REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Ninth monitoring report on the development of the rail market under Article 15(4) of Directive 2012/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council
Date: 2025-07-30
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission
Subjects: carriage of goods, carriage of passengers, common transport policy, coronavirus disease, epidemic, rail transport, services of general interest, sustainable mobility, trans-European network, transport infrastructure

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 30.7.2025  COM(2025) 439 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Ninth monitoring report on the development of the rail market under Article 15(4) of  Directive 2012/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council {SWD(2025) 239 final}  
 
 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND 
THE COUNCIL 

Ninth monitoring report on the development of the rail market under Article 15(4) of  
Directive 2012/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council 

1  MAIN FINDINGS 

Reliable monitoring of the rail market is fundamental to understanding market developments 
and taking informed policy decisions. 

This  report  covers  data  up  to  2022  and  refers  to  later  developments  in  the  sector  where 
available. 

There are several main findings for 2018-2022: 

•  Passenger  traffic:  the COVID-19  pandemic  led  to a sharp drop of 46%  in  passenger 
traffic in 2020 compared to 2019. This was followed by a strong recovery, with total EU-
27 rail passenger traffic reaching 395.5 billion passenger-kilometres in 2022, standing 
only slightly below the 411.8 billion recorded in 2019. 

•  Freight traffic: for rail freight, measured in tonne-kilometres, the decline in 2020 was 
milder (-8% compared to 2019) as freight services continued to provide critical services 
to the economy during the pandemic. By 2022, total freight traffic nearly reached pre-
pandemic levels, with 416 billion tonne-kilometres. 

•  Modal  share  of  rail  passengers:  rail’s  modal  share  within  EU-27  land  transport 
increased slightly from 7.8% in 2018 to 8.1% in 2022, despite a sharp decrease of 2.4 
percentage points suffered in 2020 due to the pandemic. 

•  High-speed rail: the EU-27 high-speed network expanded by almost 1 100 km between 
2018 and 2022, reaching 12 015 km This growth demonstrates a long-term commitment 
to advancing the high-speed rail sector, which has shown its ability to compete effectively 
with other modes of transport. 

•  Employment in rail: in 2022, approximately 900 000 people were employed in the EU-

27 railway sector, marking a slight fall compared to 2018. 

•  Market share of new entrants: by 2022, new entrants held a 49% market share in the 
rail freight sector (up from 39% in 2018) and a 21% share in public service obligation 
(PSO)  passenger  services  (+8  percentage  points  compared  to  2018).  Commercial 
passenger services also saw increased competition, with new entrants capturing 12.6% 
of the market (+6.6 percentage points). 

•  Rail expenditure: in 2022, the total cost of railways (infrastructure expenditure + PSO 
compensation)  was  EUR  178.31  per  EU-27  inhabitant,  representing  a  29%  nominal 

1 

 
 
increase from 2018. However, a large proportion of the increase appears to have been 
driven by inflation. 

2  METHODOLOGY 

This is the ninth edition of the rail market monitoring report that the Commission submits every 
two  years  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  under  Article 15(4)  of  Directive 
2012/34/EU1. Its purpose is to provide an overview of the main developments in rail markets 
in the context of EU rail market policy2. The main focus of the ninth report is on developments 
between 2018 and 2022, with references to trends and policy developments extending beyond 
the reporting period up until the preparation date of this report. 

In  addition  to  rail  market  monitoring  (RMMS)  data  submitted  by  the  Member  States  and 
Norway, this report also draws on contributions from the statistical pocketbook EU transport 
in  figures3,  reports  from  the  European  Union  Agency  for  Railways4,  Eurostat5,  statistics 
collected  by  various  sectoral  organisations,  presentations  and  studies.  Where  the  RMMS 
Regulation is the only source, the report assesses developments for 2018-2022 to ensure that 
data are comparable. When using other sources, the report also presents developments over a 
longer period. 

Aggregated data and averages refer to EU-27 (current number of EU Member States)6. 

