Germany, Italy, Spain: Crossing the EU by train will be faster and cheaper on these new routes

Cross-border rail travel in the EU is set to get faster, more frequent and more affordable under a new plan to boost green transport.

"While demand for green mobility is growing, we need the rail market to respond much better and much faster, especially for long and cross-border journeys,” says European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean.

“This is why the European Commission now wants to help rail companies create new international train connections - by day and by night - by breaking down the many barriers to cross-border rail."

Helping with coordination, regulations and promotion - rather than direct funding - the European Commission will start the pilot with 10 new services. Its goal is to break down barriers between railway operators and authorities in different countries. It is hoped the project will inspire other operators and countries to get on board.

Under the pilot scheme, all services must begin no later than December 2029. Many of them will launch much sooner, though not all of them have defined dates yet. Here’s a breakdown of the new services in order of the Commission’s proposed timeline.

#ConnectingEurope by train: