White Paper on Rail Transport for International Tourism in Europe

The European Travel Commission (ETC) has joined forces with Eurail to present a White Paper on Rail Transport for International Tourism in Europe defining sustainable growth models that accelerate the transformation to a sustainable, digital and innovative tourism sector in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis.

This white paper presents possible growth models where rail transport becomes pivotal for international travel in Europe, reducing the environmental footprint of tourism and preventing a return to situations of overcrowded destinations. For this vision to become reality, national tourism boards and Eurail call on European Institutions to take action in the following areas:

• Strong political and financial support to promote the benefits of rail travel for leisure purposes among travellers from Europe and overseas, through dedicated educational and promotional campaigns.
• Promote and support sector-wide initiatives lead by railways and national tourism boards to engage all relevant actors across the industry and secure support for joint action.
• Commitment to invest and support railways to enable carriers provide quality transport service that meet the specific needs of leisure travellers at an adequate price that leaves no one behind.
• Promote smart mobility models with railways as integrators for a seamless, sustainable, affordable and accessible mobility for residents and visitors alike.