3  RAIL AND SUSTAINABILITY 

Rail has cut its direct greenhouse gas emissions almost continuously since 1990, while carrying 
about 16.6% of freight and 8.1% of passengers across all modes in intra-EU transport in 2022. 
The transport sector (including international aviation and maritime) accounts for one quarter 
of the total  GHG emissions in  the EU-27. Within the transport sector, rail represented only 
0.3% of GHG emissions from all transport modes in the EU-27. The transport sector accounted 
for 31.0% of the total final energy consumption in the EU-27 in 2022. Within the transport 
sector, rail accounted for only 0.6% of the final energy consumption. To meet the objectives 
of the European Green Deal, rail will have to take up a bigger share of passenger and freight 
transport. 

1 Directive 2012/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 establishing a 

single European railway area, OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 32. 

2 In addition to the rail market report, the European Union Agency for Railways publishes annual reports on 

safety and interoperability of railways. 

3 https://transport.ec.europa.eu/facts-funding/studies-data/eu-transport-figures-statistical-pocketbook/statistical-

pocketbook-2024_en 

4 https://www.era.europa.eu/library/documents-regulations/corporate-publications 
5 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/transport/database 
6 Norway participates in the RMMS, but data for Norway are not included in EU totals and averages. 

2 

 
 
 
 
4  EU RAIL NETWORK 

The total length of the EU-27 rail network in 2022 was around 202 131 line-kilometres, a slight 
increase  of  0.1%  compared  to  2018.  Around  57%  of  the  network  has  been  electrified,  an 
increase of 1.4% since 2018. 

Figure 1: Length of national networks per country (thousand line-km, 2022) and relative change (2018-2022) 

Source: Eurostat, 2024 
(https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ttr00003/default/table?lang=en&category=t_rail) 

The  EU’s  high-speed  rail  network  stretched  to  12 015  kilometres  by  the  end  of  2022,  an 
increase of 10.4% since 2018. The Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy has set ambitious 
targets for high-speed rail traffic, which should double traffic volumes by 2030 and triple them 
by 2050 compared to the 2015 baseline. 

5  EVOLUTION OF RAIL SERVICES 

After  a  decade  of  moderate  growth,  EU  train-kilometres  (both  passenger  and  freight)  were 
severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, freight services declined by 8% in 
train-kilometres  compared  to  2019,  while  passenger  services  saw  a  sharper  drop  of  46%. 
However,  by  2021,  freight  volumes  had  fully  recovered,  matching  their  2019  levels  before 
experiencing a slight decline in 2022. As for passenger services, in 2022 these rebounded to 
96% of pre-pandemic levels, reaching 395 billion passenger-kilometres. 

3 

                                                                                                                                                           
 
 
 
 
Figure 2: Passenger and freight volumes (pax-km, tonne-km, and train-km, 2018-2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

In 2022, rail transported approximately 1.5 billion tonnes of freight and 6.6 billion passengers, 
reflecting a recovery from the sharp decline observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Domestic passenger services continued to dominate, representing over 93% of all passenger-
kilometres in the EU-27. The pandemic further reinforced the predominantly domestic nature 
of passenger rail traffic. Before the crisis, international passenger services accounted for around 
7% of total rail traffic, but this share dropped to less than 4% in 2020 due to travel restrictions. 
By 2022, the proportion of international rail passenger services had recovered to 7%. 

Figure 3: Evolution of rail passenger traffic volumes (domestic, international and proportion of international in 

total traffic) (billion pax-km, 2018-2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

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In  2020,  the  average  propensity  of  Europeans  to  travel  by  rail  dropped  sharply  to  500 
passenger-kilometres per inhabitant per year, down from 934 km in 2019. By 2022, this figure 
had partially recovered to 888 km per inhabitant. The modal share of rail, which stood at 7.8% 
in  2019,  declined  by  2.4  percentage  points  in  2020  as  more  people  turned  to  private  cars. 
However, by 2022, it rebounded to 8.1%, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, while cars remained 
the dominant mode at 82.4%. 

Figure 4: Passenger land transport modal split by country (% in 2022) 

Source: Eurostat, 2024 
(https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tran_hv_ms_psmod/default/table?lang=en&category=tran.
tran_hv_ms) 

Total rail freight traffic in the EU-27 declined from 422 billion tonne-kilometres in 2019 to 
405 billion in 2020 due to the pandemic. By 2022, it had almost rebounded to 416 billion tonne-
kilometres, nearing pre-pandemic levels. 

