This blog recently noted the advent of AVE (the Spanish High-Speed Train system). Los Angeles Treehugger Jeremy Elton Jacquot gives us an update on development in the European rail sector. Seven operators have joined forces to form Railteam
Railteam is an alliance to span all of Western Europe with a high-speed train network. Their web site lists as hubs for the network: Lille, Brussels, Cologne, Frankfurt and Stuttgart.
The opening of the new Eastern France line provides substantially reduced journey times between France, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg :
> Paris – Stuttgart : 3h40
> Paris – Munich : 6h15
> Paris – Frankfurt : 3h50
> Paris – Luxembourg : 2h05
> Paris – Basel : 3h30
> Paris – Zurich : 4h35
These travel times are as much as half compared to previous train journeys, plus electrified fast rail cuts GHG emissions. Treehugger commentator bulgarian opines that though an excellent initiative, it will take 20 years or more before rail throughout the participating countries countries is truly high speed.
While bulgarian focused northward upon connections to Denmark and the Scandinavian members of the European Union, it would seem from an early Railteam map that connecting the high speed East-West corridor with Spain’s high-speed network also would be a priority.
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Eddy De Clercq reports:
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[...] blog recently relayed information about an alliance to span all of Western Europe with a high-speed train network, and previously conveyed [...]
[...] As throughout Europe, electrified fast rail networks now crisscross between major cities In the United Kingdom. High-speed rail can reduce travel time by as much as half when compared to previous train journeys. Railteam expects to have unified service later this year. From one website passengers will be able to book tickets almost instantly to destinations in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland. [...]