The European Commission published a plan to accelerate the development of high‑speed rail across the EU by 2040, making many rail journeys significantly faster and more competitive. The initiative supports Europe’s goals of achieving carbon‐neutrality by 2050 and strengthening its global competitiveness.
The plan builds on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) which aims to halve travel times on key European rail routes. For example, by 2030, passengers will be able to travel from Berlin to Copenhagen in four hours instead of seven. By 2035, Sofia and Athens will be six hours by rail instead of 14h, while new cross-border connections will link the Baltic countries and enable passengers to travel from Paris to Lisbon via Madrid.
Beyond faster trips, the plan also aims to ease congestion, increase capacity on conventional lines, boost regional and night services.
This is a key step to initiate the shift from air to rail and enable alternative sustainable modes of transport for business travellers.