Whether it’s visiting family over the holidays, spending a weekend away with friends, or attending a work conference abroad, travelling across Europe should be easy, fast, and sustainable. That’s why the Commission has adopted a set of new proposals to accelerate the roll-out of Europe’s high-speed rail network and boost investment in renewable and low-carbon fuels. Their goal is to make the EU transport system more efficient, interconnected and accessible, guided by the principles of competitiveness and sustainability.
Building on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), the new high-speed rail action plan aims to cut journey times and make rail a more attractive alternative to short-haul flights. With trains reaching speeds of 200 km/h and above, travel times between EU capitals will drop significantly
📍 Copenhagen – Berlin: from 7h to 4h
📍 Paris – Rome: from 10h50 to 8h45
📍 Sofia – Athens: from 13h40 to 6h
📍 Vienna – Ljubljana: from 6h05 to 4h30
New cross-border links will also enable faster and simpler journeys, such as
🛤️ Lisbon – Madrid – Paris
🛤️ Tallinn – Riga – Vilnius – Warsaw
To make this vision a reality, the plan sets out concrete actions, such as
- removing cross-border bottlenecks, with options for speeds above 250 km/h when economically viable
- developing a coordinated financing strategy to mobilise the required investment
- improving the conditions for the rail industry and rail operators to invest, innovate and operate competitively (e.g. enhancing cross-border ticketing and booking systems)
- strengthening EU-level governance, including harmonised standards and authorisation processes
Apart from faster travel, easier booking, and more affordable prices, the plan will also ease congestion and free up capacity on conventional rail lines, boosting regional economies and tourism.
The second part of the package, the sustainable transport investment plan, sets out a common approach to boost investment in renewable and low-carbon fuels, focusing on aviation and waterborne transport. To meet the RefuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime targets, around 20 million tonnes of sustainable fuels will be needed by 2035, requiring an estimated €100 billion in investment.
For more information
Press release – high-speed rail and sustainable transport
