Europe’s Railways Are Spending Billions to Beat Climate Change—But Is It Too Little, Too Late?

Europe’s railways are buckling under pressure—literally and figuratively—as climate change transforms the continent’s transport infrastructure crisis into a billion-euro challenge.

As climate change intensifies, Europe’s railway networks are under growing pressure to adapt to extreme weather conditions, prompting major infrastructure overhauls and policy reforms. From buckling rails and landslides to storm damage and operational shutdowns, the continent’s critical transport arteries are experiencing a surge in climate-related incidents, costing billions and raising questions about long-term sustainability.

No fans working in Tambaram–Beach trains, and it’s peak summer. People are packed, sweating, and struggling to breathe. Southern Railway, is this travel or torture? Fix this carelessness! @GMSRailway @AshwiniVaishnaw #SouthernRailway#ChennaiHeat pic.twitter.com/qrnj4N1rrm

— C.P.Cheran (@cp_cheran) April 17, 2025

Why Climate Change Demands Urgent Railway Infrastructure Resilience

Railway systems are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, flooding, landslides, and other severe weather events. According to a framework document by the International Union of Railways (UIC), resilience must be embedded across all levels of railway management. This includes adaptive organisations, evolving management strategies, and integrating climate adaptation into day-to-day operations—not as an add-on but as part of business as usual.

A 2024 review in Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews points out that infrastructure owners must base their adaptation plans on a deep understanding of risk components: hazard, vulnerability, and exposure. This requires a shift from traditional, static risk models to more iterative and uncertainty-based assessments that reflect changing climate realities.

UK Rail Network: A Case Study in Climate Adaptation Challenges

Nowhere is this challenge more visible than in the UK. According to The Guardian, Network Rail has committed GBP 2.8bn over the next five years to strengthen its network against climate threats. "We cannot infrastructure-build our way out of climate change," stated Andrew Haines, CEO of Network Rail, stressing that some lines may need to be abandoned where maintenance becomes economically or technically unviable.

Landslips have nearly doubled in frequency on Britain’s railways, rising from 475 to 848 incidents over five years. At high-risk areas like The Warren in Folkestone, tracks are now monitored around the clock with sensors and weather stations. "Trains don’t need a lot of track movement to derail," said Derek Butcher, a principal geotechnical engineer at Network Rail, mentioning the narrow safety margins for continued service.

Britain’s ageing railways struggle to deal with impact of climate change - Financial Times, UK
byu/HighburyAndIslington intrains

Extreme Heat and Buckling Rails: A Growing Risk for European Railways

Heatwaves are also taking a toll. During the 2022 summer heatwave, steel rails buckled under temperatures exceeding their design limits, forcing widespread speed restrictions and cancellations across the continent. According to WIRED, rails can become 20°C hotter than ambient air, putting them at serious risk of expansion and deformation.

According to PwayBlog, operators in countries like the UK, Spain, and Switzerland have resorted to painting rails white, which can reduce temperatures by 5–10°C. Yet this isn’t a long-term solution. As Professor Kiran Tota-Maharaj from Aston University notes, "It’s a very tricky situation, because temperature ranges in the UK are far wider, and rails need to survive both summer heat and winter frost."

Escalating Climate Risks Drive EU Plans to Futureproof Rail Infrastructure

According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), Europe faces an average temperature increase of at least 3°C by 2050, with some regions warming even faster. This trajectory brings a rise in heatwaves, floods, and wildfires, with railways increasingly exposed to service disruptions and infrastructure degradation. A 2021 study by the Joint Research Centres in Italy and Spain projected that operating and maintenance costs for transport infrastructure could rise by 4.1% under 3°C warming, with more frequent interventions needed. The current EUR 800 million per year in damages to transport infrastructure is expected to balloon to EUR 12.2 billion by the end of the century—90% of it from heatwaves alone.

To address this growing threat, the European Union is considering mandatory "stress testing" of transport and energy infrastructure under 3–4°C warming scenarios. France has already launched a national consultation on critical infrastructure resilience under such conditions. EU officials describe the initiative as a "no brainer", designed to prompt both investment and long-term planning. Leena Ylä-Mononen, Executive Director of the EEA, stressed the urgency: "We are talking about infrastructure meant to last for decades." She added that Europe's geography and ocean currents mean it is warming faster than other continents, necessitating tougher standards and foresight in infrastructure development.

Trains Are Cleaner Than Planes, Right? The surprising carbon footprint of an Amtrak trip across America.
byu/silence7 inclimate

Innovation and Green Adaptation

New technologies and nature-based solutions are also being explored. In Central Europe, municipalities are using grass-covered tram tracks to reduce heat and noise. Meanwhile, cities like Berlin and Zurich are investing in "sponge city" infrastructure, covering roads and pavements with trees and vegetation to cool urban environments.

Adaptation is not just about hard infrastructure. The UIC report stresses the importance of organisational transformation, enhanced training, and knowledge-sharing across sectors and borders. "Transformational adaptation"—that is, shifting not just materials but also governance and strategy—is increasingly seen as essential to futureproofing Europe’s railway networks.

Despite promising efforts, challenges remain. Complex ownership structures, budget constraints, and uncertainty in climate models make railway adaptation a tough nut to crack. But delaying action may prove costlier, both in economic and societal terms. "It’s not an overnight fix," says Tota-Maharaj. But the sooner stakeholders move from reaction to resilience, the better positioned Europe will be to keep its trains on track—even as the climate veers off course.

Sources: Financial Times; UIC; Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews; The Guardian; WIRED; EEA; PwayBlog