--- title: "Europe Plots High Speed Rail So Fast It Could Replace Airlines" description: "The proposed high speed railway would spiderweb between every major city in the EU, hopefully providing a sustainable, efficient alternative to air travel." date: "2022-07-07" modified: "2022-07-07" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/europe-high-speed-rail-replace-airlines" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "high-speed rail" - "the digest" - "trains" - "travel" --- # Europe Plots High Speed Rail So Fast It Could Replace Airlines ![The proposed high speed railway would spiderweb between every major city in the EU, hopefully providing a sustainable, efficient alternative to air travel.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## All Aboard So long, budget airlines? European rail industry leaders met in Lyon, France late last month to outline their ambitious new vision for an expansive, ultra-modern, high-speed railway system, [*CNN Travel* reports](). The proposed railway would spiderweb between every major city in the EU, hopefully providing a sustainable — and equally efficient — alternative to the [very eco-unfriendly]() airline industry, covering the same distance in roughly the same time as short-haul flights door-to-door. "While a lot has been achieved so far — Paris-Lyon, Milan-Rome, Barcelona-Madrid, Berlin-Munich are all national success stories for rail — much more is needed if the ambitious objectives of the [European Green Deal]() and [Smart and Sustainability Mobile Strategy]() are to be met," Alberto Mazzola, executive director of the Community of European Railways, told *CNN*. ## Streetcar Named Maybe The lofty plan laid out in Lyon seeks to triple the miles of existing European rail lines by 2050. But while doing so may be crucial for meeting [EU climate goals](), critics are not convinced it's actually feasible. According [to the European Commission](), transport is responsible for about a quarter of total EU greenhouse gas emissions. [Road travel]() and [aviation]() are, consecutively, the top two greenhouse gas emitters within that sector, while rail is widely regarded as a much [greener alternative]() to both. As Mazzola mentioned, Europe already boasts several [extensive train systems](), however most of these are domestically focused. Things get tricky when multiple countries are involved. Sky-high expenses and clashing regulations can cause tensions, with bureaucratic hurdles lurking around pretty much every corner. Europe's railways also took a [brutal financial hit]() during the pandemic, with ridership plunging to all-time lows over the last two years. Skeptics remain unconvinced the railway industry will actually meet these rather lofty goals. "Unfortunately we've heard it all before and this sounds like the railways over-promising again," Jon Worth, a campaigner for cross-border rail, told *CNN*. ## Mystery Train There are some notable inter-country caravans — the [Channel Tunnel]() and the [Thalys track](), for example — that could be seen as hopeful precedents for defying bureaucratic and financial barriers. But for now, we'll have to wait and see. The concept is certainly ambitious, but if it does happen, it could do some incredible things for both people and the environment. **READ MORE:** [*Europe wants a high-speed rail network to replace airplanes*]() \[*CNN Travel*\] **More on travel:** [*Airline Announces Plans to Add Spacious Bunk Beds to Economy Class*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()