube: Inside the project to launch a continent-wide rail system New Madrid-Lisbon high-speed train to cut journey time from 10 hours to three Peterson warned that a digital standard other than the OSDM could undermine years of investment. 'That costs money, that costs time,' he said. Despite the lingering challenges, DB is optimistic. The company recently launched a direct high-speed ICE route between Berlin and Paris and plans further expansions. In 2024, DB also saw a 22 per cent increase in cross-border ticket sales compared to pre-pandemic levels – its best year yet. Now, with better tools, more collaboration and upcoming legislation, Europe's railways could finally begin to catch up with the expectations of climate-conscious travellers – and deliver on the promise of a truly connected continent.
Euronews
28-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Easier cross-border train travel? Deutsche Bahn says it's coming
This autumn, Deutsche Bahn (DB), Germany's national railway company, will begin rolling out a new digital infrastructure that it says will streamline international rail bookings. The move is part of a long-awaited push to simplify travel across Europe's patchwork of national railway networks. '[You will] be able to book an international journey just as easily as a domestic one,' Michael Peterson, DB's board member for long-distance transport, told German press agency DPA. 'This brings us closer to a major goal,' he continued: seamless cross-border rail travel across Europe, powered by a unified digital system and regulations backed by the EU. Starting this autumn, DB will adopt a new data-sharing standard known as OSDM (Open Sales and Distribution Model). This EU-endorsed interface is intended to give European rail operators instant access to each other's ticketing systems. Using the OSDM as a framework, DB says it aims to offer integrated ticketing for virtually all major European railways by the end of 2026, including local transport, through its website and DB Navigator app. Rail expert Jon Worth is quick to point out that this will not be a single ticket, but rather 'a better way to stitch together tickets from different railways,' however. Hey hoSeems the German media is having another "ooooh the railways are finally sorting their booking systems" round of articles todaySee Tagesschau and N-TV This is NOT ALL THAT IS SEEMS 🚨Quick #CrossBorderRail🧵[image or embed] DB will initially integrate with Austria and Switzerland's national operators – the ÖBB and SBB, respectively – with other operators to follow in the coming months. Currently, booking international train tickets through DB's platform can be confusing, limited and, in many cases, expensive. While passengers can already buy some cross-border tickets running through Germany, many popular routes still require piecing together fares from different companies or making sense of multiple national rail sites. No single rail provider can cover a journey from Berlin to Barcelona, for example. Aside from convenience, the new system could begin to address a gap in passenger rights. Currently, travellers using separate tickets for different legs of a cross-border trip risk losing protection if a delay causes a missed connection. Addressing this issue – and ensuring full passenger rights throughout the journey, including rebooking and reimbursement – is such a priority that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made it a cornerstone of her second term. 'Cross-border train travel is still too difficult for many citizens,' she wrote in 2024. 'People should be able to use open booking systems to purchase trans-European journeys with several providers, without losing their right to reimbursement or compensatory travel.' But such protection isn't yet guaranteed. Worth says that the OSDM doesn't compel rail operators to sell unified tickets. It also doesn't ensure consistent enforcement of passenger rights. 'What DB is doing is welcome for Germany, in particular, but it is insufficient,' he explains. 'To get genuine portals on which you can book any train anywhere in Europe, we need more than a technical standard – which is what DB is implementing, essentially – but [rather] binding rules for data sharing, commissions for ticket re-sale and better passenger rights if something goes wrong in a multi-operator rail journey.' The initiative comes amid increasing pressure from Brussels. EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas has said he plans to propose legislation to create unified platforms and make full passenger rights mandatory. That's causing some concern for DB – 'already one of the best' rail operators in Europe, according to Worth. Peterson warned that a digital standard other than the OSDM could undermine years of investment. 'That costs money, that costs time,' he said. Despite the lingering challenges, DB is optimistic. The company recently launched a direct high-speed ICE route between Berlin and Paris and plans further expansions. In 2024, DB also saw a 22 per cent increase in cross-border ticket sales compared to pre-pandemic levels – its best year yet. Now, with better tools, more collaboration and upcoming legislation, Europe's railways could finally begin to catch up with the expectations of climate-conscious travellers – and deliver on the promise of a truly connected continent.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
German rail operator to simplify train ticket buying across Europe
