The Connecting Europe Express will make a stop in Bucharest

To encourage the use of sustainable infrastructure and train travel

The Connecting Europe Express, a train that will travel across Europe to promote the benefits of rail travelling during the European Year of Rail 2021, will make a stop in Bucharest in September, according to CFR Călători, the state-owned railway operator.

The Connecting Europe Express will stop in most European capitals, with local events and activities planned in accordance with local Covid-19 measures.

To promote sustainable infrastructure and travelling by train

The project also aims to raise awareness about the importance of funding sustainable infrastructures, such as rail, as well as EU support for such investments - such as the 33.7 billion euros for the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Managers (CER) is in charge of the project, which will be carried out in collaboration with European rail operators and infrastructure managers. Railway companies from various EU countries have gathered to configure this train.

“The Connecting Europe Express will be a real, tangible example of the power of rail to connect. At each of the almost 40 stops, events will bring together the rail sector at large, as well as civil society organizations, local and regional authorities, and the wider public, to discuss the benefits of rail, as well as what still has to be done so that rail can become the number one option for passengers and business,” said EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean.

The train will begin its journey in Lisbon and end it in Paris, and all stops along the route will hold a certain meaning. The European Commission is working with EU and national partners to find ways to promote the use of rail for both people and enterprises, as well as to contribute to the EU Green Deal goal of being climate-neutral by 2050.