(3 min read)
Europe’s new plan to accelerate high‑speed rail development is crucial for rail operators, infrastructure managers, investors, regulators and rolling‑stock manufacturers, as it signals major regulatory and market changes they must prepare for. In this article, readers learn how fragmented rules and infrastructure have slowed progress toward the European Union’s economic and climate goals, and how the Commission’s four‑pillar plan aims to address this through harmonised network development, improved competitiveness, stronger industrial capability and enhanced governance. Stakeholders should follow forthcoming measures closely and adapt strategies to capture opportunities in an evolving high‑speed rail landscape.
High-speed rail has been identified as a strategic investment in Europe’s long-term competitiveness. According to the European Commission, an effective high-speed rail network will boost the economy within the EU single market, create quality jobs, foster cohesion, bring citizens closer together, and help to deliver on Europe’s climate goals. Thus, in its 2020 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy the Commission has set the target to double high-speed rail traffic by 2030 compared to 2015 – and triple it by 2050.
However, the EU is not on track, yet. The ambitious targets are faced with obstacles arising from regulatory and infrastructural fragmentation, market realities, and uncertainties, which hamper investment in the expansion of the existing high-speed rail network.
Against this background, in November 2025 the Commission has launched a plan to accelerate the development of high-speed rail across Europe. The plan builds on the Trans-European Transport Network – TEN-T – and outlines a significant number of measures and initiatives, which are divided into four pillars.
The first pillar
The first pillar addresses the need for acceleration and harmonisation. The respective measures focus on the infrastructural requirements of a high-speed rail network. Cross-border bottlenecks are to be identified and removed in a coordinated manner. A financing strategy for the roll out of the high-speed rail network is to be developed, which comprises EU und national fundings as well as contributions by investors and other stakeholders.
The second pillar
The second pillar is devoted to the establishment of an attractive and competitive framework for rail services in Europe. Topics include capacity allocation, ticketing, the procurement of rolling stock, the strengthening of connections with other modes of transport, and the access to infrastructure, service facilities and rail-related services. The measures and initiatives envisaged by the Commission, for example, aim at facilitating the purchase and leasing of rolling stock through innovative financial instruments, developing a second-hand market for rolling stock, removing entry barriers for new high-speed operators, improving air-to-rail connectivity, and facilitating cross-border rail ticketing.
The third pillar
The third pillar comprises measures to strengthen the European rail sector including European rail supply companies. A key objective is to improve interoperability of rail infrastructure and rolling stock and to simplify certification and authorisation. For this purpose, the Commission will adopt a new European Rail Traffic Management System deployment plan and set out a single set of requirements for high-speed trains. Moreover, the Commission will launch a dedicated research call to support the development of the next generation of high-speed rolling stock and, particularly, fund research and innovation to overcome technical barriers.
The fourth pillar
The fourth pillar concerns EU governance for high-speed rail. In particular, the Commission will promote the adoption of a new set of rules for the EU Agency for Railways (ERA). In this respect, a major aim is to strengthen ERA’s role in vehicle authorisation and the removal of national rules and constraints.
The plan not only offers rail passengers an attractive perspective. Travel times between numerous European metropolises are to be significantly reduced in the coming years and decades (e.g. Copenhagen – Berlin: 4h (instead of 7h); Budapest – Bucharest: 6 h (instead of 10h15); Paris – Madrid: 6h). Moreover, the plan also includes a multitude of measures and initiatives that could have a lasting impact on the European railway market. In this respect, the plan may have significant relevance for railway undertakings, infrastructure providers, regulators, financiers of rolling stock, investors, rolling stock producers, and other stakeholders. The challenge will be to keep an eye on the further developments and to adjust processes and business strategies accordingly.
