European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) chief Oana Gherghinescu has called for a radical shift in how Europe builds, funds, and manages its railways, stressing that rail should be functional, standardised, and affordable — not fine art.
Speaking in Copenhagen in Denmark at the Cutting Cost in Rail conference, co-organised by ERA, the Danish Ministry for Transport, DG MOVE, Trafikstyrelsen and Europe’s Rail, Gherghinescu urged the sector to abandon its habit of crafting masterpieces and take a more industrial approach. Denmark currently presides the Council of the European Union.
Rail is special, but should not aim to be fine art, she said, taking aim at Europe’s often bespoke, and thus costly, national rail systems that limit international compatibility and scales of economy.
Fine art comes with unique concepts — rail is a masterpiece when it’s based on full standardisation, she told delegates. In a post shared on LinkedIn after the conference, she expanded on the concept. Fine art is custom-made, and replicas are not welcome — rail should follow an industrial approach, with economies of scale, she wrote. Prices for fine art are huge and increase over time — rail should be more and more affordable for the wide public.
Gherghinescu added that, unlike art locked in private collections or in museums, European rail should cross borders seamlessly, easily, with leaned processes, with no further checks and as a true European Union solution.
Standardisation, harmonisation, and scale
Her call, ultimately, was for a railway built on standardisation, harmonisation, and scale — not on national or supplier-specific customisation. The metaphor builds on themes Gherghinescu has emphasised since taking over ERA’s leadership earlier in the year.
When she assumed the role, she argued that digitalisation, automation, and artificial intelligence are only as good as the data behind them. Her view of innovation is rooted in practicality — grounded in shared data, standardised systems, and long-term stability rather than experimentation for its own sake.
ERTMS, she said in Copenhagen, is the best test case for this approach: Europe’s flagship digital signalling system must be deployed in a harmonised, prioritised, and cost-effective way.
That means tackling fragmentation in implementation across borders, streamlining engineering rules, and curbing the cost inflation caused by repeated redesigns and one-off national variations.
For Gherghinescu, this is as much about mindset as it is about method. Rail should cross borders seamlessly, easily, with leaned processes, she wrote. Achieving that, she concluded, is a challenging journey, which takes courage and joint action from all stakeholders. Much looking forward to this journey together to make European rail a masterpiece — not in the fine art terms.
More on night trains and transcontinental train travel
- Subsidies for night trains? “You cannot fix this until someone builds more sleeper and couchette carriages”.
- European Sleeper to operate Paris – Brussels – Berlin night train route from March 2026.
- Leo Express and Arenaways plan direct train between Prague and Venice.
- Italo targets the German high-speed rail market.
- Trenitalia eyes expansion into Germany’s high-speed trains market.
- European Commission wants to link all EU capitals by high-speed train by 2040… and that’s not going to happen.
- Travellers in Europe increasingly open to choosing trains over planes for short-haul journeys.
- SBB CFF FFS announce night train to Malmö from April 2026.
- REVIEW | European Sleeper night train.
- Paris Nightjet axed: France’s withdrawal threatens Europe’s night train revival.
- TRAIN TRAVEL | European Union records 429 billion passenger-kilometres in 2023 but domestic travel still dominates.
- 2026 | Deutsche Bahn plans 4 ICE’s per day between Cologne and Antwerp and 16 per day between Frankfurt and Brussels.
- France opens rail network up for new domestic night train operator under new EU rules.
- Back-on-Track Europe warns the ‘night train revival’ is a false dawn.
- Iron Rhine gets renewed political attention in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
- Spain’s Renfe sends Talgo VI rolling stock to Leo Express in Czechia and Slovakia.
- Leo Express: Bratislava – Ostend night train not a firm commitment.
- NMBS / SNCB sees popularity increase of international train travel.
- ÖBB prioritises Railjet over Nightjet: Is the night train revival a False Dawn?.
- Deutsche Bahn’s Antwerp – Brussels Airport – Leuven – Cologne ICE aims to attract tourists and Port of Antwerp-related business.
- VIDEO | Berlin start-up Nox to launch night trains with entirely private rooms from 2027.
