Investments in rail lines and stations are considered a national priority by one-third of respondents to a survey conducted in 29 countries. Rail is second only to water supply and housing construction, and the pressure for modernization is particularly high in several European countries.

Railways have become one of the top infrastructure priorities for people in many countries, amid dissatisfaction with the reliability of services and demand for faster, less polluting transportation alternatives.

This finding appears in the Global Infrastructure Index 2026, a survey conducted by the research firm Ipsos with the support of the Global Infrastructure Investor Association (GIIA), an organization representing infrastructure investors and consultants.

Across the 29 countries analyzed, investment in rail infrastructure ranked third among national priorities, after water supply and new housing construction.

Approximately one-third of respondents identified rail lines and stations as the area that should receive priority investment.

Interest in railway modernization is particularly high in Europe.

In Hungary, 64% of respondents identified railway infrastructure as a national priority. The percentage reaches 63% in Sweden and 58% in Spain.

Railways also rank highly in national surveys across major European economies. In Germany, it is the public’s second-highest infrastructure priority; in the United Kingdom, it ranks third; and in France, fourth.

The results indicate growing pressure on governments to modernize networks, reduce delays, and improve connections between cities and regions.

The survey specifically asked about infrastructure consisting of rail lines and stations, not about the quality of trains or the performance of operators.

Perceptions shift when respondents are asked what investments should be made in the area where they live.

At the national level, rail is cited as a priority by about one in three participants. For local investments, that proportion drops to about one in four.

This difference can be explained by the fact that major rail projects—including high-speed lines and cross-border corridors—are perceived more as national investments than as solutions to a community’s immediate problems.

When it comes to local projects, people may place greater importance on roads, urban transportation, housing, water supply, or other services they use on a daily basis.

Alberto Mazzola, executive director of the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), argues that public interest in rail must be translated into concrete investments.

According to data cited by the organization, three out of four Europeans would use the train for long-distance travel if a suitable high-speed connection were available.

“It is important to respond to this demand by investing in network maintenance to ensure safe and punctual travel, by optimizing the network with digital technologies, and by expanding it with new and high-speed lines,” Mazzola said.

The CER believes that network development must combine three approaches: maintaining existing infrastructure, digitizing operations, and building new connections to better link the continent.

Completing the Trans-European Transport Network TEN-T by 2040 would require investments estimated at approximately EUR 345 billion.

According to the GIIA, European public instruments, funding provided through the Connecting Europe Facility and InvestEU, as well as loans from the European Investment Bank, have secured commitments totaling approximately EUR 140 billion since 2016.

This leaves a significant funding gap at a time when project costs are rising and many countries must simultaneously invest in maintaining existing networks and building new lines.

The GIIA argues that a larger portion of the shortfall could be covered by private capital, provided that the European Union and national governments create regulations and projects that are sufficiently attractive to investors.

Although the survey focuses on lines and stations, the GIIA points out that rolling stock is currently one of the main entry points for private investment in the rail sector.

Trains and locomotives can be leased to multiple operators, moved between corridors or networks, and financed separately from the revenues of a single infrastructure project.

In contrast, investments in lines, depots, power substations, or maintenance centers are tied to fixed locations, long payback periods, and more complex national regulations.

The investors’ association has called on the European Commission to more clearly include rolling stock financing in the strategy dedicated to the development of the European high-speed network.

“The public is saying that rail investments must become a priority, and Europe’s high-speed ambitions can deliver the needed improvements—but only if funding keeps pace,” said Jon Phillips, executive director of the GIIA.

The survey was conducted online by Ipsos in April and May 2026 and included 21,521 adults from 29 countries. In countries such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan, approximately 1,000 people were interviewed. In other markets, including Hungary, Poland, Sweden, and Ireland, the samples consisted of approximately 500 respondents. The results were weighted to reflect the demographic profile of each country. However, the global average presented in the study represents the average of the 29 markets analyzed and is not adjusted for the population of each country.