{"id":211591,"date":"2025-11-20T12:24:58","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T11:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/?p=211591"},"modified":"2025-11-26T10:53:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T09:53:38","slug":"european-union-high-speed-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/european-union-high-speed-network","title":{"rendered":"The European Union's ambition is a high-speed network linking the continent's major cities"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 5 November 2025, the European Commission unveiled an ambitious plan to drastically reduce rail journey times between Europe's major cities by 2040. Such an ambition would make it possible to integrate high-speed rail networks<\/a> and cover the many gaps in the current coverage. Such an effort would make it possible to limit the use of short-haul flights within the European Union as part of a reduction in the carbon footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brussels is presenting this initiative not only as an infrastructure strategy, but also as a climate measure. According to Commission figures, rail transport accounts for just 0.3 % of transport sector emissions, compared with 73.2 % for road transport and 11.8 % for aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Better
Better harmonisation between the various rail operators (Photo: Dutch and Belgian trains side by side in Li\u00e8ge - Luc Citrinot)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Making rail a real alternative to air travel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\" Improving journey times between European capitals is a concrete and pragmatic result of our desire to make Europe more united and more efficient.<\/em> \"said Commission Vice-President Raffaele Fitto. Under the proposal, the Union's main cities would be linked by a strengthened high-speed rail network. Brussels estimates the total cost at \u20ac345 billion, financed through a more strategic use of European funds. To achieve these objectives, the Commission is calling on the Member States to synchronise their construction schedules more closely. It also wants to allow more open market conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the project goes ahead, cross-border mobility will be radically transformed, with many journeys cut in half. By 2030, Berlin and Copenhagen should be connected in four hours instead of seven. The Vienna-Berlin link, currently covered in just over eight hours, would take four and a half. By 2035, Sofia and Athens will be only six hours apart, compared with almost fourteen today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n