Why is Europe choosing to build its mobility around trains?

European cities could see a surge of new rail connections in the coming years, as governments and private investors respond to climate concerns and seek to meet strong demand for cross-border passenger rail traffic.

Some new connections will take a year or more to start operating, and there will be occasional hiccups — such as the six-month suspension of non-stop service from Amsterdam to London starting in June, while Amsterdam Central Station is renovated.

Eurostar has enjoyed a monopoly on passenger rail traffic under the English Channel for almost 30 years. But the Channel Tunnel is open access and competitors are preparing to offer additional services between Britain and the continent.

This is all part of Europe's continuing rail renaissance, driven largely by strong passenger interest.

“Trains are full on long-distance journeys,” said Alberto Mazzola, head of the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies, an industry group.

It attributed the increase in demand to passenger concerns about the weather, as well as the increasing competitiveness of train prices compared to flights.

“The big problem we have is the lack of infrastructure,” Mazzola said, noting that train stations are overcrowded. Governments, including those of Germany and France, are investing heavily in infrastructure.

In May, the Belgian-Dutch company European Sleeper started an overnight service between Brussels and Berlin. It will extend to Dresden, Germany and Prague in spring. European Sleeper plans a direct service between Amsterdam and Barcelona in 2025.

Midnight Trains, a Parisian startup, is adding nighttime routes to and from Paris — including to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Barcelona and Madrid. The first, Paris-Milan-Venice, will arrive in 2025.

And Prague-based Leo Express operates a network connecting the Czech capital with Krakow, Poland; Bratislava, Slovakia; and other cities.

In Spain, Renfe, the national rail operator, has started direct services between Madrid and the French coastal city of Marseille, and between Barcelona and Lyon, France.

Paris also now has a direct overnight service to and from Berlin, the result of a collaboration between the national railway companies of France, Germany, Belgium and Austria.

The passengers are ready. In the European Union, rail passenger transport saw a 50 percent increase between 2021 and 2022, reaching almost 394 billion kilometers traveled — just 5 percent below 2019 levels.

By: PAIGE McCLANAHAN