Building Europe’s future rail capacity through coordinated, cross‑border planning and strategic timetable design.

Introduction

EuroLink is RailNetEurope’s strategic initiative for developing long‑term, cross‑border capacity and timetable concepts for the European rail network. It strengthens the integration of national systems by coordinating long‑distance passenger and freight planning from a European perspective. The initiative addresses the need for optimised, market‑oriented infrastructure capacity that supports growing demand, better connectivity and sustainable mobility. EuroLink combines strategic timetable design, market demand analysis and broad cooperation among infrastructure managers and stakeholders. Its concepts serve as non‑binding, high‑value guidance for future capacity strategies and investment decisions.

EuroLink Overview

EuroLink provides a European‑wide framework for designing strategic capacity concepts for cross‑border long‑distance rail services. Developed jointly by European infrastructure managers, the concepts cover all market segments and help harmonise national planning practices. They serve as a technical foundation for strategic decision‑making by infrastructure managers, ministries and European bodies.

EuroLink Activities

EuroLink develops medium‑ and long‑term concepts to support coordinated European capacity planning. The initiative focuses on structured train paths for cross‑border long‑distance passenger and freight services, alignment of national plans within a European framework, capacity optimisation based on existing and upcoming infrastructure, and preparation of long‑term perspectives including future infrastructure needs. All concepts are non‑binding and serve as strategic references.

EuroLink takes a strategic, long-term approach by aligning national capacity and infrastructure planning with a broader European perspective. Its comprehensive focus brings together long-distance, regional, and domestic services into a unified, coordinated framework. The planning process is guided by market research and ongoing consultation with railway companies and industry organisations, ensuring that concepts reflect real-world demand. Through systematic development, EuroLink identifies both opportunities for expanding capacity and potential bottlenecks in the network. The resulting insights offer valuable guidance for infrastructure managers and transport ministries as they make future-focused decisions.

Future‑Ready Approach: Supports potential future roles under the evolving EU rail capacity regulation.

Design Philosophy & Working Approach

EuroLink applies a node‑to‑node planning philosophy, designing cross‑border long‑distance services first, while integrating regional and urban requirements. This approach enables consistent, efficient use of infrastructure across multiple networks. The initiative brings together more than 20 infrastructure managers through a dedicated working group and specialised taskforces for timetable design, market analysis and stakeholder engagement. EuroLink is closely linked to the European Transport Market Study, ensuring that freight and passenger demand forecasts directly inform capacity concepts. Stakeholders contribute through structured sessions, consultations and feedback processes, ensuring operational feasibility and market alignment.