The Agreement on Journey Continuation (AJC) is a voluntary agreement between European rail operators that allows international passengers who miss a connection to take the next available train at no extra cost. A good idea in principle – but far from sufficient in practice. Have you used the AJC? We want to hear about your experience – whether it worked smoothly or you encountered problems, confusion or refusal.

When launched in October 2022, EPF welcomed the AJC as a useful first step towards better passenger protection, while highlighting from the outset that it was far from sufficient. Experience since then has confirmed these concerns. Limited coverage, low awareness among both passengers and staff, and practical barriers can still leave passengers without a reliable way to continue their journey. The latest AJC update (published on 1 August) also makes clear that the agreement excludes not only “certain services”, including national journeys, but also “certain ticket types”.

These limitations underline the need for stronger, binding commitments rather than reliance on a voluntary scheme. EPF supports the European Commission’s proposal to make journey continuation mandatory in certain circumstances, as set out in its Passenger Package, published in May 2026.  However, the proposal does not go far enough. It would apply only to passengers travelling with a “single ticket” – which would even represent a step back from the AJC, which does cover separate tickets. It would also generally limit passengers to the missed operator’s next service.

📌 In EPF’s view, the following additional measures should be included in the legislation:

  • Cover all types of journeys and tickets – journey continuation guarantees should apply to national as well as international journeys, and cover all ticket types, including those outside the “single ticket” scope, such as separately purchased tickets, travel passes and season tickets.
  • Guarantee the fastest onward journey to the planned destination – passengers should be able to continue their journey at the earliest available opportunity, including by using another operator’s service where this is faster or more convenient.
  • Remove unnecessary administrative barriers – passengers should be able to continue their journey with minimum inconvenience, without having to queue at a service desk, obtain a “delay stamp” or complete other unnecessary formalities before accessing the next available service.
  • Provide clear, proactive information about passengers’ rights – passengers should be informed of their rights both when planning their journey and when disruption occurs, including the options available for continuing their journey.
  • Guarantee compensation – compensation for poor service performance and for any additional costs incurred by passengers should be mandatory.

📣 Share your AJC experience

Have you ever missed a connection and tried to use the AJC? Did it work smoothly, or did you experience confusion, delays or refusal? Share your experience with EPF (secretariat@epf.eu). Your experiences can help show where the current system fails in practice and strengthen the case for stronger, more effective and enforceable journey continuation rights for all rail passengers.

References

➡️ AJC Note (1 August 2026) – EN | FR | DE
➡️ AJC Leaflet (1 August 2026) – EN | FR | DE
➡️ Passenger Package – EPF response (31.07.2026)