- EUROPEAN SLEEPER | Brussels to Barcelona night train to stop in Avignon, Montpellier, Narbonne, and Girona.
- Trenitalia, Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB launch Frecciarossa EuroCity trains linking Berlin, Munich, Milan, Rome and Naples.
- The end of the Brussels – Berlin ÖBB Nightjet.
- Dutch budget train GoVolta postponed after not getting funds.
- Eurostar scraps direct Amsterdam – Brussels – Marseille summer train service.
- European Commission commits to single-ticket train travel, Back-on-Track unconvinced it will happen.
- Switzerland, Czechia and Belgium top railway network density in Europe.
- SNCF Réseau confirms feasibility European Sleeper night train linking the Netherlands, Belgium, France to Barcelona in Spain.
- European Sleeper night train service from the Netherlands and Belgium to Barcelona now delayed to 2027.
- EU train travel report sees increase in cross-border passenger trains and easier bookings.
- Brussels to Luxembourg by train under 2 hours by 2030?.
- Eurostar and five more train operators joined the European Agreement on Journey Continuation.
- ÖBB’s new Nightjet sleeper cars accommodate solo travellers with Mini Cabins.
- Trenitalia orders new Hitachi Frecciarossa trains suited for France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
- EUROCITY EC-8 | Basel to Cologne in SBB’s Panoramic Car.
- Trenitalia / FS confirms interest in connecting Spain to Brussels, Amsterdam and Berlin.
- Sampling NS’ new train and future Benelux rolling stock ICNG.
- REVIEW | Trenitalia Frecciarossa 1000 Paris – Milan in Business Executive.
- RAIL TOUR OF EUROPE | How easy is touring Europe by train?.
- Eight train connections between the Netherlands and Belgium by 2030?.
- REVIEW | ÖBB Nightjet Amsterdam – Zurich night train.
- Nightjet Vienna/Innsbruck to Brussels, or how we got thrown off the train in Aachen.
- Why the expensive ÖBB Nightjet is really not that expensive.
- Reliving the era of the great railway journeys, travelling overnight on Nightjet.
- How we plan a big rail trip.
- Ticket Distribution: the failure of railways to sell themselves.
- To use night trains in Portugal and Spain or not?.
- Night trains in Europe.
- Low-cost, long-haul trains to conquer Europe?.
- Fly now before it’s taxed and consider using the train instead.
Channel Tunnel updates
- CHANNEL TUNNEL | Virgin Trains gains access to Temple Mills, ORR snubs links to Germany and Switzerland.
- Eurostar unveils €2 billion Alstom ‘Celestia’ fleet of double-decker sustainable trains.
- Channel Tunnel competition plans hinge on depot access as Gemini Trains reveals Siemens–Uber partnership.
- Gemini Trains partners with Uber for Stratford to France Channel Tunnel route.
- CHANNEL TUNNEL | UK and Germany renew London-Berlin vows, Virgin Trains promise Alstom Avelia Stream train sets.
- 2025 | The Channel Tunnel prepares for more trains, more competition and new destinations.
- United Kingdom and Germany are aiming for a direct London – Berlin train link.
- Eurostar and St. Pancras Highspeed back major station expansion to double capacity amid growing international demand.
- EUROSTAR | London – Frankfurt, London – Geneva and Amsterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Geneva from 2030?.
- Alstom wants its double-decker trains to ride through Channel Tunnel.
- CHANNEL TUNNEL | Uber Trains-branded Gemini Trains plan London-Brussels and London-Paris route via Stratford.
- London to Switzerland direct train moves a little closer with new bilateral agreement.
- Eurostar calls for UK national strategy and investment to shape future of Channel Tunnel Rail and promises 50 new trains.
- Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) plan to launch a new high-speed link between London and Paris.
- London St. Pancras Highspeed pledges financial support for cross-Channel rail services.
- Competition for Eurostar? Temple Mills International Depot has space for competitor’s trains.
- London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink aspire to to triple train services to France, Belgium and the Netherlands and add services to Germany and Switzerland.
- Heuro wants to operate high speeds trains between Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Paris and London from 2028.
