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Europe's high-speed train network to transform travel
A European city break usually involves picking the cheapest destination and booking a return flight on the old faithfuls: Ryanair or easyJet.
But new plans have just been unveiled, which would allow travellers to city-hop around the continent at record speed — no plane needed.
The ambitious project, from the European Commission, aims to develop high-speed rail across the EU.
In a nutshell, it will offer better connections and shorter travel times.
For example, a train journey from Bucharest to Budapest currently takes a mind-numbing 15 hours. Under the new plans, that will be cut down to six.
A Friday night out in Berlin, followed by a Scandi Saturday in Copenhagen? Sounds dreamy to us.
By 2040, the European Commission hopes to cut the duration of many popular rail journeys ‘by half compared to today’.
On the Commission’s website, the plan states that ‘by completing key rail links between major cities, passengers will have a real alternative to short-haul flights and long car journeys.’
Trains are set to travel at a speed of 200km/h, which is about 120mph, but routes where higher speeds of ‘well-above’ 250km/h (around 160mph) can be achieved will also be identified.
Commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said: ‘High-speed rail is not just about cutting travel times — it is about uniting Europeans, strengthening our economy, and leading the global race for sustainable transport.
‘Citizens across the Union will benefit from faster, safer, and more affordable journeys that bring Europe closer together.’
However, exactly how this plan will come to fruition isn’t entirely clear, with little detail on how it will be funded (estimates from the Commission suggest the project will cost between €345 billion and €546 billion) or where new track will be constructed.
