European rail projects secured 77% of the EUR 2.8 billion in EU grants under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), amounting to EUR 2.15 billion. Once again, rail received the largest share of co-financing compared to other modes of transport. The grant agreements are expected to be finalised by October 2025.
Under the 2024 CEF Transport proposals, 94 transport projects have been selected from a total of 258 applications that requested an oversubscription in co-funding.
The co-financing will be directed towards major infrastructure upgrades across the TEN-T core and extended networks, particularly in cohesion countries. This includes the construction of Rail Baltica in the Baltic region and Poland, and improvements in Greece and Slovakia. High-speed rail lines will also be developed in the Czechia and Poland.
On short, European rail projects that won major co-financing are:
Rail Baltica: EUR 295.5 million for construction and technical implementation activities in the three Baltic countries;
Czechia: EUR 294.8 million for Brno – Přerov rail modernisation specifically to double the Nezamyslice – Kojetín section;
Poland: EUR 294 million for the improvement of Knyszyn – Osowiec rail, the future connection of Rail Baltica in Poland;
Greece: EUR 277.2 million to upgrade and double the Alexandroupoli – Pythio single track line;
Slovenia: EUR 153.85 million for Divača – Koper second track project.
The EU is building on its efforts to strengthen the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, with projects to improve rail connectivity and border crossing points between Slovakia and Ukraine, and between Romania and Moldova. EU support will help Ukraine adopt the standard EU railway gauge, facilitating seamless cross-border rail traffic and boosting regional trade.
In addition, 32 projects in 11 Member States – including Austria, Germany, Italy and Poland – will implement the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) on trains and tracks, improving rail safety and interoperability across borders.
More than EUR 432 million is the total value for the ERTMS projects, of which EUR 241 million for onboard projects and EUR 191.5 million for ERTMS trackside projects.
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