Munich to Rome in 6 hours instead of 9 hours and 30 minutes, or travel from Tallinn to Riga in 1 hour and 45 minutes and from Riga to Vilnius in 2 hours (instead of 6 and 4 hours). Faster, interconnected and sustainable railway network. This is the basis of the new action plan for high-speed rail adopted today by the European Commission, which defines the measures necessary to create a two-track network by 2040 capable of standardizing the 15,000 kilometers of connection between the various countries of the Old Continent. Because the 27 members of the Union run at different speeds: some countries are at the forefront, like France, while others, especially in the East, are lagging behind.
The 4 pillars of the European high-speed plan
Thus the European executive aims to reduce travel times and make rail transport a more attractive alternative to short-haul air transport, thus increasing the number of passengers and boosting regional economies and tourism. Building on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), the plan envisages connecting the main nodes at speeds of 200 km/h or more.
To achieve this objective, the Commission has identified four different pillars. We will start with the elimination of cross-border bottlenecks through binding deadlines to be set by 2027 and the identification of options for higher speeds, even well above 250 km/h if economically sustainable. A process that can be achieved through a coordinated financing strategy, including a strategic dialogue with Member States, industry and financiers, leading to an agreement on high-speed rail to mobilize the necessary investments. In parallel there will be an improvement in conditions for the rail industry and rail operators to invest and develop innovative solutions and operate competitively, including through a more attractive regulatory environment. Finally, it will be necessary to strengthen governance at EU level, requiring infrastructure managers to coordinate on capacity for long-distance cross-border services and facilitating standardization and authorisations.
Costs and times
Completing the high-speed Ten-T network in 2040 is estimated to require around €345 billion, but scaling it up to speeds above 250 km/h could cost €546 billion by 2050. To stimulate investment, the European Commission will develop a financing strategy and engage in a strategic dialogue with Member States, financial institutions and other stakeholders.