Buying tickets for train journeys across Europe is set to become easier for people living in Germany starting this autumn, according to German railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB). The move is seen by some as a step toward better integration of Europe's numerous national railway systems. Starting at the end of 2026, DB promises that "tickets for all major railways in our neighbouring countries will be available" via its website or its app. "International long-distance travel is booming," Michael Peterson, DB's head of long-distance transport, told dpa. He noted that 2024 was the strongest year in this sector for the German railway, with a 22% growth compared to the pre-Covid year of 2019. No integrated European rail network While DB continues to add new connections to its portfolio, such as the recent introduction of ICE high-speed train service between Berlin and Paris, there are still numerous issues with train travel in Europe. "There is no integrated European rail network," said Green Party politician Matthias Gastel, a Bundestag member who has been focused on railways for years and sits on the supervisory board of DB's infrastructure subsidiary InfraGo. Problems often begin with ticket purchases. For cross-border journeys, multiple tickets are often required, each purchased separately. This is not only inconvenient but also means passenger rights, such as compensation for missed connections, do not apply. Tickets from competitors like Flix are not available through DB, which Gastel attributes to DB demanding "horrendously high commissions" designed to dampen the competition. "Problems often arise when a railway line reaches a national border," said Sebastian Wilken, who writes about international train travel on his blog Zugpost. These issues include power supply, signalling and safety systems, track gauge differences and even the language skills of train drivers. At least ticket purchasing is set to become simpler. European railways agreed years ago to implement the Open Sales and Distribution Model or OSDM interface standard. DB's Peterson described it as "the language through which European railways and sales service providers exchange their data." This will give DB access to the complete ticket portfolio of participating railways and vice versa. Soon, one ticket from Oslo to Athens DB access will initially start this autumn, when the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) are set to be made available. New partners are expected to join monthly. "We expect that by the end of next year, Europe will be almost comprehensively connected," said Peterson. Then booking tickets across Europe – whether from Oslo to Athens or Warsaw to Barcelona – will be possible in a single step. Lower-cost tickets via DB competitor Flix will not be available on this system. In response to an inquiry, the company said: "OSDM offers some positive features but also presents challenges – particularly for new market entrants." It cited costs and the complexity of implementation as examples. According to DB, its customers will benefit in several ways, including being able to receive direct price information. "Railways will be able to access and combine the low prices of other railways," DB's Peterson said. During the journey, passengers will receive updates via their mobile phones and tickets for regional transport abroad will also become easier to purchase. EU train integration slow to develop but needed The Green Party's rail expert Gastel acknowledged developments, but said progress is too slow. "It is happening very slowly and it is incredibly laborious, cumbersome and expensive. There are simply far too many obstacles on the tracks." The European Union has long recognized the problem. New connections, such as the planned Munich-Rome route, are supported by the European Commission. However, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has noted that cross-border rail travel remains too complicated for many citizens. "People should be able to use open booking systems to purchase trans-European journeys from multiple providers without losing their right to refunds or alternative travel," she has noted. The European Commission plans to propose legislation for "uniform digital booking and ticketing services" intended to ensure that "Europeans can buy a single ticket on a single platform and exercise their passenger rights for the entire journey." DB's Peterson says he is not worried about additional rules. "I have absolutely no concerns about what the European Commission wants to regulate because we share the same goals," he told dpa. However, he noted that the Commission intends to mandate a different standard than OSDM. "My only concern is that we have invested years in OSDM, implemented it in IT – which costs money and time – and that the EU might not introduce corresponding regulations before 2026."
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Direct express trains from Munich to Milan and Rome to roll in 2026
Travellers between Germany and Italy will be able to take direct high-speed trains from Munich to Milan and Rome, the German railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) announced on Wednesday. The route is expected to start in December 2026, assuming approvals pull through on schedule. It would be the first time Italian Frecciarossa trains would be operating in Germany on direct routes via Innsbruck, Austria, DB said during the presentation of the cooperation agreement in Munich. Initially, there will be one connection per day. Two years later, the service is set to gradually expand to include Berlin and Naples. Eventually, five round trips per day will be offered between Germany, Austria and Italy. The journey from Munich to Milan will take approximately six and a half hours, while the trip from Munich to Rome will last about eight and a half hours. This will save travellers around 75 minutes compared to the current travel time to Milan, which includes transfers, a DB spokeswoman said. With the planned opening of the Brenner Base Tunnel, billed as the world's longest underground railway connection, at the end of 2032, travel times are expected to be reduced by about another hour. "We are seeing that people increasingly want to travel across borders in an environmentally friendly way by rail," said Michael Peterson, DB's board member for long-distance passenger transport. "Our joint project will give further momentum to the booming international long-distance travel market."
