The topic examined the practical and systemic barriers that prevent cross-border travel from being seamless. Drawing on the  monthly article “Unseen barriers to seamless cross-border travel in the EU”, the webinar “Better cross-border travel at Europe’s external borders”, and the online discussion “Seamless cross-border travelling” in July 2025, the objective was to identify practical challenges, exchange experiences, and explore solutions to reduce friction across borders 

Key themes explored included: 

• Fragmentation of booking, ticketing, and passenger information systems 
• Border management at EU external borders and its impact on tourism flows 
• The role of digital tools, data sharing, and interoperability 
• Passenger rights, journey continuity, and disruption management 
• Cross-sector coordination between transport, tourism, and public authorities. 

The initiatives showcased illustrate how destinations and stakeholders are improving seamless cross‑border travel, including:

• EuroVelo – the European Cycle Route Network, European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF): A network of 17 long-distance cycle routes crossing and connecting Europe to ensure the implementation of quality cycle routes as to carry the best European practice across borders, harmonize standards and create seamless travel.
• eBorder, Instituto de Telecomunicações: Project developing a secure, wireless and multimodal biometric scanning device for passenger verification at land and sea borders, enhancing security and traveler experience.
• European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), European Union: enabling visa‑free travelers to complete pre‑travel authorization online to speed up and secure border crossings.
• European Health Data Space (EHDS), European Commission: allowing health data and certificates to move securely with travelers across EU borders.
• MyHealth@EU, European Commission: eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure supporting cross‑border access to patient summaries and e‑prescriptions during travel.

Stakeholder stories highlight ongoing efforts to reduce friction in cross‑border travel and improve journey continuity, accessibility, and resilience.

Key conclusions and emerging trends include:

• Fragmentation remains the main obstacle as differences in national rules, systems, and procedures continue to disrupt cross border journeys even within the EU
• Digitalization is a key enabler but not a standout solution, since tools for data sharing, real‑time information, and digital border procedures must be accompanied by governance and interoperability frameworks
• Cross‑border travel reliability is increasingly important, as travelers expect protection, information, and support across borders, especially in the case of disruptions.
• Cross-sector coordination is essential as improving efficiency at EU external borders is critical for tourism competitiveness while maintaining security and compliance