Having traveled 20,000 km in 36 days through the countries of the European Union and even beyond its borders, the Connecting Europe Express train reached its final destination – Paris.
The train was created on the occasion of the European Year of Railways 2021 to raise awareness of the benefits of rail, as the European Commission said in a recent statement, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported.
The Connecting Europe Express train made a total of 120 stops in 26 countries and 33 borders, traveling in three different directions.
“The Connecting Europe Express train has become a laboratory demonstrating in real time the many achievements of our Common European Railway Zone and the TEN-T network, allowing unimpeded travel throughout the Union. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped us transform the Connecting Europe Express from an idea into reality, “- said in this regard the Commissioner for Transport Adina Velean.
On the other hand, Andreas Matte, Chairman of the Community of European Railways and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and CEO of the Austrian Federal Railways, noted that the train had achieved its goal, while emphasizing that it had not only achieved its ultimate goal in Paris, but also demonstrated problems of cross-border railway communication.
In addition, Matte said that if another goal, the Green Deal, is successful, then traveling by train through European countries should be as easy as driving a truck.
“To achieve this, the railways will need more capacity and new infrastructure investments. In addition, the framework conditions need to be adapted to create a level playing field for all modes of transport. I congratulate and thank everyone who participated in this highly successful project.” noted Matte.
The Connecting Europe Express train is a collective achievement for Europe, according to a statement released by the European Commission. In addition, the same source said that the train united all regional and national authorities.