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
What life's REALLY like married to most notorious UK prisoner – from make-up bans, to serenading calls & racy role play
IRENE Dunroe isn't just any kind of WAG, she's a prison WAG. The 73-year-old, who was married to one of Britain's most notorious prisoners, Charles Bronson, at the time of his incarceration for armed robbery in 1974, has reignited their relationship. 5 5 The pair divorced and both remarried, but their unconventional love story is now very much back on the table - and Irene reckons it's finally time that Bronson gets released, after almost 51 continual years behind bars. Born Michael Peterson, but also known as Charles Ali Ahmed and Charles Salvador, the 72-year-old has landed himself the title of 'Britain's most violent prisoner' during his half century inside. He was first locked up in 1974 for armed robbery and wounding - but his prison etiquette of attacking other inmates (including with glass jugs) and slew of various attacks on guards are what have kept him in the slammer. He has also taken many hostages over the years - a total of 11 across nine different sieges inside - including fellow lags, governors, doctors, his own solicitor and even his art teacher, who made the mistake of critiquing Bronson's drawings. He has had only two brief periods outside prison since 1974, but reoffended during both, and was put into solitary confinement around 30 years ago, where he remains today. That being said, smitten Irene still thinks he should be released. 'He's never killed anyone,' she rationalises. "I want him out,' she shared in an interview with The Mirror. 'I can't rest until he is. 'It breaks my heart. I feel like time has been suspended, but when he's out I can relax." Violent OAP Bronson is a hopeless romantic, but was once 'very, very protective', according to Irene. "We were a bit like Romeo and Juliet because my parents never liked him from the start,' she said. 'He never used to like me to wear make-up. I used to get lots of attention from the other men. "I'd be walking along the road with him and if men stared, he would go mad." Things took a turn when Bronson was locked up in the Seventies, leaving Irene as a single mum to their two-year-old son, Mike, living in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. The good, the bad and the ugly "I used to wonder if it was going to be a good letter day or a bad letter day,' she said. 'It would be 'this man came at me with a piece of glass' or someone had stabbed him. Soon he had scars all over his back. 'In the end, I thought he's never, ever going to get out. He was just standing up for himself but he was young and he didn't realise how hard things were for me and Mike on the outside. 'In a way, I had it harder. He didn't have to worry about paying bills. It was hell." In 1976, the pair ended their five-year marriage, with Irene going on to marry twice more, having two more children. 5 5 Meanwhile, Bronson remarried twice while inside, befriended the infamous Kray twins and spent four months trying to dig a tunnel out of his cell. His other two wives were Saira Ali Ahmed, who he married in 2001 and divorced in 2005, and Paula Williamson, who was married to him from 2017 until her death in 2019. Irene assured his other wives: 'Nobody knows him like I do.' She got back in touch with Bronson in 2012 and recalls him asking, "How are you, princess?" in his Cockney accent. Rekindled Flame They finally re-met in the flesh in 2023, of which Irene recalled: "He was the same broad, muscular man but he was so pale. "But it felt so comfortable. He feels horrible for what he put us through by being locked up.' Now that the pair have rekindled, Bronson serenades her over the phone, including crooning Stevie Wonder's I Just Called To Say I Love You down the line while she embarks on bus journeys. They speak every day, sometimes twice, and he sends her his artwork, which includes a picture series about their rollercoaster love story. 5 Bronson could be released from prison later this year thanks to his fresh bid for freedom, which will be the ninth time parole chiefs are looking at the armed robber's case. Irene said that they have discussed living together, but he'd have to stay in the shed as they've both gotten so used to having their own space. They've created a bucket list for his release, featuring plans for steak dinners, leisurely walks along the beach, a custom-tailored suit for Bronson and even running the London Marathon for charity. Ann Summers worker Irene even hopes to inject a bit of role play into their sex life. 'He's going to dress as a prisoner with me as his warden,' she said. 'I'll bring home a whip to make him go a bit faster.' Irene would love to see her beau return home in time for Christmas, so that they can have dinner with their son Mike as a family for the first time. 'He just wants to get out and find himself a little cottage in the country and make it his art studio,' she added. "He doesn't get jealous any more. He'll be pleased if I got attention from a man now - he would be proud. "He's very artistic, very clever, very intelligent, generous. He's just a completely different person than this mad monster that people used to make out he was."
