European Union Prepares to Revolutionize High-Speed Rail Travel, Making It More Accessible and Competitive with Flights
In the upcoming months, the European Commission plans to unveil an ambitious plan aimed at transforming high-speed rail connectivity across the continent.
This strategic initiative is designed to significantly enhance the speed and convenience of train travel, positioning it not only as a more eco-friendly alternative to air travel but also as a faster and more affordable way to move between major cities.
Eurocommissar for Transport Apostolos Dzidzikostas revealed this in an interview with The Guardian, stressing that the goal is to develop a network of trains capable of competing with airplanes in terms of speed, cost, and comfort.According to the commissioner, in the future, travelers will prefer trains over flights not only because they are environmentally cleaner but also because they will offer greater comfort and lower prices for long-distance journeys across Europe.
As part of the EU’s strategic targets, there is a plan to double the volume of high-speed rail passenger traffic by 2030 compared to 2015 levels, and to triple it by 2050, creating a unified, integrated high-speed network throughout Europe.This involves large-scale measures such as establishing a coordinated railway network with speeds of 250 km/h or more, connecting all capitals and major cities within the Union.
A key goal is to open the market for new railway operators, standardize rolling stock, and harmonize rules and operational conditions across national railways to create a single, efficient, safe, and fully integrated system for high-speed travel.