photo: Archives/Connecting Europe Express: Special train is crossing the Europe
Connecting Europe Express, a special train marking the European Year of Railways 2021, departed from Lisbon Station on 2 September. On the five-week trip to Paris, where he will arrive on October 7, he will stop in more than 100 places and cities. He will travel from Lisbon to Paris, and will also stop in Ljubljana, thus connecting the Portuguese, Slovenian and French presidencies of the Council of the EU.
On this occasion, European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said: The railway has shaped our rich common history. But it is also Europe's future: it is one of the components of a carbon-neutral transport sector and a way to mitigate climate change and foster an economic recovery from a pandemic. Connecting Europe Express over the coming weeks will become a traveling laboratory, conference room, and forum for public discussion on how to make rail transport the first choice for passengers and businesses. So welcome us warmly when we stop at a station near you.
Various events will be organized at the stations where Connecting Europe Express will stop. The train will host discussions and conferences on the EU's infrastructure policy and the role of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), and train enthusiasts can watch live broadcasts from Lisbon, Bucharest, Berlin, and Bettemburg. Connecting Europe Express is the result of a unique collaboration between the European Commission, the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Enterprises (CER), and a number of other partners.
Andreas Matthä, President of CER and President of the Austrian Federal Railways, emphasized the importance of this joint project: Connecting Europe Express is proof of the success of the European Year of Railways but also points to the challenges ahead. CER members are committed to the success of the Green Plan. We cannot achieve our climate goals without a strong European railway sector. There are currently many barriers to cross-border rail traffic, and crossing state borders by train is very complicated. We must continue to strive to ensure that freight is transported by rail, not road so that citizens can travel daily by train to work, and that additional day and night lines are introduced in international long-distance passenger transport. I am confident that Connecting Europe Express will encourage everyone to think about these issues. Thanks to the collaborators and partners who made this project possible, and I wish Connecting Europe Express a happy journey!
Connecting Europe Express was launched jointly by partners from the European railway sector and European, national and local institutions. Due to the different track gauges on the European lines, Connecting Europe Express will consist of three trains, ie the Iberian, standard and Baltic trains that will meet along the way. This project seeks to draw attention to the lack of interoperability between parts of the European railway network, but also to point out the excellent cooperation between railway undertakings and infrastructure managers.
The wagons on the train were made available by various European railway companies. In one of them, made available by the Hungarian Railways (MÁV), the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), and the Shift2Rail joint venture will organize a mobile exhibition showcasing a number of existing technologies and innovations for better rail transport. and the ways in which the EU supports infrastructure projects. The standard train will also have a conference wagon (made available by the French Railways (SNCF)), two standard passenger wagons (made available by the German Railways (DB) and the Swiss Railways (SBB)), a restaurant wagon (which are on made available by the Italian Railways (FS) and a sleeping car (made available by the Austrian Railways (ÖBB)). The Iberian train, which travels between Portugal and Spain, was provided by the Spanish carrier Renfe, and the Lithuanian LTG operates the Baltic train.
Due to the pandemic, safety is a priority in the organization of all activities related to Connecting Europe Express. Some events will be broadcast live, and train fans can also welcome him at the stations.