The  proportion  of  international  rail  freight  services  remained  consistently  above  50% 
throughout the period, peaking at 55% in 2019 and stabilising at 54% in 2022. This stability 
contrasts  with  the  more  pronounced  impact  of  the  pandemic  on  international  rail  passenger 
traffic. 

5 

                                                                                                                                                          
 
 
 
Figure 5: Evolution of rail freight traffic volumes (domestic, international and proportion of international in total 

traffic) (billion tonne-km, 2018-2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

Between 2018 and 2022, road transport remained the dominant mode of freight transport within 
the  EU-27,  consistently  exceeding  75%  of  the  total  freight  land  transport  share  in  tonne-
kilometres  and  peaking  at  77.7%  in  2022.  During  the  same  period,  the  modal  share  of  rail 
transport declined from 18.7% to 17.2%, indicating a continued shift towards road transport, 
although intermodal rail transport performed relatively better than bulk materials and single 
wagonload transport. The overall decline was particularly pronounced in Latvia, Estonia, and 
Lithuania, where freight volumes dropped significantly due to reduced exchanges with Russia. 

Figure 6: Freight land transport modal split by country (% in 2022) and change in percentage points for rail (2018-

2022) 

Source: Eurostat, 2024 
(https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tran_hv_ms_frmod/default/table?lang=en&category=tran.t
ran_hv_ms) 

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6  EVOLUTION OF FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS IN THE RAIL SECTOR 

6.1 

Infrastructure charging 

In 2022, track access charges for high-speed rail (excluding markups) remained higher than 
those for other passenger services in all countries where such charges applied. However, access 
charges for high-speed rail were generally lower in 2022 than in 2018 in Member States with 
high-speed networks. 

Figure 7: Access charges (excluding markups) for different categories of passenger trains, by country (EUR per 

train-km, 2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

Freight  charges  (excluding  markups)  are  monitored  for  three  different  maximum  gross 
tonnages (1 000, 1 600 and 6 000). In most Member States, access charges increase with train 
size, although not necessarily proportionally to tonnage. 

7 

                                                                                                                                                   
 
 
Figure 8: Access charges (excluding markups) for different categories of freight trains, by country (EUR per train-

km, 2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

To mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Regulation (EU) 2020/1429, 
adopted in October 2020, allowed Member States to temporarily waive, reduce, or defer track 
access  charges7.  This  measure  provided  essential  financial  relief  to  railway  undertakings, 
particularly those in passenger transport, as traffic volumes declined. The Regulation, initially 
set for a limited duration, was extended four times, ultimately expiring on 31 December 2022. 
It played a crucial role in sustaining rail operations during the pandemic, supporting the sector’s 
recovery as passenger traffic rebounded. 

6.2  Capacity allocation and infrastructure limitations 

In 2022, the EU-27 rail network had a combined intensity of use (freight and passenger trains) 
of 18.7 thousand train-kilometres per line kilometre, slightly higher than pre-pandemic levels 
(18.1 in 2018). Passenger trains accounted for 79% of this usage. 

The total length of track declared congested in the EU-27 rose sharply between 2018 and 2020 
but fell slightly in 2022 to 6 711 kilometres, including 3 523 kilometres of rail freight corridors. 
The sharp rise from 2018 levels was largely due to a change in Italy’s criteria for declaring 
congestion. 

7 Regulation (EU) 2020/1429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 October 2020 establishing 
measures for a sustainable rail market in view of the COVID-19 outbreak (OJ L 333, 12.10.2020, p. 1). 

8 

                                                                                                                                     
 
 
In cases of congestion, the services most commonly prioritised by Member States are those 
provided under a PSO, followed by international passenger services, while freight traffic is 
rarely given top priority8. 

To promote a more efficient use of the network and address incompatibility between national 
legacy train control systems, the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is 
being  introduced  as  a  common  European  signalling  system.  At  the  time  of  publishing  this 
report, about 14% of the core network has been equipped with ERTMS, and contracts are in 
place for a further 19%. Although progress has been made, deployment is still lagging behind 
initial targets, so increased efforts are needed to speed up implementation. 

