The European Union has adopted new rules on the use of railway infrastructure capacity, marking a significant step towards a more efficient, coordinated and reliable European rail network.
The Regulation aims to optimize the use of increasingly congested rail infrastructure across the EU by introducing a more harmonized approach to capacity planning. The new framework is expected to improve punctuality and reliability for both passenger and freight services, while facilitating smoother cross-border rail operations.
Under the current system, railway capacity management is largely organised annually, nationally and through manual procedures. This fragmented approach does not adequately support international rail traffic, particularly rail freight, where around half of all traffic crosses at least one national border.
The new rules seek to address these challenges by strengthening cross-border coordination and introducing multiannual planning for infrastructure capacity. The objective is to make better use of existing rail infrastructure and support the growing demand for rail transport across Europe.
Passengers are expected to benefit from more frequent rail services, improved punctuality and more reliable international connections. For companies, the regulation is intended to reduce bottlenecks at borders and improve the efficiency and predictability of rail freight transport across the Single Market.
As of tomorrow, the day after publication in the Official Journal of the EU, railway governance structures will have new tasks and responsibilities to better coordinate the use of the European railway network. They have already begun to work on harmonised rules and procedures. The first optimised timetable developed under the new system is expected to enter into effect in December 2030.
Background
The Regulation also complements the EU’s broader objectives for sustainable and integrated transport, including the Commission’s plan to accelerate the development of high-speed rail across the EU and the recently proposed Passenger Package, that will simplify planning and booking for regional, long-distance and cross-border travel.
Today’s new rules were proposed by the European Commission in July 2023, as part of its Greening Freight package.
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