Brussels, Feb. 1 (BNA): The European Commission said it will support 10 pilot projects to create new rail services or improve existing ones.
The European Commission said that together they will improve cross-border rail connections across the EU, making them faster, more frequent and more affordable.
“At a time when the demand for green mobility is growing, we need the rail market to respond much better and faster, particularly for long-haul and cross-border journeys,” said European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valjean.
“This is why the European Commission now wants to help railway companies create new international train connections – day and night – by breaking down the many barriers to cross-border railways. I look forward to working with the railway sector to make these 10 pilots succeed and inspire many more to join.”
The proposals were submitted by the railway sector and relevant authorities in response to the Commission’s Action Plan to Promote Long-distance and Cross-Border Railways, which was adopted in December 2021.
After careful evaluation, the Commission has selected the following proposals for pilot cross-border services, in order of their planned start date:
Hungarian Ministry of Transport, new services connecting Hungary, Austria and western Romania
Connecting Germany – Denmark – Sweden, with the participation of the SJ (new night train service Stockholm
– Copenhagen – Berlin and day train Hamburg – Gothenburg (and possibly Oslo, in cooperation with DSB and DB), Snälltaget (improved night train service Stockholm – Copenhagen – Berlin), Eski Drahe (new service Prague – Berlin – Copenhagen, in cooperation with DB and DSB) and Flixtrain (new service Leipzig – Berlin – Copenhagen – Stockholm)
Midnight Trains, the new night train service Paris – Milan – Venice
Flixtrain, the new service Munich – Zurich
WESTbahn, new service Munich – Vienna – Budapest, extension of the existing service
Nederlandse Spoorwegen, enhancing the existing Amsterdam – London service, in collaboration with Eurostar
European Sleeper, the new Amsterdam – Barcelona night train service
Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane / Deutsche Bahn, new services Rome – Munich and Milan – Munich
ILSA, new services Lisbon – A Coruña and Lisbon – Madrid
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya New services linking Catalonia and the south of France
The action plan identified the obstacles that impede the absorption and operation of cross-border passenger rail services, and the measures to address them.