Imagine starting your journey in Athens and arriving in Lisbon in just a few hours, traversing the heart of the continent on a train that “flies” across the tracks. This is not a science fiction scenario, but the ambitious “Starline” project presented by the Danish think tank 21st Europe.
The vision is to create a pan-European, ultra-high-speed rail network (400 km/h) that will serve as the ultimate alternative to air travel by 2040. The goal is to connect 424 cities, transforming travel into an iconic experience.
The Network Lines
Starline proposes five main axes to unite Europe:
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Line A: From Naples to Helsinki (via Munich, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Warsaw, Riga, Tallinn).
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Line B: From Lisbon to Kyiv (via Madrid, Bordeaux, Lyon, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Tirana, Athens, Sofia, Bucharest).
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Line C: From Madrid to Istanbul (via Barcelona, Marseille, Lyon, Paris, Luxembourg, Frankfurt, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Sofia).
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Line D: From Dublin to Kyiv (via Liverpool, London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Warsaw, Lviv, Kyiv).
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Line E: From Milan to Oslo (via Zurich, Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo).
Beyond speed, the stakes are environmental. By replacing short-haul flights, the network promises to reduce carbon emissions by up to 95%. In a world seeking sustainable mobility, Starline proposes a new way to truly feel Europe as one, turning travel into the most ecological and charming way to discover the continent.
