It’s a crazy project (and one that, we admit, makes our eyes glaze over)! A giant metro will link Europe’s capital cities in record time! The aim of this pharaonic project on a continental scale is to promote more environmentally-friendly rail transport. We tell you all about it!
Starline: the first metro system to link Europe’s biggest cities
This immense 22,000 km rail line will serve 39 European cities. You’ll be able to travel to Naples, Athens or Istanbul without taking a plane! For example, the train could run from Helsinki to Berlin in just 5 hours.
The metro, called Starline, will have five lines, all interconnected. And that’s not all! It will be 30% faster than current rail transport, with trains travelling at between 300 and 400 km/h. That’s faster than Japan’s world-renowned Shinkansen train.
As for the carriages, the train does not plan to divide the cars into classes. Instead, it will offer different spaces according to your needs: a quiet zone for those who work, a family zone, etc.
And, of course, trains mean stations! All Starline stations will be equipped with new stations. These stations will be designed as places to live and meet, with restaurants, stores, even museums and concert halls (no less!). In short, everything to make you feel welcome!
When will the metro see the light of day?
You’re dreaming about it, aren’t you? Well, you’ll have to wait until… 2040. As well as making it easier for you to travel around the European continent, the aim is also ecological.
As the 21st Europe group behind the project states:
“A bold transition to high-speed rail could be Europe’s best chance of achieving its net zero emissions targets by 2050 while ensuring that mobility remains both fast and green.”
We can’t wait!