Across Europe, rail travel is booming. Recent rail-related news includes Spain and Portugal getting a high-speed rail link, Italy taking a major step towards more sustainable tourism with its launch of vintage train routes, and Portugal launching a mega-cheap monthly rail pass.
Now, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS), Italy’s state-owned train operator, is itching to take advantage of the liberalisation of Europe’s railway network.
As one of the most major changes to European railways in recent years, the plan was to encourage competition between private and state railway operators across each other's borders, and make trains a better alternative to short-haul flying.
It seems to have worked, as FS aims to create a high-speed rail link between Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and possibly Berlin, with plans to link Paris and Barcelona already underway.
Previously, the rail operator has extended some of its high-speed services to France and Spain, but the shake-up has been slow due to the impacts of the pandemic. However, that’s all about to change.
In addition to FS’s plans, the owner of National Express apparently had a meeting with Spanish industrialists to discuss launching a cross-Channel service to compete with Eurostar.
To make their new route stand out and differentiate from their competitors, FS is considering adding a touch of luxury to their proposed high-speed service. While we’re not sure what that’ll entail yet exactly, it looks like you could soon be cruising between these major cities in style.
Did you see that the world’s longest rail tunnel is closing indefinitely — forcing trains to take the scenic route?
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