The European Commission (EC) has presented a plan to expand the European high-speed rail (HSR) network by 2040. This will increase the size of the network by around threefold. This will require investments of up to EUR 546 billion, of which EUR 345 billion has already been earmarked for the completion of the current Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The plan envisages drawing up binding timetables for the elimination of cross-border bottlenecks by 2027. HSR projects are also to be given priority in the 2026 calls for proposals for funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). In order to reduce regulatory barriers to interoperability, a call for research proposals for the development of new high-speed trains is planned. In addition, EU regulations on the certification of train drivers are to be simplified in 2026. To promote competition, the EC will propose a ban on the scrapping of functional rolling stock in 2027, as well as measures for more transparent remarketing of second-hand vehicles. A proposal to improve cross-border ticketing and booking systems is also planned, as well as the introduction of progress monitoring and the revision of the mandates of the European Railway Agency (ERA).
