THE European Commission (EC) has adopted what it describes as a comprehensive transport package designed to accelerate the expansion of Europe's high-speed rail network and increase investment in renewable and low-carbon fuels for air and water transport.
“The new High-Speed Rail Action Plan sets out the steps needed to create a faster, more interoperable and better-connected European network by 2040,” the EC says. “It aims to cut journey times and make rail a more attractive alternative to short-haul air travel, thus increasing passenger numbers and boosting regional economies and tourism.”
The EC proposes four key initiatives to accelerate progress:
- removing cross-border bottlenecks through binding timelines to be set by 2027 and identifying options for higher speeds, including well-above 250km/h when economically viable
- developing a coordinated financing strategy, including a strategic dialogue with Member States, industry and financiers leading to a High-Speed Rail Deal to mobilise funding
- improving the conditions for the rail industry and operators to invest, develop innovative solutions and operate competitively through a more attractive regulatory environment, by enhancing cross-border ticketing systems, supporting a second-hand rolling stock market, accelerating the deployment of ERTMS, and fostering research and development, and
- strengthening European Union governance, requiring infrastructure managers to coordinate on providing paths for cross-border long-distance services, and facilitating standardisation and authorisation.
The EC says the plan will ease congestion and free up capacity on conventional lines for more night trains, and freight and military transport, while strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in tourism and industry.
The action plan will build on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) to connect major cities at speeds of at least 200km/h. Some of the projects mentioned by the EC are already underway, such as the Fehmarn Belt tunnel between Germany and Denmark which will cut the Berlin - Copenhagen journey time from 7 hours to 4 hours, and the Rail Baltica project linking the Baltic states with Poland.
The EC also mentions providing a high-speed line from Paris via Madrid to Lisbon. Here, sections of high-speed line already exist, namely Paris - Bordeaux, Burgos - Madrid - Toledo, Plasencia - Badajoz, and Elvas - São Miguel Machede. An extension south from Bordeaux to Dax is planned, the Basque Y project in northern Spain linking Irun with Vitoria is finally nearing completion, a contract has been awarded to build the Vitoria - Burgos section, and it is planned to bridge the gaps from Toledo to Plasencia, and west of São Miguel Machede in Portugal.
“High-speed rail is not just about cutting travel times - it is about uniting Europeans, strengthening our economy, and leading the global race for sustainable transport,” says Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EC’s commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism. “With today’s plan, we are turning ambition into action: breaking down barriers, mobilising investments for modern infrastructure, and making cross-border rail the backbone of a carbon-neutral, competitive, and secure Europe. Citizens across the Union will benefit from faster, safer, and more affordable journeys that bring Europe closer together."
Comprehensive network
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), which has been working on a high-speed rail master plan for the last four years, says a comprehensive high-speed network across Europe would save the equivalent of 11.6 billion barrels of oil and 5 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2070, with net positive benefits of €750bn.
The CER commends the EC for endorsing standard speeds of 250km/h or above for new high-speed lines which will ensure that rail can compete with short-haul air travel.
“The true ambition of today’s High-Speed Deal is not only an investment in infrastructure but a direct investment in the quality and competitiveness of European travel,” says CER’s executive director Alberto Mazzola. “With a credible definition of high-speed rail infrastructure now in place, the focus must shift to rapid delivery. CER urges Member States and EU institutions to prioritise the dedicated funding and coordination necessary to build the European High-Speed Rail network and unlock its massive benefits for all citizens.”
