Priority Project 5

 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

COMPLETED

The Betuwe Line is a 160 km long double track rail line which connects the Port of Rotterdam to the Dutch-German border at the level of Zevenaar (Netherlands) and Emmerich (Germany). Dedicated to freight and ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System) equipped, the Betuwe line was inaugurated in June 2007 and can be considered as broadly completed. The Betuwe Line is a component of PP24 (Railway axis Lyon/Genoa-Basel- Duisburg-Rotterdam/Antwerp) and of ERTMS Corridor rail freight corridor A Rotterdam-Genoa.

From an infrastructure point of view, the timely completion and the technically successful entry into service of the Betuwe Line undeniably counts among the success stories of TEN-T policy. The remaining projects have faced no major delay thus far. From an operational point of view, however, the Betuwe route is confronted with the general issue of rail competitiveness against road and, in the case of the Port of Rotterdam, against inland waterways. The further integration of services to customers along Corridor A Rotterdam-Genoa as well as its full equipment with ETCS will nevertheless contribute to strengthen the position of this infrastructure for freight transport carried to and from Rotterdam.