The EU's High-Speed Rail Dream: Or Just Another Bureaucratic Boondoggle?
So, the European Commission wants to build high-speed rail lines connecting all the major capitals by 2040. Bucharest to Budapest in just over six hours? Sofia to Athens in six? Sounds fantastic, right? Except, give me a break. They expect us to believe this nonsense, and honestly... I'll believe it when I see it.
First off, 2040? Seriously? That's like promising flying cars by then. We're talking about governments and infrastructure projects here. Anyone who's ever dealt with either knows that timelines are basically fairy tales. Remember that bridge they were supposed to finish in '08? Yeah, still waiting on that one.
And what's with the "at least 200 kilometers per hour" bit? That's, like, barely faster than some existing trains. High-speed? More like "slightly less slow." My grandma drives faster than that on the interstate.
The Greenwashing Express
Oh, but it's all about "reducing environmental pollution" by replacing short-distance flights. Right. Because building massive rail lines, tearing up landscapes, and pouring tons of concrete is totally eco-friendly. It's called greenwashing, people. They want to look good while probably making things worse. The real goal? Probably just enriching some construction companies. Follow the money, as always.
And the claim that the modifications would lead to traffic decongestion and the expansion of military mobility opportunities? Please. Military mobility? Are they expecting a land war across Europe? What is this, 1940?
Speaking of money, they're allocating "nearly EUR 3 billion for the development of ‘clean’ aviation fuel by 2027." Three billion? That's a rounding error in the grand scheme of things. They expect that to make a dent? It's like trying to put out a forest fire with a water pistol. And 100 billion by 2035? Still seems low. I mean, have they seen the price of jet fuel?
Second-Hand Trains and Broken Promises
Then there's the plan to develop a second-hand market for rolling stock. Wait, what? So, instead of building new, efficient trains, they're going to pawn off the old junk? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. “Measures to ban anticompetitive scrapping of functioning and safe rolling stock, and to establish transparent conditions for its resale and operation across all Member States.” Anticompettive scrapping? What does even that mean?
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, says, "High-speed rail is not just about cutting travel times; it is about uniting Europeans, strengthening our economy, and leading the global race for sustainable transport." Translation: "We're going to spend a ton of your money, and maybe, just maybe, something good will come of it. But probably not."
You know what else is uniting Europeans? Cheaper flights. And Ryanair. But no, let's spend billions on a project that might not even be finished in my lifetime.
I'm all for better infrastructure, offcourse. But let's be real: this whole thing smells like another bureaucratic nightmare waiting to happen. Endless delays, cost overruns, and ultimately, a system that's probably not much better than what we have now. Then again, maybe I'm the crazy one here. Maybe it'll all work out perfectly. But I'm not holding my breath.
