Press release 12 nov 2017:
Groups from many countries gathered this weekend in Perpignan, France to coordinate campaigning in favour of the night train network of Europe. Participants from climate groups, passengers federations, labor unions and other citizens groups agreed on activities for the coming year.
- Night Trains are climate friendly alternatives to airplanes and important for international tourism and regional development. Night trains should be modernized – not closed down, says Claire Brun from Oui au train de nuit, in France
The French national railroad company SNCF and the French government plan to close down the important night connection Paris-Nice from december, 9 this year. Resistance has been growing the last months with protests in stations, petitions, meetings with the new government and much more.
At the meeting in Perpignan it was decided to launch an international email action campaign towards the French government.
- The Paris-Nice line is important not only for France but also for international travellers and tourists to the Mediterranean sea. It is a scandal if Macron closes down such an essential night train connection, says Poul Kattler from Denmark, spokesperson for the international network Back on track.
>> Support the Paris – Nice train with your e-mail
The network will continue its work with a meeting in January in the European Parliament in Brussels. At this meeting the Austrian rail company ÖBB will speak about their success with a modern night train system not only in Austria but also in Germany and other countries.
- These trains are full with passangers and ÖBB runs them with profit and plans to expand their network. This shows that night trains is an opportunity for today and for the future, says Joachim Holstein, a long time staff member and former speaker of the employees organisations at Deutsche Bahn European Railservice.
A European-wide week of action is planned for 7-15 of April 2018 to inform about the advantages of night trains and to put pressure on the EU and national parliaments.
- We hope that active citizens in many countries will organize and participate in local actions in favour of investment plans for modern night trains. They are twenty times more climate friendly than airplanes, says Lars Igeland from Friends of the Earth Sweden.
Questions can be made to
Poul Kattler +45 26177223
Claire Brun + 33 6 37231775