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Back on Track Belgium vzw-asbl

BoT

The asbl aims to promote the return of night trains in Europe and encourage cross-border train connections.

Lobbying Activity

Response to Connecting Europe through high-speed rail

8 May 2025

Feedback on behalf of Back-on-Track Europe: Back on Track Europe is delighted that the EU Commission aims to redevelop international train travel to help decarbonise passenger transport. However, to achieve the goals of this initiative, we recommend not focusing exclusively on high-speed rail (HSR), as HSR tracks are significantly more expensive and HSR rolling stock is often less flexible for cross-border operations compared to locomotive-hauled trains. HSR trains may seem like the logical choice, as they can compete with air travel and typically do not require subsidies. However, this experience does not easily translate to longer distances, less densely populated areas, or cross-border operations. We share the Commissions concern that gaps in the high-speed network should be closed and that the TEN-T corridors must be accelerated, particularly in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, older, disused, or underused international corridors should also be revived. We also recommend acknowledging in the communication strategy that experiences with high-speed networks have been mixed. Exclusive reliance on high-speed rail has led to the emergence of "train deserts" in more peripheral regions and has caused the disappearance of affordable, conventional national and international train services. In particular, we urge the inclusion of a communication strategy for night trainspotentially faster night trains that could use parts of the high-speed network. High-speed services can only replace night trains if they can run at maximum speed throughout the entire route, which would require an extremely dense and expensive network. By contrast, night trains require minimal infrastructure investmentjust more favourable operating conditions, a level playing field with aviation in terms of taxation, and the reintroduction of a go-everywhere technical standard to replace the RIC, enabling new investment in rolling stock. For these reasons, we recommend that any communication on high-speed routes be framed within a comprehensive plan for long-distance rail travel. This should include high-speed trains, conventional EuroCity-style services, and night trains, forming a fine-meshed network serving all of Europeachievable much more quickly than by focusing on HSR alone.
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Response to Revision of the specifications for EU-wide Multimodal Travel Information Services (Delegated Regulation 2017/1926)

28 Jun 2023

Back on Track Belgium, the travellers' association dedicated to night trains and classic international long-haul trains think this proposal is a step in the right direction, but far too small a step. We want nothing less than integrated tickets from any place in Europe to any destination, nothing less than that. This proposal lacks ambition. We endorse Allrail's criticism on this point. En plus, data should be made open source available, at least for scientific goals.
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Response to 2040 Climate Target Plan

23 Jun 2023

Back on Track Belgium vzw-asbl welcomes the ambitions but hope the persistant described and we hope that everything will be done to limit climate effects for current and future generations. More concrete, a true level playing field needs te be created and not just 'let it to the market' policy. If unconditional support is given to all more polluting modes, rail need to be granted the same. Above all, no support should be given without conditions forced by penalties. Rail is the greenest mode of motorised transport but is unfairly burdened by taxation and other charges in comparison with other modes. All modes of transport should either be taxed equally or according to their external costs on the polluter pays principle, as first outlined by the European Commission in its 1995 Green Paper Towards Fair and Efficient Pricing in Transport, but without subsequent action. The document in the annex describes the demands toward the EU Institutions.
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Response to Creation of the Common European Mobility Data Space

7 Dec 2022

We value the creation of a database of European mobility. It needs be to be open data to enhance innovations. It's important all transporters are obliged to participate to have a level playing field and to have integration made possible. Also every level of governement, organisation needs to be asked to give input, as small it is. Sectors as night train carriers need to be encouraged to participate. Governement levels need to look at the data. The data needs be accesible in an easy-access online module and standard open source formats. Partnerships extra-EU need to enrich it all even more.
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Response to Amendment of the Aviation Guidelines with respect to the specific provisions on operating aid to airports

21 Jul 2022

Back on Track Belgium vzw asbl is a NGO that promotes initiatives in support of international long-distance trains, especially night trains from and to Brussels as night train hub. It's widely known from studies that in Europe regional airports, many of which are small, live of traffic to tourist destinations that can be reached by night trains. Just as Oostende Bruges, Deurne, Kortrijk Wevelgem these airport infrastructures are located in rural areas, requiring very long transfer times and (almost none) sustainable transport from and to. There are often little or no connections with local public transport or the rail network. The air traffic generated by these airports has a very negative effect on the quality of life of the people living nearby and on the environment. Therefore, prolonging a funding measure without a proper evaluation of the past and vision of the future is unfair and incongruous with the savings policies adopted by the European Union, and is contrary to the goal of ecological transition. We are aware that there may be skilled jobs at risk but the challenge, in our opinion, is to make the renewal of funding conditional on two conditions: 1) the presentation of a plan for the gradual green conversion of the most loss-making or small regional airports, giving priority to night train connections where possible, and 2) the creation of partnerships with railway companies so that the train is complementary to air travel, perhaps to cover at least part of the journey. An example of this situation is represented by Flanders, having three local airports in Ostend, Kortrijk and Antwerp (Deurne) and this at some kilometers of each other. These airports offer flights to the North of Spain, Austria, London or southern France. Those are destinations easily reachable by train, both by high speed but to be more sustainable by night train. With cheap(er), subsidised via artificial low(er), operating costs at regional airports, low cost flights make it impossible to reach enough clients to get proper out of costs. This is also the exact opposite of the level playing field the Commission always wishes (to reach). Air travel already benefits from tax benefits such as 0% VAT on ticket sales and tax-less kerosine. Air travel that is commercially non-viable despite these obvious advantages should stop beeing subsidised. A good part of the skilled workforce currently employed in loss-making regional air traffic could be redeployed in railway companies, offering workers a real opportunity for training and professional valorisation. There are examples of this kind in Italy, Switzerland, France... We also have serious thoughts about how easily extending support to non environmentally friendly matches widely communicated packages as the Green Deal, Fitfor55,.... Back on Track Belgium supports also what has been proposed in the various contributions and amendments to "Action plan to boost long distance and cross border passenger rail" that will be discussed at European parlament. Here we summarise what this initiative envisages in points improved rules of funding for night train rolling stock Interoperability standards for (night) train rolling stock track access charges at marginal cost VAT reduction to 0% for international train tickets Ensure international and overnight trains find space in harmonised capacity management plans speed up and enlarge capacity of TEN-T Routes by 2030 Speed up the roll out of ERTCS Harmonise train conductor and driver requirements Design of a European-wide long-distance train network by a public entity and tender for PSO's to ensure that no place in Europe is left out on long-distance trains. Therefore we can not agree on non conditional prolongation without sustainable impact on sustainable environment, jobs, neigbourhoods
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