A PROPOSAL for an ultra-rapid European rail network which would link Ireland to major cities around the continent is being considered.
The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, an EU think-tank, has come up with the project which would serve to help Europe recover from the coronavirus crisis.
The plan would see all EU capital cities connected (sorry London) - via four main railway lines and would run separately from the existing Trans-European Transport Network.
Trains would run at speeds of up to 350km/h and would serve as a viable alternative to air travel to European destinations.
Credit: Vienna Institute for International Economic StudiesDublin would be connected to Paris , while a ferry-based sea link between Cork and Brest would be set up.
The other lines would see:
- Lisbon-Helsinki including a loop around the Baltic Sea meeting in the Ruhr area (red)
- Brussels-Valletta, (blue)
- Berlin-Nicosia, with a ferry-based sea link between Piraeus and Paphos and a loop between Vienna and Sofia (brown)
It's estimated that the cost of such a project would be upwards of €1,100 billion.
