A THINK tank has released plans to launch a high-speed rail network connecting 39 destinations in Europe – with a line even connecting Glasgow and Kyiv.
21st Europe’s so-called Starline network is an ambitious proposal and envisages that it would function like a metro or tube system, introducing ultra-fast connections to rival air travel.
Glasgow would be on the green line which passes through London, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin on its way to the final destination of Kyiv.
Meanwhile, the wider network extends up to the Finnish capital of Helsinki and down to Athens.
The new system will be an estimated 30% faster than current rail travel according to the organisation’s estimates.
“A truly integrated rail system is no longer just a matter of convenience; it’s a strategic necessity for Europe’s resilience in the 21st century,” the think tank writes.
“Designed like a metro system, [Starline] changes how Europeans perceive their own continent - not as a collection of distant capitals, but as a single, fast-moving network where every connection, whether for people or goods, is within easy reach.”
“From the golden age of night trains to today’s 400,000+ Interrail users annually, the desire for open, accessible travel is clear,” the think tank says. “Yet, despite public demand, cross-border travel remains fragmented, slow, and expensive.”
Already in the works is the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), a European Union initiative which aims to unify infrastructure across the continent.
But the think tank believes this doesn’t go far enough and, when it comes to how it will be funded, 21st Europe proposes “central coordination for trains, passenger experience, and technology while allowing national rail operators to run routes under a franchise model”.
It will also be publicly funded and run by approved national rail companies, the think tank says, while being overseen by a new body – the European Rail Authority (ERA).
The think tank believes it can become a reality by the end of the century.
