Presentation of @jonworth’s #CrossBorderRail project in Berlin.
Jon crossed every EU internal border that’s possible to cross by train this summer, and found free movement by rail isn’t a reality for most. Watch here: crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/top20/
Jon crossed every EU internal border that’s possible to cross by train this summer, and found free movement by rail isn’t a reality for most. Watch here: crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/top20/
Many (not all) European countries have excellent rail systems - comprehensive and widely used. But these systems have been built nationally. They stop at the border.
The result is that today there are less cross-border rail connections than there were 50 years ago.
The result is that today there are less cross-border rail connections than there were 50 years ago.
National state-owned rail operators have had little incentive to maintain train routes that crossed into other countries.
Jon found many old disused cross-border rail tracks that used to carry passengers across routinely decades ago - now abandoned by the rail operators.
Jon found many old disused cross-border rail tracks that used to carry passengers across routinely decades ago - now abandoned by the rail operators.
🇫🇷🇧🇪🇳🇱🇩🇪🇪🇸🇮🇹 have focused mainly on high speed rail investment over past 3 decades, neglecting traditional train routes. The 1st to disappear were the cross-border connections.
For 🇫🇷🇮🇹, the only way to go from Lyon to Turin is by high speed. And Nice-Genoa is still a nightmare.
For 🇫🇷🇮🇹, the only way to go from Lyon to Turin is by high speed. And Nice-Genoa is still a nightmare.
Wendover Productions did a video about this phenomenon recently, and also about how the EU is trying to fix the situation with liberalisation - but mainly with high speed.
Europe has the best rail systems in the world. The problem is they don’t connect.
Europe has the best rail systems in the world. The problem is they don’t connect.
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