Railway to (consumer) heaven: Executive summary

Making rail more attractive than the car and the plane for medium and long-distance trips is a multi-faceted equation. This report is intended to inspire the next Commission mandate and give policymakers ideas on how to attract more consumers to rail. It provides concrete recommendations, from quick fixes to long term reflections, based on evidence gathered between 2023 and 2024 by eleven of our member organisations across the EU.

Quick fixes
1. Make cross-border rail options more visible 
2. Effective cross-border passenger rights
3. Healthy competition between rail operators 
4. Better and more coordinated cross-border timetables

Ambition for the new Commission 
5. EU-wide passenger protection policy
6. Engage with EU countries: coordinate, enforce, and learn from each other
7. Creative financing for new rolling stock
8. Empower the European Railway Agency
9. Integrated mobility offer around stations

Long-term (to prepare now)
10. Provide more funds to complete the TEN-T network
11. Prepare a massive investment plan