The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) policy is a major initiative by the European Union aimed at creating an interconnected, efficient, and high-quality transport infrastructure across Europe. The primary objectives of TEN-T include ensuring smooth and efficient movement of people and goods, boosting trade and economic development by linking urban areas, ports, airports, and terminals, strengthening economic, social, and territorial unity across the EU, reducing the environmental and climate impact of transportation, and enhancing the safety and resilience of the transport network.
To ensure reliability and performance, the TEN-T infrastructure requirements promote efficient and reliable infrastructure throughout the EU. These requirements also support sustainability by encouraging low-emission and sustainable transport options and promoting the use of digital technology and multiple forms of transportation. Specific infrastructure requirements include that passenger trains must travel at speeds of at least 160 km/h on core networks by 2040. The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), a unified signaling system, will be deployed to enhance rail safety and efficiency. Major airports must be connected by long-distance rail to reduce the need for short flights. Freight terminals will be expanded to handle longer trains, promoting sustainable transport. Additionally, cities along the TEN-T network must develop plans for zero and low-emission transportation, and recharging and refueling points for alternative fuels like hydrogen will be deployed.
The TEN-T policy is further supported by nine European Transport Corridors, which integrate various transport modes for coordinated infrastructure investment. European Coordinators are appointed to oversee progress and promote the TEN-T policy, ensuring the network’s development and implementation1.
These goals align with the key objectives of the ReMuNet project, which aims to enhance freight transportation by increasing resilience and efficiency through advanced technologies and strategic collaboration. Two specific TEN-T corridors, the Rhine-Danube and the North Sea-Baltic, have been chosen to pilot the ReMuNet solution at a later stage.
TEN-T Corridor Rhine-Danube
The Rhine-Danube Corridor is a vital east-west route across Continental Europe. It follows the Danube River and connects Strasbourg and Southern Germany with key Central European cities like Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest. It continues through Bucharest in Romania and ends at the Black Sea port of Constanta. Another branch links Frankfurt to the Slovakian/Ukrainian border, passing through cities such as Munich, Prague, Zilina, and Kosice. Countries linked by this corridor include France, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, and it also touches non-EU countries like Switzerland, Ukraine, Serbia, and Bosnia.
This corridor features 4,488 kilometers of roads that connect the capitals of all member states along its path, with plans to upgrade all these roads to motorways by 2030. It also has a 5,715-kilometer rail network, 91% of which is electrified. The inland waterway network within this corridor covers approximately 2,400 kilometers along the Danube, and when combined with other rivers like the Rhine, Main, and Sava, totals 3,650 kilometers. This network is linked to 19 inland ports.
TEN-T Corridor North Sea-Baltic
The North Sea-Baltic Corridor is a crucial connection for northern European countries, linking the northwest and northeast of Europe. This corridor includes a 4,092-kilometer road network that connects the capitals of member states along its route. It was extended in 2021 to cover 6,934 kilometers, stretching from Finland and northern Sweden through Poland to the borders of Ukraine.
The railway network in this corridor is 8,828 kilometers long, but some sections in the Baltic member states are not electrified and have different track gauges. Additionally, the 2,839-kilometer inland waterway network connects the North Sea ports of northern France, the Netherlands, and Germany with Berlin.
By focusing on these corridors, the ReMuNet project aims to pilot solutions that will improve multimodal freight transportation and enhance the economic and environmental sustainability of freight transport in Europe. Through real-time monitoring, adaptive route planning, and enhanced coordination among stakeholders, ReMuNet seeks to mitigate the impact of disruptions and ensure a resilient and efficient transport network across these key European corridors.
Funded by the European Union under GA number 101104072. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.