Arranging travel around Europe can be a complicated affair, with journey planners split between country, language and mode of transport.

With high-speed rail travel becoming ever more popular, and budget airlines dumping us at airports miles outside our final destinations, there’s a real need for an integrated, easy-to-use and Europe-wide online journey planning service.

European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas has just launched a new competition for companies, travel organisations and individuals to design just such a system.

“Why can’t I yet plan or book my journey through Europe – switching from air to rail or sea, to urban or road transport – in one single go and online?” Kallas asked as he launched the contest.

The competition’s website also asks: “National planners already exist in many European countries, but pan-European coverage is limited. We need to go much further and faster to develop real European planners that help travellers plan journeys that criss-cross the EU from a single website.”

Members of the public will be able to vote on submitted planners, and the eventual winner will be selected by a professional panel of experts. You can find out more about the project here

Do you think a Europe-wide online journey planning service is a good idea? What would you like to see the planner designers include?

Source : Orange