EU Commission Urged to Implement Night Train Strategy ASAP
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- EU Parliament members and industry representatives have urged the Commission to implement a comprehensive strategy for developing a robust train network,
- The signatories of the letter emphasise the comfort and rediscovery of night trains for both business and leisure travel.
- They also highlighted obstacles, including high track access charges, financial uncertainties, technical barriers, and the absence of long-term security, among others.
Members of the European Parliament and industry representatives have called on the European Commission for urgent implementation of the European strategy for developing a comprehensive train network.
Through the letter addressed to European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, Executive Vice-President, Maroš Šefčovič, and Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, they consider that night trains are considered as comfortable way of travelling through Europe.
People are rediscovering night trains as a comfortable way of travelling throughout Europe, both for business trips and vacations.
Open letter to the European Commission
The letter’s signatories consider that the comeback of night trains faces significant obstacles.
The challenges among others include exorbitant track access charges, the financial uncertainties related to investing in night train rolling stock, technical barriers between EU countries, the absence of long-term security for track access in the form of framework agreements, as well as the lack of comprehensive booking platforms.
The signatures of the letter consider that a comprehensive European night train network would achieve substantial benefits for European citizens and also strengthen European values and unity across the bloc, by bringing people together.
The letter proposes several measures that need to be implemented, among them the following ones, according to a report from Travel Tomorrow:
Allocate significant European and national financial resources, through the Connecting Europe Facility fund and other financial instruments in order to modernise the railway infrastructure and address gaps in line with the TEN-T revision. Ensure the implementation of ERTMS and prioritise investments in cross-border sections.
Decrease Track Access Charges for international trains, especially night trains, taking into account appropriate compensation through fostering cooperation and standardisation among EU countries.
Ensure fast and cost-effective EU-type approval for rail rolling stock, taking into account night trains designed for use on the upgraded TEN-T rail network adhering to a common standard.
Enable more appealing loans from the European Investment Bank, in spite of the applicant’s size and ownership structure; in order to mitigate investment risks in night train rolling stock.
Promote the exchange of data in the European railway system, in line with the sector’s needs and also simplify the ticket booking process for passengers and businesses, in particular for night trains and connecting services.
Enhance the rights of rail passengers by supporting and improving the current initiatives, such as ‘hop on the next available train’ (HOTNAT) as well as the Agreement on Journey Continuation (AJC), to also work between rail operators.