6.3 

Infrastructure spending and funding 

Total  EU-27  nominal  infrastructure  expenditure  rose  from  EUR 38.7  billion  in  2018  to 
EUR 50.8  billion  in  2022.  In  2022,  spending  was  distributed  relatively  evenly  across 
categories:  25%  for  maintenance,  25%  for  renewals,  26%  for  upgrades,  and  24%  for  new 
infrastructure investments. Despite notable nominal growth, high inflation during this period 
tempered real-term increases. When adjusted to 2018 price levels, the actual growth was more 
moderate, amounting to approximately 5% in real terms. 

Figure 9: Expenditure on infrastructure and proportion of maintenance and renewals (EUR billion, 2018-2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

In  2022,  total  maintenance  and  renewal  expenditure  in  the  EU-27  amounted  to  EUR 25.2 
billion, representing 50% of total  infrastructure spending,  with  significant  variations among 

8 In total, 14 Countries reported giving priority to PSO traffic in the event of congestion. In practice, however, 
deviations may occur at certain times or depending on local circumstances. 

9 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
 
 
 
countries. National budgets remained the primary funding source, contributing 70% of total 
rail infrastructure expenditure. EU co-financing accounted for 8% while the remaining 22% 
came from other sources such as loans, equity financing and charges. 

6.4  Quality of rail transport services 

Safety remains a top priority for the single European railway area, with the European Union 
Agency for Railways (ERA) continuing to monitor progress on safety and interoperability. The 
2024  ERA  report9  reaffirms  that  European  railways  remain  among  the  safest  modes  of 
transport, with the fatality risk of car travel nearly 84 times higher than that of rail travel, and 
bus travel being 7.3 times riskier than rail. 

The average punctuality of regional and local passenger services10 in the EU-27 stood at 90% 
in 2022, down from 94% in 2020 but still higher than pre-pandemic levels. The punctuality of 
long-distance and high-speed passenger services dropped to 87% in 2022, compared to 93% in 
2020. 

In terms of reliability11, the share of cancelled regional and local services increased from 1.9% 
in 2018 to 4.4% in 2022. For long-distance and high-speed services, cancellations rose from 
1.3% in 2018 to 4.9% in 2022. Challenges affecting reliability include staff shortages, ageing 
infrastructure, and maintenance backlogs. 

In rail freight, the average punctuality12 of domestic services in the EU-27 was 56% in 2022 
while  international  freight  services  stood  at  42%.  The  share  of  cancelled  domestic  freight 
services reached 8.1% in 2022 while 14.5% of international services were cancelled. 

6.5  Public service contracts 

In  2022,  PSO  passenger  services  accounted  for  an  average  of  58.7%  of  total  passenger-
kilometres in the EU-27, down from 66% in 2020. This decline reflects a gradual shift towards 
a more competitive rail market. Nearly all passenger traffic was covered by a PSO in Denmark, 
Estonia,  Ireland,  Latvia,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands  and  Romania.  PSOs  are  predominantly 
domestic,  representing  99.1%  of  PSO  passenger-kilometres  in  2022  with  a  prevalence  of 
regional over long-distance services. 

The  share  of  commercial  operators  in  the  market  increased  between  2018  and  2022.  In 
commercial passenger services, competitors held a 12.6% market share in 2022, up from 6% 
in 2018. In the PSO market, competitors’ share rose to 21% in 2022, an increase of 8 percentage 
points since 2018. 

9 Report on Railway Safety and Interoperability in the EU 2024 (https://www.era.europa.eu/content/report-

railway-safety-and-interoperability-eu-2024). 

10 RMMS considers a passenger train to be punctual if it is not delayed by more than five minutes. 
11 Defined in terms of the share of cancelled services. 
12 RMMS considers a freight train to be punctual if it is delayed by more than 15 minutes. 

10 

 
 
 
 
Figure 10: Share of passenger traffic offered respectively under a PSO and commercial rail services per country 

(% of pax-km, 2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

In  2022,  29%  of  the  231  billion  PSO  passenger-kilometres  in  the  EU-27  were  on  services 
awarded  through  competitive  tendering.  Similar  to  previous  years,  the  most  competitively 
tendered  passenger  volume  was  concentrated  in  two  early-liberalising  countries:  Germany 
(81%)  and  Sweden  (13%).  PSO  compensation  remains  a  significant  source  of  revenue  for 
railway undertakings across most EU Member States. 

