Importance Score: 85 / 100 🟢
Recent expansions in rail infrastructure have introduced numerous routes, facilitating easier cross-border rail travel across Europe. However, a newly unveiled proposal from a Copenhagen-based think tank presents a significantly more ambitious vision for the continent’s train connections. This initiative, known as Starline, envisions a comprehensive European high-speed rail network designed to operate with metro-like efficiency, revolutionizing rail travel across the continent.
Ambitious Plan for a Unified European High-Speed Rail Network
The 21st Europe think tank’s blueprint, named Starline, aims to transform Europe’s “fragmented, uneven, often slow” rail infrastructure by establishing ultra-fast connections intended to rival air travel. This initiative seeks to create a truly integrated European rail system, moving beyond mere convenience to become a strategic necessity for Europe in the 21st century.
According to the think tank, Starline is designed to reshape European perception of the continent, envisioning it not as a collection of disparate capitals, but as a unified, rapid network ensuring effortless connectivity for both passengers and freight.
21st Europe aims to realize this extensive network within this century. But the question remains: how feasible is such a grand vision?
Building a Continent-Wide Metro System
The popularity of a pan-European rail system is undeniable. The think tank emphasizes, “From the celebrated era of night trains to the current popularity demonstrated by over 400,000 annual Interrail users, the desire for open and accessible travel is unmistakable. Yet, despite considerable public demand, cross-border journeys remain segmented, sluggish, and costly.”
The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), a European Union project focused on harmonizing infrastructure across Europe, is already underway.
However, 21st Europe argues that TEN-T lacks sufficient “ambition and design,” particularly concerning passenger experience. They point to issues such as “complex ticketing systems, inconsistent service quality, and outdated stations” that contribute to a sense of fragmentation. Furthermore, they highlight a “missed opportunity to establish rail as a defining characteristic of Europe.”
For 21st Europe, a cohesive design philosophy is crucial for an effective cross-border network.
“Currently, stations lack a unified feel, train designs vary significantly, and the overall travel experience is often neglected,” they observe. “Other transportation models, such as Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains and Scandinavian airports, illustrate that mobility can be both highly functional and iconic.”
Starline: Connecting Major European Cities
Travel Times Significantly Reduced
The proposed 22,000-kilometer Starline network from 21st Europe aims to connect 39 destinations across European nations, extending routes to the UK, Turkey, and Ukraine.
This innovative system is projected to be approximately 30 percent quicker than current rail travel and road transport, with trains operating at speeds of 300 to 400 km/h.
This enhanced speed would drastically cut journey durations. For example, travel from Helsinki to Berlin could be reduced to just over five hours, a significant improvement from the current full-day trip.
The think tank elaborates, “The journey from Kyiv to Berlin, traditionally an overnight endeavor, would become a dependable, seamless connection. Similarly, the route from Milan to Munich, presently slow and circuitous, would transform into a high-frequency link connecting key economic centers.”
Design and Passenger Experience
Starline trains will feature a distinctive deep blue exterior. Instead of class-based carriages, the trains will offer designated zones catering to diverse passenger needs, including quiet areas for work and family-friendly sections.
Modern Station Hubs
The plan includes constructing new stations located on the outskirts of major cities, with efficient links to existing urban transportation networks.
21st Europe envisions these stations becoming vibrant cultural hubs, featuring restaurants, retail outlets, comfortable waiting areas, and potentially concert halls, museums, sports facilities, and event venues.
Environmental Benefits and Sustainability
Meeting Climate Goals
21st Europe also champions Starline as an environmentally beneficial project.
Transportation represents a significant environmental challenge for Europe. In 2022, this sector accounted for roughly 29 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions within the EU, according to the European Environment Agency.
Despite high-speed rail producing up to 90 percent less CO2 per journey compared to short-haul flights, air travel remains the preferred mode of transport for many.
While some nations, such as France and Austria, are starting to restrict short-haul flights where rail alternatives exist, the think tank argues that a truly significant impact necessitates a “continental approach”.
They assert, “A decisive shift towards high-speed rail could represent Europe’s optimal opportunity to achieve its 2050 net-zero targets, while simultaneously maintaining rapid and eco-conscious mobility.”
Implementation and Funding Model
Publicly Funded Franchise System
Regarding the realization of Starline, 21st Europe proposes a model of “central coordination for train operations, passenger experience, and technology, while empowering national rail operators to manage routes under a franchise agreement.”
The system would be publicly funded and operated by authorized national rail companies, overseen by a newly established European Rail Authority (ERA). This ERA, integrated within the EU framework, would ensure system coordination, interoperability, and future development.
Harmonized European System
To function effectively as a cohesive European system, 21st Europe emphasizes that Starline would necessitate standardized labor agreements, technical specifications, and safety protocols.
This would involve training train operators, maintenance personnel, and station staff under a unified European standard, guaranteeing consistent operations irrespective of location.
While acknowledging the ambitious nature of the proposal, the think tank expresses confidence in its feasibility by the end of the century.
“We are now initiating the process of building this network to advocate for tangible change, uniting policymakers, designers, and industry leaders to transform this vision into reality,” they conclude.