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IN BRIEF
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What if the train finally thought like a continent? After decades where each country crafted its own rail network in isolation, a pan-European vision is emerging: high-speed lines that ignore borders, hubs linking hundreds of cities, as well as ports and airports. The goal: simple tickets, fast journeys, and a greener choice, to the point of dethroning the airplane in intra-European travel. By 2040, we aim to turn the idea into tracks, and our weekends into seamless escapes.
What if Europe finally stopped being a railway puzzle to become a real playground on rails? This article tells how the continent with the densest railway network can shift from a mosaic of national lines to a common network, with the driving idea of uniting over 400 cities around about 40 hubs connected by high-speed rail. It discusses Starline, the concept promoted by the think tank 21st Europe, ecology, simplified tickets, connected ports and airports, revived night trains… and a horizon that invites you to book right now, even if the goal of over 20,000 km of dedicated lines looks towards 2040.
When the train finally considers a European dimension: the trigger
Europe is a paradox on rails. On one side, an ultra-dense historic network — with heavyweights like France and Germany — and on the other, the persistent sensation that each country lives its railway life in a bubble. The result: we rarely say “I take the train to cross a border” and when we do think about it, we’re not always sure where to find the information or how to buy a ticket. The good news is, this inertia is cracking.
In the works is a project that is both political and poetic: 21st Europe imagines a network called Starline that connects over 400 cities at high speed, structured around about 40 hubs strategically placed. The ambition? To travel seamlessly from the European Union to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, or even Turkey, while linking major ports and airports — these entryways that are just waiting for a moving walkway… on rails.
An old continent, old habits… and a turn to take
For decades, traveling in Europe has meant “low-cost flight,” crumpled boarding passes, and sprinting to the boarding gate. The promise of Starline reverses this reflex: to replace as much as possible the plane with a fast and affordable train, without sacrificing enjoyment or timeliness. The motivation is clear: environmental reasons, but not only that. Comfort, city center to city center, and the delightful art of watching landscapes roll by without going through the terminal.
Starline in brief, but at high speed
In practical terms, it involves pooling what already exists — high-speed networks, current operators, cross-border connections — to materialize over 20,000 km of dedicated tracks by 2040. The hubs become the new junctions for routes, from where one can head to urban satellites as well as maritime and air gateways. In short, a Europe finely tailored, but with a supersonic needle.
When the train finally considers a European dimension: hubs rather than borders
The key to change is not just speed; it’s interoperability. Imagining European hubs means orchestrating connections in a few minutes, clear pricing, and unified information, regardless of the territory. The hub concentrates services, local mobility, and connects high-speed trains with regional trains and trams. Travel becomes a continuum, not an obstacle course.
Interoperability and headache-free tickets
Where it often gets stuck today is in ticketing. We juggle a thousand websites, a thousand prices, a thousand exchange policies. A “one-stop platform” approach — or at least a mutual recognition of tickets — changes the game: a basket of cross-border journeys, a clear policy, and customer service that speaks “Europe.” Meanwhile, regarding formalities, keep an eye on what evolves: it’s better to anticipate ETIAS fees rather than improvise. To stay informed, this practical guide on ESTA and ETIAS fees is a good memo for travelers.
Need inspiration for easy routes that cross borders smoothly? This overview of a small European country where everything (or almost) is done by train reminds us that interconnection is not a tale, but a reality that simply wants to grow.
When the train finally considers a European dimension: winning the battle against the airplane
To attract window seat lovers, rail must be competitive and predictable. It already ticks many boxes: simple boarding, no absurd limits for a bottle of water, and zero endless shuttles to the outskirts. And above all, it avoids the universal joys of security checks where the shirt sticks. By the way, if you’ve ever experienced these checks a little too closely, this article — useful and savory — on sweating and airport searches will make you smile… grimace.
At night, all rails are green
Night trains form the other leg of the European project. Sleeping in a couchette, waking up abroad, and directly stepping into downtown: hard to be more ecological and poetic. Their grand return is not a trend, but a strategy: absorbing medium distances without an airplane. For an informative and inspiring overview, take a look at eco-friendly night trains in Europe.
When the train finally considers a European dimension: the open-air construction site
Building an integrated railway Europe is not about laying a single line from Lisbon to Warsaw. It’s about pooling the existing — high-speed lines, efficient corridors, infrastructure managers, operators — and filling in the “gaps on the map” with new sections. All this, within a realistic timeline pointing to 2040. The effort extends beyond just the technical: it also touches on pricing, regulations, passenger information, and a genuinely European service culture.
And it takes boldness. A few structuring connections — including under the sea — could change the mental geography of the continent. Curious? This overview of a submarine tunnel in Europe shows just how technology can sometimes play with natural borders.
Ports and airports, but on rails
Major ports and airports are the traditional “gates.” Tomorrow, they will also become full rail hubs, linked by high-speed connections to the continental network. You disembark from a ferry, hop on a high-speed train; you land and chain to a neighboring capital in 1h30. This rail-air-sea hybridization is the promise of seamless door-to-door travel across Europe, without multiplying transfer disruptions.
When the train finally considers a European dimension: how to get started right now
We’re not going to wait until 2040 to have fun. First step: identify already effective cross-border routes and test multimodal itineraries via a single basket purchase when possible. Second step: leverage the night train option to replace an early morning flight. Third step: think “hub” by choosing connections at major stations — those that aggregate TGV, intercity, regional lines, and airports.
For the rest, keep an eye on the evolution of formalities and travel fees, particularly on the ETIAS side, through resources like this guide on ESTA and ETIAS fees. And draw ideas for “European-sized” routes by getting inspired by destinations where rail reigns supreme, such as this focus on a small European country tailored for trains. The cultural shift begins with a ticket; Europe awaits you at the next platform.
