Shorter Journeys, New Routes: EU’s High Speed Rail Expanding

For many travelers around the globe, Europe is known for its ease of travel. After all, it is the home of the Schengen zone, a country-collective that makes traveling easier than ever by eliminating border checks.

One of the reasons it is so easy to go from one place to another in the European Union and Schengen area is its rail network.

Cities and countries are decently well-connected, perhaps in more parts of Europe than others. However, generally speaking, train travel is something travelers look forward to when they visit.

It's easy; usually, train stations are in downtown areas, and with high-speed rail options, it's faster than ever.

Europe continues to see the need to optimize its current rail network, as well as grow it, which is great news for residents and travelers.

More high-speed trains are coming

Currently, rail travel is managed at a country level. This means that different countries offer different rail solutions.

That said, many of them operate in neighboring countries too, allowing for international travel. Then, there is also Eurostar, known for cross-country travel, like from France to the UK.

In November of 2025, the European Union adopted a robust transport package.

The European Union has announced the High-Speed Rail Action Plan.

Not all trains in Europe are high-speed, but when there are high-speed options (we're talking over 124 mph, or 200km/h), travel time drastically drops.

Part of the work that is being done is to get more high-speed rail options running and readily available.

The project's target is the year 2040.

We know the first train routes to be impacted

In a press release, the EU has detailed four existing train routes that will get faster in the years to come, benefiting from new investments in high-speed rail.

Paris to Rome: 2 hours faster

It's a long ride.

Taking the train from Paris to Rome currently takes 10 hours and 50 minutes. With the changes coming, the time will be decreased by 19%, dropping to 8 hours and 45 minutes.

Madrid to Lisbon: From 9 hours to 3

It takes 9 hours to get from Madrid to Lisbon by train. The new initiative plans to cut that time down drastically, to a mere 3 hours of travel.

Madrid to Paris - Nearly 4 hours faster

Today, it takes travelers nearly ten hours (9 hours and 50 minutes) to get from Madrid to Paris by train. The time will be reduced by nearly four hours, making the trip total 6 hours.

Budapest to Bucharest: 8 hours and 45 minutes faster

Going from Budapest to Bucharest currently takes 15 hours via train. With the effects of the High-Speed Rail Action, the route will only take 6 hours and 15 minutes.

Copenhagen to Berlin: 3 hours faster

A 7-hour ride, new infrastructure will drastically decrease the time it takes to get from Copenhagen to Berlin.

This route will be 43% faster, getting travelers to their destinations in only 4 hours.

Sofia to Athens: nearly 8 hours faster

Perhaps the most dramatic time-saving, the route from Sofia to Athens will see huge benefits from the updates.

Currently, it takes just shy of 14 hours to get from Sofia to Athens. With the high-speed rail optimizations, the trip will drop to 6 hours in length.

Munich to Rome: 3 and a half hours faster

For travelers heading from Munich to Rome, or vice versa, the trip takes 9 and a half hours. With high-speed rail, it will take 6.

Tallinn to Riga: From over 6 hours to 1h45

The route from Tallinn to Riga will see one of the most dramatic changes. In a trip that, today, takes 6 hours and 10 minutes, it will be an hour and 45 minutes once all of the implementations are in place and running smoothly.

Vienna to Ljubljana: An hour and a half faster

Traveling from Vienna to Ljubljana takes 6 hours and 5 minutes currently. Once it has been optimized through the EU's new program, the trip will only take 4 and a half hours, saving travelers about an hour and a half of time.

Europe's new high-speed routes

We also know about some new cross-border routes that will be available in the coming years.

Lisbon ➡️ Madrid ➡️ Paris

Tallinn ➡️ Riga ➡️ Vilnius ➡️ Warsaw 

Why is Europe focusing on high-speed rail?

There are a few reasons, the two most prominent being competitive edge and sustainability.

The EU has an unwavering commitment to sustainability, and making train travel faster, more affordable, and more available will help reduce the need for short-haul flights.

Today, Europe is a leader in sustainability, and this package builds on that existing dedication. It aims to make European train travel more efficient, accessible, interconnected, clean, and resilient.

"Improving travel times between capitals across Europe is a tangible and pragmatic result of our will to make Europe more united and more efficient. It will bring citizens closer together, make business easier throughout the EU, and contribute to what we call the “right to stay. " - Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms

The plan will also help free up the capacity on everyday lines, relieving congestion, which in turn makes way for improvements in freight transport and military mobility.

Conveniently, it will also help to meet the goals in a couple of other large projects the EU has taken on: The RefuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime (other sustainability-focused initiatives), but that's another topic entirely.

How will the High-Speed Rail Action Plan work?

The plan outlines several ways it will approach the project. They include:

• Revamping the regulatory environment of the railway industry.
• Enhancing cross-border booking systems.
• Accelerating EU digital management systems in the railway industry.
• Fostering and launching scalable solutions.
• By developing a new finance strategy.
• Removing existing cross-border bottlenecks (when it comes to train speed)
• Strengthening EU-level governance.

High-Speed Rail FAQs

Does Europe have an international train network?

When will the EU's High-Speed Rail Action Plan be in full effect?

Why is the EU focusing on high-speed railway?