In its white paper on transport issued in 2011, the European Commission set a goal for shifting journeys – both of people and freight – from road to rail. At least half of road freight journeys longer than 300 kilometres should make the modal shift from road to rail, the Commission said. For passengers, the white paper sets a goal of tripling high-speed rail by 2030. The Commission has since sought to make transport funding available for such projects through its Connecting Europe facility.

http://www.politico.eu/article/shifting-journeys-from-road-to-rail/