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The European Commission, on 5 November, unveiled its plan for a pan-European high-speed rail (HSR) network.

In a joint declaration, Eurocities and the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) have welcomed the ambitious initiative, stating that it is essential for achieving climate neutrality, economic growth and territorial cohesion.

“Europe needs a fast, high-quality rail network that connects every major city and urban centre,” said André Sobczak, Secretary General of Eurocities. “Cities are ready to play their part, integrating long-distance rail into local mobility systems and shaping the multimodal hubs of the future. We call on EU institutions to prioritise investment, fair competition and city involvement to make rail a defining force of Europe’s green transition.”

The declaration, which has been presented to the European Parliament Vice-Presidents and the European Commission, outlines Eurocities’ and CER’s shared recommendations to accelerate the deployment of high-speed rail as a cornerstone of Europe’s sustainable mobility future.

With a joined-up HSR network, modern and comfortable high-speed trains have the potential to attract over half of long-distance travellers in the future.

The CER-Eurocities declaration praises the EU’s commitment to tripling high-speed rail traffic by 2050 and highlights the transformative potential of HSR to drive sustainable growth, cohesion, and climate progress.

The declaration calls for:

• A viable and coherent European HSR network, completing the corridors identified in the Trans-European Network for Transport (TEN-T) and connecting all EU capitals and major cities.
• Long-term, sustainable funding, combining EU, national, and private investment to meet the estimated €546 billion needed by 2050.
• Seamless and passenger-friendly ticketing, integrating long-distance and local mobility.
• A level playing field with other transport modes, through fair taxation and monitoring of cross-border connectivity.

“Construction of the coherent high-speed railway system in Europe will finally erase the difference between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ Europe,” said Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Lodz. “Lodz is a million-inhabitant metropolis, in which our citizens, thanks to completing the HSR system, will be able to reach Prague, Berlin, Vilnius, and Lviv within a 3-hour journey. New, CO2-neutral travelling opportunities will reshape the quality of life, give new incentives for the economy and ease the research and science development and provide inhabitants of Poland with evidence of a truly integrated Europe.”

The declaration highlights the need for coordinated action between EU institutions, member states, financing institutions, train builders, railway constructors, cities, and rail companies to accelerate project delivery, ensure harmonisation, and maintain affordability for passengers.

It also underlines the importance of integrating high-speed services with regional and local mobility systems within urban nodes to create truly seamless, door-to-door connections.

By aligning investment, innovation, and governance, Europe’s cities must remain at the core of the HSR transformation, serving as both gateways and beneficiaries of enhanced European connectivity.

Join the call

The CER-Eurocities joint declaration is now open for individual signatures from city mayors and rail CEOs across Europe.

Several city leaders have already provided their early endorsement, including mayors and deputy mayors from Lodz, Budapest, Amsterdam, The Hague, Mannheim, Brescia, and Netwerkstad Twente.

Andreas Matthä, CER Chair and CEO of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), and Alan Beroud, CER Vice Chair and CEO of Polish State Railways (PKP), have also joined the call, among many other rail stakeholders.

The CER-Eurocities Declaration on Connecting Europe at High Speed and the current signatory list are available here.