European travelers are increasingly turning to the train for their intra-European journeys for leisure or business. This trend is supported by European and government policies in favor of this mode of transport, which also apply to freight.
According to figures published in October by Eurostatthe European Union recorded an increase in the number of passengers who opted for the train of 11.2% between 2022 and 2023. In the end, eight billion passengers were recorded (a person can be counted several times if they have traveled by rail several times).
The plane was chosen by 1.19 billion passengers in 2023, according to the latest panorama of European aviation Eurocontrol, which also represents an increase (21%) compared to the previous year.
European Green Deal
However, the car remains the favorite means of transport for Europeans. But European and government policies aim to reduce this dependence by favoring rail for passengers and goods, because around 75% of intra-European freight still transits by road. The EU thus made 2021 the European Year of Rail.
The European “Green Deal” or “Green Pact” aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, thanks in particular to a strategy for sustainable and intelligent mobility which plans to double high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and to triple it by 2050. For freight, it is planned to double the share of rail by 2050.
Strong return of the night train
The governments of several European countries are also pursuing a strategy to promote rail. In addition to subsidies in the sector, they are banking on the relaunch of night trains, which optimize travel times and offer an alternative to short-haul flights and journeys of more than 1000 kilometers.
For example, France is investing in the modernization of its night train lines and has reintroduced connections such as Paris-Nice in 2021 and Paris-Madrid at the end of 2024. Germany is collaborating with other countries to develop connections night trains, like Nightjet in partnership with the Austrian ÖBB and the SBB, but also with countries located further afield in Europe such as for the new Berlin-Stockholm link, operated by the Swedish company Snälltåget.
>> Lire : SBB plans night trains between major cities on weekends, says CH Media
The strong comeback of night trains is made possible in particular by the integration of advanced technologies which improve passenger comfort. This is the case of modular cabins inspired by airplanes which allow the seats to be transformed into beds.
>> On night trains, also read: Difficult reservations and uncertain punctuality, the night train supply struggles to meet demand
Big advances in 2024
The year 2024 was marked by significant progress for rail. The European Union has invested a record amount of seven billion euros (6.6 billion francs) in sustainable transport infrastructure as part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) project, of which 80% is intended to the railway. The European Commission has also supported ten pilot projects to improve cross-border rail services.
2024 was also marked by progress in major projects such as the Lyon (F)-Turin (I) cross-border line, a 30-year-old project, and the Nouvelle Montpellier (F)-Perpignan (F) line which aims to complete the high-speed network between Seville (E) and Amsterdam (NL). New high-speed lines have also emerged, such as between Paris and Berlin on December 16. In Switzerland, CFF trains have all switched to green electricity since January 1, 2024, without forgetting the development of the offer to neighboring countries which includes an increase in the frequency of Zurich-Munich connections and the introduction of new night trains from Geneva to Berlin or from Basel to Vienna for example.
>> To find out more about this high-speed line opening, listen to the details in La Matinale on Monday:
This policy in favor of rail poses several challenges for the EU and governments, notably financing, interoperability of systems, the creation of a single market for the purchase of tickets, the modernization of infrastructure, the harmonization of regulations and the deployment of new technologies. Note that not all EU countries are equipped with a rail network, like Malta and Cyprus.
>> To go further, read also: With Rail Baltica, the Baltic countries want to bring their trains up to European standard
Julie Marty
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