Yes, rail made the difference!

The strategic role played by rail during the Covid-19 crisis and its role as the greenest and safest mode of mass transportation have shown the importance of strengthening future transport systems with rail as Europe’s backbone.

The pandemic has shown that moving people and goods remains an imperative, not a choice. International supply chains must continue to move goods as seamlessly as possible to keep Europe's economy going.

During the crisis, rail and urban rail systems (trams/metros/urban rail) have continued to ensure the circulation of goods and passenger working in essential jobs. This has been made possible also thanks to major EU investments in rail projects over the past years – through CEF and ESI funding instruments – modernising the European infrastructure, eliminating the bottlenecks and bridging the missing links.

The European Green Deal should support Europe’s recovery within a long-term outlook based on climate neutrality, resource efficiency and circularity.