The European Commission has revealed that newly instated laws have made train travel through Europe more convenient than ever.
New regulations for the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) have come into force, aimed at improving rail connectivity and therefore making travel more sustainable.
All major TEN-T trains must travel at 160 kph or faster; canals and rivers must ensure good navigation conditions year-round, unhindered by water levels; border rail crossings must reduce waiting times; and there is a deadline of 2050 for the completion of major parts of the network, including new connections between Porto and Vigo as well as Budapest and Bucharest.
This is part of the EU’s mission to double high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and triple it by 2050. The plan was launched in 2021 and focused on removing obstacles, improving rail services across EU countries.
European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, said: "While demand for green mobility is growing, we need the rail market to respond much better and much faster, especially for long and cross-border journeys. This is why the European Commission now wants to help rail companies create new international train connections by breaking down the many barriers to cross-border rail.”
