Brussels Targets €546bn Rail Overhaul as Commission Seeks to Triple High-Speed Network

The European Commission unveiled its most ambitious railway infrastructure blueprint on 5 November, pledging to halve journey times on major corridors whilst positioning high-speed rail as the linchpin of the bloc's decarbonisation and competitiveness agenda through 2040.

The plan envisages tripling the existing EU high-speed network at speeds of 250 km/h or above, requiring investment estimated at €546 billion, a figure that dwarfs the €34.4 billion already committed to 804 rail infrastructure projects through the Connecting Europe Facility. Brussels targets travel times of four hours between Berlin and Copenhagen by 2030, down from seven currently, whilst Sofia and Athens would be linked in six hours by 2035.

The initiative reflects mounting urgency within European policymaking circles to shift modal share from aviation and road transport. Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas characterised high-speed rail as "the backbone of a carbon-neutral, competitive, and secure Europe", framing infrastructure spending as both climate imperative and industrial policy.

Yet financing remains the critical constraint. A dedicated EU financing strategy will be prepared in coming months, supported by strategic dialogue with member states, industry and financial actors, culminating in a High-Speed Rail Deal to mobilise investment for priority projects. The Commission will prioritise high-speed schemes in its 2026 Connecting Europe Facility call, whilst Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking opened its 2025-02 call for proposals on 5 November with €148.2 million in EU funding.

The package also addresses operational fragmentation. Council and Parliament negotiators reached provisional agreement on 19 November to harmonise capacity management across the EU rail network, with the European Network of Infrastructure Managers tasked with developing unified frameworks.

Industry observers note the plan's success hinges on member states translating Brussels' ambition into national budgetary commitments—historically the scheme's Achilles heel.