Overview
- The European Commission set a 2040 goal for an interconnected high-speed network with specific travel-time targets such as Berlin–Copenhagen in four hours and Madrid–Lisbon in three.
- Brussels proposes removing cross-border bottlenecks on a binding timetable by 2027 and exploring sections capable of speeds above 250 km/h where economically viable.
- The package advances liberalisation to allow more operators on high-speed routes, citing Spain’s Madrid–Barcelona corridor where three-way competition cut fares by about 40%.
- Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said the Madrid–Lisbon fast link will become a reality in the coming years and noted ongoing talks with Spanish, French and Portuguese ministers.
- The plan ties infrastructure and market reforms to a coordinated financing push, including a proposed Pact for High-Speed Rail and improved cross-border ticketing, with added benefits for night trains, freight and military mobility.