The European Commission has presented a comprehensive plan to accelerate the development of high-speed railroads in the EU, which will allow passengers to significantly reduce travel time. This is stated on the EC website, as Dengi.ua .
By promoting fast, comfortable, safe and reliable rail transportation, the plan supports the EU's twin goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and strengthening Europe's global competitiveness.
Building on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), the plan sets an ambitious target to cut the length of many popular rail journeys across Europe in half compared to the present.
For example, by 2030, passengers will be able to travel from Berlin to Copenhagen in four hours instead of seven. By 2035, the distance between Sofia and Athens by rail will be just six hours, while new cross-border connections will link the Baltic States and allow passengers to travel from Paris to Lisbon via Madrid.
By 2040, all major EU transportation hubs will be connected by railways with a minimum speed of 200 km/h. And the majority will operate at speeds from 250 km/h.
The plan is estimated at €345 billion by 2040 for a network suitable for 200 km/h. If it is expanded to a 250+ km/h standard, the investment amount will rise to €540 billion by 2050.
The European Commission expects the economic effect of the plan to exceed €750 billion.
