10 new or improved rail links, both high-speed and non-high-speed. This is the number that the European Commission has decided to supportoffer more affordable and environmentally-friendly mobility within the European Union.
Promoting sustainable mobility
The ten pilot projects were presented by the relevant authorities in response to a Commission action plan. The Commission's aim is to stimulate long-distance and cross-border passenger rail transport. This plan was adopted in December 2021 and identified the obstacles to setting up and operating cross-border rail passenger services.
When the 10 pilot projects were announced, the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Văleansaid: " The rail market is responding better and much faster to the demand for green mobility, particularly for long and cross-border journeys. That's why the European Commission now wants to help rail companies create new international rail links - day and night - by breaking down the many barriers to cross-border rail. I look forward to working with the rail industry to make these 10 pilot projects a success and to encourage many others to join them!" .
Plans for France-Italy and France-Spain
After careful evaluation, the Commission has selected the following proposals for pilot cross-border services.
– New services linking Hungary, Austria and western Romania on the Vienna-Budapest-Arad axis and Oradea in Romania.
– New routes between Germany, Denmark and Sweden. These include a new Stockholm-Copenhagen-Berlin night train service in partnership with the Swedish operator SJ. A similar line would also be operated by the private operator Snälltaget. There are also plans for a Hamburg-Gothenburg daytime train, which could be extended to Oslo. The service would be operated in cooperation between DSB (Denmark), Deutsche Bahn and SJ. DB, DSB and České dráhy (Czech Republic) are also working on a Prague-Berlin-Copenhagen route, while Flixtrain wants to operate a Leipzig-Berlin-Copenhagen- Stockholm route.
– Midnight Trainsa new night train service between Paris, Milan and Venice.
– Flixtraina new service on the Munich-Zurich.
– In Austria, WESTbahn wants to strengthen its offering with a new service Munich- Vienna-Budapest.
– Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) wants to improve the existing service Amsterdam-Londonin cooperation with Eurostar.
– European SleeperA new night train service Amsterdam-Barcelona.
– Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane / Deutsche Bahnnew services Rome-Munich and Milan-Munichwith a possible extension to Berlin.
– ILSAa private Spanish company operating on high-speed lines in Spain, is planning to launch a Lisbon-La Coruña and Lisbon-Madrid.
– Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de CatalunyaCatalonia's regional airline wants to offer routes between Catalonia and the South of France -particularly Montpellier and Toulouse.
No special funding from the European Union
The Commission specifies that investments are the responsibility of the countries or companies involved.. On the other hand, designating these projects as pilot services will help rail operators and the authorities to overcome any obstacles in terms of funding, competition or start-up. The Commission indicates that it could encourage investment (infrastructure, technology, rolling stock) by recommending existing financial instruments..
Pilot projects will remain a priority for a period of four years.. This quarter, the Commission will invite the authors of the ten proposals selected to present their projects in greater detail. And to get down to work on putting them into practice.
