Commission Unveils Plan for Europe-wide High-Speed Rail Network

The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled an ambitious plan to build a Europe-wide high-speed rail network by 2040, promising to drastically cut travel times, boost cross-border connectivity, and support the EU’s green and security goals.

The proposed network would allow trains to reach speeds above 250km/hr, linking major European capitals and regional hubs more efficiently than ever before. By 2035, for example, travelers could journey from Athens to Sofia in just six hours, half the current time; while trains between Berlin and Copenhagen would complete the trip in four hours instead of seven. A Paris–Lisbon route via Madrid has also been planned by 2035.

According to the Commission, the initiative aims to make rail “the backbone of a carbon-neutral, competitive, and secure Europe”. In addition to reducing congestion and emissions, the train network is aimed at strengthening Europe’s internal market and improving the movement of both passengers and freight, including military equipment in times of need.

“High-speed rail is not just about cutting travel times; it’s about uniting Europeans, strengthening our economy, and leading the global race for sustainable transport,” said European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas.

The Commission’s roadmap is structured around four key pillars: accelerating investment and harmonizing standards for an interoperable European network; removing cross-border bottlenecks with binding timelines by 2027; boosting speeds on selected routes to well above 250km/hr when feasible; and enhancing passenger services, including night and regional train services.

To make the system more user-friendly, a 2026 proposal will introduce a unified EU ticketing and booking system, enabling passengers to plan and buy cross-border journeys seamlessly and access better protection for passenger rights.

The Commission also plans to revise EU rules to simplify train driver certification for cross-border operations and lower barriers for new high-speed operators. A dedicated scoreboard will be introduced to track progress on the rollout.

An EU financing strategy will be drawn up in the coming months, developed in consultation with EU states, industry leaders, and financial institutions.

Source: tovima.com