European passenger rail CEOs from the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the International Union of Railways (UIC) were hosted by SNCF Voyageurs in Paris for their annual meeting to discuss their long-term vision for customers and passengers. In an opening address praising rail for embodying the European Project better than any other sector, connecting people, strengthening the Single Market and creating opportunities, Pierpaolo Settembri, Deputy Head of Cabinet of the European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to a strong High-Speed Rail Action Plan. The gathering resulted in a resolution laying the groundwork for collaborative opportunities to boost the modal shift to rail across Europe.
European travellers are increasingly looking to high-speed rail (HSR) as a fast, comfortable, and sustainable way to travel for business, family, and leisure. Conscious of this popular demand, passenger rail companies are eager for the European Commission to unveil its HSR Action Plan and were bolstered by Mr Settembri’s positive indication of an investment in line with the estimated €546 billion needed to build the inclusive and accessible network that will open up high-speed rail for all kinds of customers and needs. The initial commitment could start around €340 billion to be progressively increased to €500 billion. (....)