Railways

Cross-border rail remains fragmented as EU countries drag their feet on harmonisation

EU governments' efforts to harmonise rail rules across the EU have been slow and uneven, according to a new report by the EU agency for railways (ERA), resulting in cross-border incompatibilities that are hampering rail use.

Outgoing EU parliament transport chair Karima Delli talks trains, planes and automobiles

Set to bid farewell to the European Parliament after three successive terms, French Green MEP and chair of the Transport Committee Karima Delli told Euractiv that the biggest achievement of her time there is bringing transport high on the agenda.

Europe-Baltic states high-speed rail link moves one step closer

European Commission and Baltic countries' representatives gathered in Tallinn on Wednesday (29 May) to lay the foundation stone for the Ülemiste passenger terminal, a key part of the 'Rail Baltica' project that aims to connect Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with the European network via high-speed rail.

Germany accused of playing favourites with €1.7 billion support for freight rail

The European Commission has given green light for a €1.7 billion German subsidy scheme to support shorter freight trains in competition with road transport, which is expected to mainly benefit state-owned DB Cargo.

Chinese train maker withdraws from Bulgaria tender after EU probe

Chinese rail giant CRRC has withdrawn from a tendered project in Bulgaria after the EU last month launched a probe into it over suspected subsidies, the European Commission said on Tuesday (26 March).

Passengers snub ‘expensive’ London-Paris Eurostar train for plane

Many travellers are opting to take a plane rather than train between London and Paris despite climate concerns and the Eurostar rail service connecting the two capitals in just over two hours.

German transport to be hit by mass strikes as train drivers to protest too

Germany’s train drivers’ union announced the start of nationwide strikes on Wednesday, adding to the traffic chaos as the showdown between farmers and the government over farm subsidies continues.

Brussels goes into infringement mode over Austria’s failure to adopt waste, rail rules

The European Commission launched infringement proceedings against Austria on Thursday for failing to comply with new EU rules on waste and railway standardisation.

EU Commission urged to support Europe’s night train ‘renaissance’

Ministers, members of the European Parliament, and industry representatives have urged the European Commission to launch a dedicated strategy to boost the use of night trains across the bloc, arguing that now is the time to get behind the low-carbon travel option.

Italy to earmark €12 billion for mega Sicily bridge project

Italy's government said on Monday (16 October) it would set aside 12 billion euros to build a giant bridge to connect Sicily to the mainland, as it revives a project that appeared to have been killed off ten years ago.

Motorway investments outweighed rail by 66% in twenty years: study

European countries allocated around two thirds more money to roads than railways between 1995 and 2018, a period which saw the construction of an extra 30,000 km of motorways and a contraction of the rail network by over 15,000 km, according to a new study.

Germany to give ailing railway company more money

German transport minister Volker Wissing announced an additional sum of €40 billion for its railway network - in part by topping up the state-owned company’s equity, pending approval by the European Commission.

France to launch rail pass similar to Germany

France will introduce a rail pass similar to the one recently introduced in neighbouring Germany, French Transport Minister Clément Beaune announced on Thursday, in a bid to encourage the French to use trains, which are often bemoaned as an expensive way to travel.

Germany should break up ailing national railway company, experts say

The government needs to break up its national rail operator Deutsche Bahn to counter grave quality deficits of the railway system, the German Monopolies Commission warned on Tuesday. Germany privatised its national railway company in 1994, but the emerging company, Deutsche …

Germany, France celebrate friendship with free train tickets

German and French governments are giving away free train tickets to 60,000 young people on a first-come, first served basis to celebrate their 60-year friendship treaty. About 30,000 Germans and 30,000 French between 18 and 27 can secure free flat-rate tickets …

Germany plans to reform ailing railway network

TTo tackle the railway delays plaguing Germany, the federal government plans to reform the company structure of state-owned operator Deutsche Bahn, but private railway operators and the opposition warn that the reform might fall short.

German consumer groups criticise setback in EU train passenger rights

New EU rules for train passengers that entered into force Wednesday (7 June) exempt operators from compensation obligations for delays and train failures under certain conditions, drawing criticism from German consumer groups.

Critics take aim at airline exemption from draft EU travel law

Airlines will not be required to share their data with ticket vendors under the European Commission's preferred policy option for its upcoming travel law, a move that has drawn criticism from consumer organisations.

German rail union’s planned strike likely to impact freight, rail traffic

Germany's railway union EVG announced on Thursday (11 May) a new 50-hour strike to take place from Sunday to Tuesday as wage talks with state train operator Deutsche Bahn (DBN.UL) and around 50 other rail companies dragged on without a resolution.

EU agency seeks to boost train travel by simplifying rail rules

The European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) is striving to make Europe's patchwork of national railway regulations fit for pan-European travel, working with national authorities to delete rules that hamper border crossings.

Authorising trains to run on EU tracks

Download PDF  

EU lawmakers are backing trains to cut transport emissions, setting ambitious goals to boost passenger and freight numbers. The European Union Agency for Railways has been assisting train companies to authorise rail vehicles, ensuring new trains can enter service quicker.

Railway companies turn to EU agency to get new trains on tracks

The European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) has overtaken national bodies as the primary authoriser for train vehicles, with a 60% share of all applications for new trains between June 2019 and April 2023.

Transport MEPs vote to cut rail waiting times along key EU routes

Lawmakers in the European Parliament's transport committee adopted their position on a review of the core EU transport network Thursday (13 April), seeking to cut border-crossing times, boost green travel modes, and expand links with Ukraine and Moldova.

EU Commission to ‘closely’ monitor Greek railway reforms

The European Commission will closely monitor the implementation of Greek reforms related to the railways' upgrade and safety in the aftermath of a deadly train crash that killed 57 people, Greek Minister of State Giorgos Gerapetritis said. Speaking to a group …