6.6  Licensing 

In 2022, a total of 1 202 active railway licences were reported in the EU-27, an increase from 
1 192 in  2020. Germany continued to  have the highest number of active  licences,  with  490 
licensed railway undertakings, followed by Poland with 126 and Czechia with 109. 

6.7  Degree of market opening and utilisation of access rights 

In  2022,  the  market  share  of  new  entrants  in  the  EU-27  rail  freight  sector  reached  49%, 
continuing an upward trend from 39% in 2018. 

11 

                                                                                                                  
 
 
 
Figure 11: Competitors’ market share in the rail freight market per country (% in 2022) and change in percentage 

points (2018-2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

In commercial passenger rail, new entrants had a 12.6% market share in 2022, nearly double 
the  6.6%  recorded  in  2020.  In  the  national  PSO passenger  market,  competitors  held  a  21% 
market share in 2022, marking a significant increase from 18.5% in 2020. 

Figure 12: Competitors’ market share in the commercial passenger market per country (% in 2022) and change 

in percentage points (2018-2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

12 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure  13:  Competitors’  market  share  in  the  PSO  passenger  market  per  country  (%  in  2022)  and  change  in 

percentage points (2018-2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

6.8  Employment and social conditions 

By the end of 2022, the railway sector in the EU-27 employed approximately 900 000 people, 
with 511 000 working for railway undertakings and 389 000 for infrastructure managers. This 
reflects a slight decline from the 2020 figures. 

The  railway  workforce  remains  predominantly  male,  with  women  making  up  only  23%  of 
employees in 2022, up one percentage point since 2020. 

13 

                                                                                                                              
 
 
Figure 14: Total employees (main infrastructure managers plus railway undertakings) by gender structure, (% in 

2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 
The ageing workforce remains a concern, although there was a slight improvement. In 2022, 
41.9% of railway undertaking staff were over 50 years old, a slight decrease from 42.4% in 
2018. The proportion of younger employees under 30 increased modestly from 10.6% in 2018 
to 10.9% in 2022. 

Figure 15: Employees by age group, main railway undertakings and infrastructure managers (%, 2018-2022) 

Source: RMMS, 2022 

Full-time  employment  remains  the  most  common  status  for  railway  workers  for  both 
infrastructure managers and railway undertakings. 

14 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
 
 
 
 
 
 
7  Conclusions 

The  European  rail  sector  has  demonstrated  significant  resilience  in  the  aftermath  of  the 
COVID-19 pandemic. Passenger traffic, which saw a sharp drop of 46% in 2020 compared to 
2019,  rebounded  to  96%  of  pre-pandemic  levels  in  2022,  with  total  passenger-kilometres 
reaching  395  billion.  Freight  services  experienced  a  more  modest  impact,  with  a  recovery 
already achieved by 2021, when volumes went back up to 2019 levels. However, 2022 saw a 
small contraction in volumes in the rail freight market. 

The rail sector’s recovery has been boosted by targeted EU interventions, including Regulation 
(EU) 2020/1429, which allowed Member States to waive access charges to mitigate financial 
strain  on  railway  undertakings.  These  measures  provided  immediate  relief  and  enabled  the 
sector  to  sustain  operations  at  the  peak  of  the  pandemic.  As  Member  States  continue  to 
implement  national  recovery  and  resilience  plans  under  the  EU  Recovery  and  Resilience 
Facility, rail investments are poised to play a central role in driving economic and mobility-
related growth. 

Rail transport remains a critical component of the EU’s strategy to achieve its climate goals. 
With  only  0.3%  of  total  transport-related  greenhouse  gas  emissions,  rail  is  the  most 
environmentally friendly mode of motorised transport. The electrification of 57% of the EU 
rail  network  and  the  continued  retrofitting  of  freight  wagons  with  quieter  and  greener 
technologies underscore the sector’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint. Rail 
investments  under  the  Green  Deal  and  the  Sustainable  and  Smart  Mobility  Strategy  aim  to 
double  rail  freight  and  triple  high-speed  passenger  traffic  by  2050  compared  to  the  2015 
baseline, marking a significant shift towards sustainable transport. 

