EU Railway Network: Modernization and High-Speed Lines

The European Commission today presented a large-scale plan to modernize the railway network in the European Union, which envisages revolutionary changes in transport infrastructure by 2040. At the heart of the project is the ambitious goal of deploying high-speed railway lines across the entire bloc, including strategically important routes such as the one between Sofia and Athens.

According to the proposed plans, the line between the Bulgarian and Greek capitals will be subject to reconstruction, which will significantly reduce travel time. If the project is realized, the journey between Sofia and Athens will take only six hours, which represents a drastic change compared to the current 13 hours and 40 minutes.

In addition to the Sofia-Athens route, the plan also includes a number of other key railway sections that will be modernized in order to improve transport links within the EU. These include the Budapest-Bucharest, Berlin-Copenhagen, Berlin-Vienna-Prague, Paris-Madrid-Lisbon, Munich-Rome lines, as well as the connections between the Baltic states. An essential characteristic of all these projects is the aspiration to ensure speeds of at least 200 kilometers per hour.

The Commission's new proposals go beyond simply building new lines. They also include measures to optimize the ticket purchasing process, as well as to stimulate the market for used railway machines and carriages.

The in-depth development of railway infrastructure aims to redirect traffic from air transport to rail, especially for short distances. This initiative is dictated by the desire to reduce the negative impact on the environment, which is a key priority for the European Commission. The Commission emphasizes that the implementation of these projects will lead to a reduction in the load on the roads, as well as to an increase in the possibilities for military mobility within the Union.

Within the framework of the announcement, it is noted that the European Commission intends to invest significant funds in the development of alternative fuels for air transport. By 2027, nearly three billion euros will be provided for the development of "clean" aviation fuels. By 2035, the total amount aimed at this goal is expected to reach an impressive 100 billion euros.