An ambitious project, designed by a Danish Think Tank, intends to reinvent mobility on the European continent and create ultra -rare calls among hundreds of cities through a meter. The idea is to present an alternative to air transport and turn the train into the main European integration engine.
The group responsible for the project of this metro is called 21st Europe and recently launched the concept Starlinea high -speed rail network that proposes to be operational in 2040. More than connecting cities, the goal is to rethink the entire European rail model, considered currently “fragmented, unequal and often slow.”
According to the Spanish newspaper AS, the plan predicts lines that can reach speeds of 400 kilometers per hour, reducing travel times dramatically and making the course competitive transf by the plane. The idea is simple: if air mobility has conquered passengers for speed, the new rail system wants to conquer for speed and sustainability.
Currently, the differences between countries are notorious: disconnected stations, different designs and a travel experience that is rarely thought of as an essential part of the route. For project responsible, this diversity limits the potential of the railway on the continent.
According to data presented, in 2023 they traveled from high -speed train about 8 billion passengers, but less than 9% crossed borders. THE Starline It wants to reverse this reality with a homogeneous network that allows rapid travel between capital and large urban centers.
Drastic reduction in emissions
One of the pillars of the project for the European meter is the sustainability. The replacement of short -range fly with high -speed trains could mean, according to Danish group calculations, a 95% reduction in transport -associated emissions. In addition, the transport of railroads is four times more efficient than the bus.
Estimates go further: each new line could have a direct impact on economic growth, as happened in China, where some cities recorded 7.2% increases in urban GDP thanks to the expansion of the rail network.
A network for 424 cities
The project is not limited to binding capital. The goal is to create a mesh with 424 integrated cities, all with connections to the main ports, airports and railway lines, in line with the European Union Ten-T plans. Thus, mobility would cease to be centered only on a few corridors and cover regions today away from the large routes.
The planned lines cover virtually the entire continent. One of them would turn on Lisboa a Kievpassing by Madrid, Bordeaux, Lyon, Zagreb, Tyran, Athens, Sofia and Bucharest. Other variants would unite Naples with Helsinquia, Madrid to Istanbul, Dublin to Kiev and Milan to Oslo.
Economic and social impact
The proponents of Starline They underline that a project for a European meter of this dimension would have multipliers effects. It is estimated to create millions of jobs in areas such as engineering, construction of infrastructures and associated services, while stimulating work mobility and business growth.
For passengers, the change would be equally striking. The travel time between Lisbon and Madrid, for example, could be reduced to just over an hour and a half, while routes such as Lisbon – Kiev, which today implies long air scales, would be direct.
Chinese experience lessons
The Chinese example is often cited by the Danish group. In the Asian country, the expansion of the high -speed railway network has not only reducing regional inequalities but also boosting the domestic market. The idea is that Europe can replicate part of this model, adapting it to the specificities of the continent.
In particular, the study points out that when a city now has a high -speed connection, its annual economic growth increased, an average of 14.2%. For proponents, Europe cannot ignore this data if it wants to reinforce its global competitiveness.
A “Metal Alliance” with the US
The project also fits in a broader political context. Brussels has maintained contacts with Washington to create a “metal alliance”, intended to protect its own production of steel and aluminum from Chinese competition, as reported by Postal. Bet on a massive rail network may benefit from this strategic cooperation.
At the same time, the European Commission discusses measures to ensure that critical raw materials remain in the European space, reinforcing the Union’s strategic autonomy in sectors considered sensitive.
Challenges ahead
Despite the ambition, the Starline faces considerable obstacles. The necessary investment will be gigantic and will require not only community funds, but also the adhesion of the Member States and the support of the private sector. There is also the challenge of articulating different national legislation and overcoming bureaucracies that have waged similar projects.
A vision for 2040
According to, and if everything goes as expected, the network Starline may be in operation within 15 years. Until then, the path will be long: it will be necessary to complete feasibility studies, ensure financing, launch international competitions and start building lines that will cross dozens of countries.
Still, ambition is clear: transforming the way Europeans move and make the railway the true connecting engine between nations. For the Danish Think Tank, this is the opportunity to create a more integrated Europe not only economically but also physically.
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