SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 11:00 AM
Today, the Connecting Europe Express, which was launched as part of the European Year of Rail, arrived at Ljubljana railway station, after departing from the Lisbon train station earlier this month. In the presence of the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, the Minister of Infrastructure, Jernej Vrtovec, addressed the passengers and all those gathered.
As Minister Vrtovec pointed out in his address, in the past the train brought rapid economic development and connected people. Even today, supporting the economy and connecting people remain the core objectives of rail transport.
The railway has been a driving force of development in history, so why not again? With all the investment and modernisation of the railway infrastructure, we can once again make rail transport a driving force of development, restore its popularity and become the preferred choice that is simply the most economic. In Slovenia, we have been urging people to use rail transport for many years. However, to be successful in these endeavours, it is necessary to offer a service that is worth choosing.
Jernej VrtovecMinister of Infrastructure
He believes that that people must be offered safe, efficient and rapid trains. By doing so, we can improve living standards and take care of the common good, as high-quality rail transport is of crucial importance for society, the economy and the environment.
“Slovenia must join the passenger rail corridors that are being created within the European Union. If we are to respond to the need to reduce greenhouse gases, this vision will have to be realised. Railway is the future and the backbone of sustainable transport regulation. Historically, it has been important for freight transport and in consequence, the economy, but today it is also crucial from an environmental point of view. High-quality infrastructure will place the railway at the heart of transport decarbonisation, thus helping us, as a country, to achieve our goals of a green future and develop our economy,” said Minister of Infrastructure Vrtovec.
This autumn, the Connecting Europe Express, as a European Commission special project, is travelling across the European Union, highlighting the role of the railway as a driving force of sustainable mobility, economic development and European identity. The European connecting train will travel through as many as 26 countries and stop in more than 100 cities, including in Ljubljana, Celje and Maribor.
Source – Slovenian EU Presidency: https://slovenian-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/news/minister-vrtovec-railway-is-the-future-and-the-backbone-of-sustainable-transport-regulation/