Noise  pollution  remains  a  concern,  with  22  million  people  in  Europe  exposed  to  harmful 
railway noise. EU initiatives such as retrofitting freight wagons with silent brake blocks and 
revising noise technical specifications are addressing this challenge. Continued financial and 
regulatory support is critical to meeting ambitious sustainability targets. 

Market liberalisation has stimulated competition in the European rail sector, with new entrants 
gaining  a  significant  market  share,  particularly  in  freight  transport.  In  this  segment,  the 
competitors’ average market share in the EU-27 increased from 39% to 49% between 2018 and 
2022.  In  the  passenger  market,  the  increase  in  the  competitors’  market  share  was  also 
remarkable, both for commercial services (12.6% market share, with a 6.6% increase between 
2018  and  2022)  and  for  PSO  (21%  market  share,  or  +8%  compared  to  2018).  However, 
challenges  persist,  including  disparities  in  access  charges  and  the  need  for  a  more  even 
implementation  of  existing  regulations  across  Member  States.  With  the  Fourth  Railway 
Package rules now fully in application13, further market opening is expected, which should 
boost innovation and increase service quality for both passengers and freight.  

The Commission will continue to closely monitor if the Fourth Railway Package14 is being 
correctly turned into national law and implemented to ensure it achieves its full potential. 

13 The transition period provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 to allow Member States to gradually 
open the rail market and tender rail public service contracts expired in December 2023. 
14 In particular that the principle of mandatory tendering for public service contracts in passenger rail is 
respected. 

15 

 
 
In 2022, PSOs accounted for a significant portion of rail passenger operations. On average, 
PSO passenger services accounted for 58.7% of total passenger-kilometres in the EU-27, down 
from 66% in 2020. This suggests a progressive move towards a more competitive rail market. 
The competitive tendering of PSOs has increased and is expected to continue to increase in the 
years to come, improving service quality and cost efficiency. However, challenges remain in 
balancing market liberalisation with ensuring fair access, particularly in less populated regions. 
The  EU  is  encouraging  greater  transparency  and  competition  to  optimise  the  social  and 
economic impact. 

High-speed  rail  represents  a  cornerstone  of  Europe’s  transport  modernisation  efforts.  The 
network  has  expanded  to  12 015  kilometres  in  2022,  with  plans  for  an  additional  1 600 
kilometres  by  2035.  Spain,  France,  and  Italy  continue  to  lead  in  high-speed  investments, 
contributing to enhanced connectivity and reduced travel times across the continent. 

Infrastructure investment remains critical, with the EU allocating significant funding through 
mechanisms like the Connecting Europe Facility and the Cohesion Fund. These investments 
prioritise  projects  that  address  bottlenecks,  improve  multimodal  connectivity,  and  upgrade 
existing  infrastructure.  The  emphasis  on  digitalisation,  including  the  deployment  of  the 
ERTMS, further strengthens rail’s capacity to meet future mobility needs. 

Digital  technologies  are  set  to  bring  significant  improvements  to  the  rail  sector,  raising 
operational efficiency and passenger experience. The rollout of ERTMS, a key component of 
the EU’s digital transition strategy, is set to improve interoperability and safety across Europe’s 
rail networks, although to date only around 33% of the core network is either equipped with 
ERTMS or has secured contracts for its installation. In addition, investments in smart ticketing 
systems and real-time data platforms will help in making rail more accessible and user-friendly 
for passengers. 

Innovation through the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking is advancing areas such as automated 
train  operations,  digital  freight  management,  and  sustainable  asset  management.  These 
initiatives  align  with  broader  EU  goals  to  position  rail  as  the  backbone  of  a  multimodal, 
sustainable transport system. 

As Europe transitions towards a greener, more connected future, rail will play a pivotal role in 
reducing  emissions,  enhancing  mobility  and  boosting  economic  growth.  Continued 
investments  in  infrastructure,  market  opening  and  technological  innovation  are  essential  to 
achieving the EU’s vision of a sustainable transport system by 2050. The full implementation 
of the Fourth Railway Package, strengthening cross-border connectivity, addressing capacity 
constraints, and ensuring fairer access to rail services will be key priorities in the years ahead. 

By  integrating  these  strategic  elements,  the  European  rail  sector  has  a  chance  to  lead  the 
transformation of the continent’s transport landscape, delivering on its promise of sustainable, 
efficient, and inclusive mobility. 

16