Breakfast in Berlin, lunch in Copenhagen, with a quick and easy train ride to pass the morning? Or a midday lunch in Sofia, then take the high-speed line to get to Athens in time for an evening aperitif? Both could become possible if a vision for high-speed rail travel in Europe becomes a reality.
A faster, “truly European” high-speed rail network could be possible by 2040, the EU executive said on Wednesday, as it revealed plans to dramatically cut journey times between major cities.
The European Commission envisages a world where trains can reach speeds of more than 250km per hour, if possible, to ensure faster connections on the continent.
If the plan is realized, rail passengers will be able to travel on the German and Danish chapters in four hours in 2030, while SOFIA in six more hours around 2035, instead of almost 14.
The new cross-border links will significantly speed up the journey between Tallinn and Riga to 1Hr45 compared to 6H10 today. On the other side of the continent, the journey between Lisbon and Madrid will be cut to three hours, from nine.
The EU Transport Commissioner, Apostol Tzitziksikosas, a self-declared “Train Guy”, said the plans were driven by how to create “a faster railway [network] By 2040”
Despite repeated calls to improve rail travel, cross-border rail journeys remain rare. The operators are focused on the National Priority, insufficient infrastructure, inconsistent systems, conflicting regulations and the more complicated ticket that is not immediately, nor spread to the promoters in general, as the promoters spread.
The 12,128km of high-speed rail in Europe, the Commission says, is mostly concentrated in the four Western EU members, Italy and Eastern Europe remain “poorly connected”.
External experts estimate that €546bn (£481bn) is needed to triple the size of the high-speed network over 250km an hour. As part of a long list of actions, the EU Executive has promised a financing strategy and will aim to use EU funding and private investment, especially to pay for infrastructure stock and rolling stock.
Other elements of the plan include the overhaul of the PAN-European signatory and ticketing systems.
Tzitzikbikostas said that all passengers should one day be able to book a cross-border rail ticket, and eventually a combined rail ticket through a website. He promised proposals to the legislatures in early 2026 to ensure passengers can buy cross-border tickets, as well as an increase in passenger rights to support this travel. Passengers now have to contact the same National Air Operator involved in a cross-border journey to request assistance or a refund if their train is late.
The European Consumer Organization (Beuc) hailed the plans as a step forward for sustainable travel. “For a long time, consumers have been faced with complicated booking and tickets, passenger rights, poor quality of train service on the train,” said the head of Beuc, Robin Loos. “The plan should provide much needed investment and technical harmonization and aims to iron out the long-standing issue of ticketing,” said Loos.
The European industry body, the community of railways and infrastructures (Cer), also welcomed the plans. It is said that the objective of standard speeds of 250km/h is well above for the new high-speed lines, which will ensure efficient rail travel and attract a significant transfer of rail”.
Jon Price, an independent rail expert and campaigner, doubted if the faster trips included in the commission will happen, with fewer projects. “Can I wish you a track to be built or some train to be bought as a result of the current document that is not really a plan. ‘This is such a kind of thinking.’ This is what we want to see. ‘”
The EU, he said, has a patchy record of railway projects in the lower railways With the Trans-European Networks, the transport corridors will be “very slowly” implemented. “Why should it be different this time, just because we set a deadline 10 years into the future and are talking about high-speed rail rather than talking about conventional rail?” he asked.