The Dutch–Belgian cooperative European Sleeper has postponed the launch of its new Brussels–Cologne–Zurich–Milan night train to 9 September 2026, instead of the previously announced 18…
The Dutch–Belgian cooperative European Sleeper has postponed the launch of its new Brussels–Cologne–Zurich–Milan night train to 9 September 2026, instead of the previously announced 18…
When President Emmanuel Macron announced a major renaissance of night trains in 2020, the ambition was clear: by 2030 France should operate a dense network…
When President Emmanuel Macron announced a major renaissance of night trains in 2020, the ambition was clear: by 2030 France should operate a dense network…
Deutsche Bahn has published a press release on Wednesday 4 March 2026 regarding its plans for Belgium coming summer. It confirms this post of 1…
Deutsche Bahn has published a press release on Wednesday 4 March 2026 regarding its plans for Belgium coming summer. It confirms this post of 1…
After two years of planning and delays, GoVolta is set to launch its first international train services on Thursday 19 March 2026, connecting Amsterdam in…
Starting with the very first departure on 26 March, European Sleeper‘s Paris-Brussels-Berlin night train will also call at Aulnoye-Aymeries, Mons, and Liège-Guillemins. Paris-North, Aulnoye-Aymeries, Mons,…
A week before the planned launch of GoVolta’s new international rail service from Amsterdam, Dutch rail operator Train Charter Services (TCS) has been confirmed as…
On 12 November 2025, the European Commission presented a new fact-finding study assessing the current state of the European hyperloop sector and exploring possible avenues…
A sleek, deep-blue train gliding across Europe at 400 km/h. Passengers board in Helsinki and arrive in Berlin just three hours later. Freight bypasses congested…
Italian state-backed Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS or FS Group) is accelerating its expansion into Europe’s high-speed rail market, confirming plans for a major maintenance…
Italian state-backed Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS or FS Group) is accelerating its expansion into Europe’s high-speed rail market, confirming plans for a major maintenance…
August 2025. We’re travelling to the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and more specifically their respective capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Are they interconnected…
August 2025. We’re travelling to the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and more specifically their respective capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Are they interconnected…
In the Netherlands, passenger association Rover has responded positively to the proposed 2027 timetable by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), but is urging several improvements, including the…
European night train operator European Sleeper is aiming to build a vast network of overnight rail services across Europe, with plans for up to 40…
GoVolta has announced that it has secured a “more favourable than expected” timetable for its new train service between Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Paris…
There will be no Arriva train from Groningen in the north of the Netherlands or Amsterdam in Holland, via Antwerp in Belgium, to Paris in…
November and December 2017. During my solo trip to Taiwan – the vacation which was a catalyst to start Trip By Trip – I met…
Eurostar passengers at London St Pancras International in the United Kingdom could soon be allowed to arrive much closer to departure time, as plans are…
Eurostar passengers at London St Pancras International in the United Kingdom could soon be allowed to arrive much closer to departure time, as plans are…
A (new) overnight train service connecting the Netherlands and Belgium to the French Alps will begin operating this winter, offering skiers and snowboarders a sustainable…
A (new) overnight train service connecting the Netherlands and Belgium to the French Alps will begin operating this winter, offering skiers and snowboarders a sustainable…
Two recent analyses, one by independent rail commentator Jon Worth, the other by Nico Callens on the website Duurzaam Mobiel (Sustainably Mobile) have debated the…
ational transport authority, Trafikverket, signed a landmark €756 million contract with Spanish manufacturer Talgo on 20 April 2026, securing a new fleet of modern night…
Sweden’s national transport authority, Trafikverket, signed a landmark €756 million contract with Spanish manufacturer Talgo on 20 April 2026, securing a new fleet of modern…
Nox Mobility, a Berlin-based startup, has secured €2 million in pre-seed funding to develop a new generation of overnight rail services featuring fully private rooms.…
Nox Mobility, a Berlin-based startup, has secured €2 million in pre-seed funding to develop a new generation of overnight rail services featuring fully private rooms.…
Spain‘s state-owned operator Renfe has introduced its Talgo VI rolling stock in Central Europe, enabling its subsidiary Leo Express to launch new international services between…
enabling its subsidiary Leo Express to launch new international services between Czechia and Slovakia. The trains, which have now received authorisation to operate on both…