The Current Situation and the Perspectives of High Speed Transport in Eastern Europe

Abstract

Building high-speed transport networks facilitating business links and residential mobility for tourism, cultural and private purposes is essential for closing-up the East European region to the Western world. With the exception of the Visegrád and the Balkan countries there are no signs that an adequate system of high speed railways and motorways harmonising with demands will be built in Eastern Europe in medium-term perspective or even within the next 10–20 years. In the major part of Russia air transport will preserve its dominance but due to the territorial concentration of population in urban areas this service will be limited to fewer destinations. The presence of low-cost airlines is very low yet in CIS states. The present international airlines are very strongly oriented to the west but the role of Far Eastern countries (especially China) will significantly increase in the future.