The European Commission committed to doubling high-speed transportation through railways by 2030 and tripling by 2050. The goals are, nonetheless, conditioned on massive investments and a surmounting of technically demanding obstacles within the member nations.

European Commission plans major expansion of high-speed transport
Photo: Rail Europe

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

European Commission and infrastructures development goals

As Rail Europe CEO Björn Bender observes, the continent is on a trajectory to a single system that incorporates national networks. But standards variations persist and impede full integration and raise project costs.

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At the same time, think tank 21st Europe proposed constructing the globe’s largest high-speed rail network in a metro-like shape. The proposed system would connect 39 European cities in 22 countries by 2040.

European Commission addresses central problems

One of the biggest hurdles is that a huge amount of funding is needed that has a lengthy amortization period. So, public-private partnerships and foreign investors are being discussed as a means to hasten construction.

The vision also involves connecting the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Ukraine, fortifying cross-border relationships and facilitating easier travel over the long distance. The schedule, however, is yet to be determined.

When would European Commission want to double high-speed transportation?

The target is doubling volumes by 2030 and tripling by 2050, one of Europe’s most aggressive transportation goals.

What are the barriers to implementation?

The major obstacles are differences in technical standards between countries and the scale of investments required and that need to be distributed among different stakeholders.

What cities are served by the new network?

The project interconnects 39 cities in 22 countries, across the UK, Turkey, and Ukraine, and constitutes the world’s largest integrated high-speed network.

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