The development of a new travel system for Europe, which was initially expected to be up and running by 2020, has been delayed again to 2025.
The goal of the system is to make it easier for travelers to move around the continent by creating a single set of tickets, fares, and travel documents for rail, air, and road transportation.
This project, known as the European Interoperable Transport Network (EITN), is an ambitious endeavor that will link all 27 European Union countries together. It is being spearheaded by a consortium of companies led by Alstom, an international rail engineering firm.
The project has hit a number of snags in the past few years, most recently due to COVID-19. In March, the European Commission warned that the pandemic would delay the project, as large parts of the European economy came to a standstill.
Now, the European Commission has announced that the project will not be fully ready until 2025. The total cost of the project is now estimated to be €14.5 billion.
Despite this setback, many remain optimistic that the project will eventually be a success. Supporters say that the EITN will make it easier and cheaper for people to travel across the continent, as well as boost the continent’s economy by providing an easier way for goods and services to move around Europe.
