On 16 October, the International Union of Railways (UIC) hosted the first combined edition of the UIC Railway Station Awards and the TopRail Tourism-Friendly Awards at its headquarters in Paris. On behalf of the European Passengers’ Federation (EPF), Freek Bos (EPF member, Rover) had the honour of serving on the jury for this year’s Tourism-Friendly Awards in the categories “Line” and “Initiative/Product.”

• In the “Line” category, the award went to the Arica–La Paz Line, operated by EFE (Chile). EFE demonstrated that even with limited resources, it is possible to successfully operate rail services focused on tourism.
• In the “Initiative/Product” category, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) impressed the jury with the Gotthard Panorama Express. SBB has created an experience built around what tourists truly value — scenery, storytelling, comfort, and connection. Rather than merely combining existing products, SBB cooperated with other businesses to offer a complete and welcoming tourism experience.

Congratulations to all winners and nominees for making rail travel an unforgettable part of tourism’s sustainable future!

▶️ Read here EPF’s position on the role of transport in sustainable tourism
▶️ Read here more about the event and the award winners