Climate change & environment
Developing more efficient and accessible rail transport
Proposals by young citizens
Find a selection of the proposals made by young Europeans
SarahWe should develop & fund affordable night trains & railways throughout to combine our need of mobility and lower carbon emissions
82% approval- Hubert, 23
European railroad lines should be created so that people can travel by train throughout the European Union.
83% approval - Zakarias, 17
We need to subsidize train services across Europe to make it cheaper to travel by rail than by air.
78% approval - Alexandre Pirralho, 25
Rail connections between all EU states are needed to achieve energy transition and carbon neutrality.
79% approval - Laurent
We need to harmonize and coordinate Europe's rail nework, so that people can travel easily by train across the continent
91% approval - Jules, 21
We need to develop rail freight within and between Européen countires as an alternative to road freight.
87% approval
Travel by rail is one the most sustainable modes of transport. However, Railway networks are still too nation-centred and ticket prices are often higher than those of other - more polluting - modes of transport.
In order for rail to be competitive, more EU-level railway planning is required, as well as an international ticketing system and a fair taxation regime which covers all modes of transport based on their climate impacts which would increase the EU budget to invest in green policies.
Find the extended version here.
Responsesby European political parties
All European political parties that are represented with ten or more members in the European Parliament (in February 2024) were invited to provide their responses.
ALDE Party fights for enabling decarbonisation of passenger transport through infrastructure development; including the completion of missing cross-border transport connections, electrification of public transport as well as using sustainable and innovative technologies to allow decarbonisation. More about this party, their programme & national members
Prioritising sustainable and cost-effective rail transport across Europe is essential to meet our environmental and energy goals. We call for the development of comprehensive European railways to improve cross-border connectivity within the EU, underlining the importance of robust public transport networks. For young people in particular, accessible and affordable train travel promotes mobility and sustainability, in line with our commitment to a greener and more connected Europe. More about this party, their programme & national members
EFA sees the opportunity to transition to a low-carbon future and to revitalise disadvantaged regions concurrently by investing in rail networks. For us, it is very important that Europe’s railways connect not only the capital cities, but also smaller towns, rural areas, and cross-border regions. These areas need better infrastructure links to realise their potential. Short distance plane journeys should be replaced with rail alternatives. We also support more integration in ticketing systems. More about this party, their programme & national members
We want to increase investment in and coordination of rail transport; in particular under-served regions. We will invest in night train infrastructure and create a European Ticketing Platform to make booking cross-border journeys on sustainable transport easy. Besides taxing air travel properly where climate-friendly alternatives are not available, we want to introduce a frequent flyer levy, with exceptions for island regions, and ban short-haul where alternatives are available. More about this party, their programme & national members
To support the green transition and reduce carbon emissions, we push for affordable and safe railway usage to encourage citizens to use rail transport as a more sustainable method of transportation. We support enlarging the railway network in the EU to make public transport more accessible and affordable to people in all regions. We want to assist regional and local authorities to increase green and affordable transport by exploring free travel for the young, elderly, and low-income families. More about this party, their programme & national members
Rail as the most environmentally friendly and accessible means of transport should be a priority in all EU countries. Public transport is an essential service for commuting to work and school. We advocate an integrated, local rail network, not just high-speed trains. More about this party, their programme & national members
This European political party did not provide a response. More about this party, their programme & national members
This European political party did not provide a response. More about this party, their programme & national members
This European political party did not provide a response. More about this party, their programme & national members
The answers by political actors are automatically translated and may contain mistakes.You can find the original, English version here.
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About EurHope
EurHope has the goal to activate young Europeans ahead of the European elections. At the core stands the Agenda of Hope, which was established on the basis of a participatory engagement campaign in 2023.
EurHope is co-lead by JEF Europe & Make.org and supported by more than 50 organisations from all over Europe (including European institutions).
