Interreg

EuregioRail: Together for better mobility

Crossing the border by train quickly, comfortably and sustainably: that is the aim of the EUREGIO, the Province of Overijssel and the Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe in the EuregioRail project.

The EUREGIO is located in the middle of Europe and connects the municipalities, provinces and cities in part of Overijssel and North Rhine-Westphalia. Good accessibility plays an important role for economic development in the networks between Zwolle, Twente, Münster and Dortmund: Just between Münster and Enschede more than 10,000 people travel by train every day – and the numbers have been rising steadily for years. The problem is that for all these travellers, such as commuters, families, students and tourists, the border between the Netherlands and Germany is still really tangible: at Enschede station, all travellers have to change trains and get the right ticket for their onward journey. This is no longer appropriate in this day and age: to create a real alternative to the car for users, the train must be fast, comfortable and easily accessible.

For this reason, EUREGIO, together with the Province of Overijssel and the Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe (NWL), is making efforts to set up a continuous train connection between Münster and Zwolle – under the name EuregioRail.

Fast, comfortable and sustainable travel with EuregioRail

To achieve this, the EuregioRail project focuses on: electrification of the track from Münster to Enschede, so that in the future electric trains can run, which are faster, quieter and produce fewer emissions. On the Dutch section between Zwolle and Enschede, additional tracks will enable a higher frequency, i.e. more trains per day. And at Enschede station, the tracks will be connected so that changing trains is no longer necessary. On the German side, the frequency of trains will also be increased and journey times shortened, both in the direction of Münster and Dortmund. This will also require the extension of the tracks. Finally, efforts are also being made to use battery trains on the Enschede-Dortmund route and to extend this connection to Hengelo.

The result: shorter journey times, more comfort and positive effects on the environment. From 2028 onwards, passengers will benefit from this. The railway will thus become a real alternative for the car.

What is the significance of EuregioRail outside the region?

EUREGIO currently has four international train connections. With EuregioRail, the existing connections in the border area will be improved and regions will be better connected through smart new connections. On the German side, the project is integrated in the plans for the Münsterland S-Bahn and Deutschland-Takt, and on the Dutch side EuregioRail contributes to the objectives of the Toekomstbeeld OV 2040. EuregioRail also has a European dimension: the project connects the regions of Amsterdam, Münsterland, Twente and Zwolle with the North Sea-Baltic Corridor of the Trans-European Networks (TEN-T).

EuregioRail is therefore committed to connecting regions, bridging national borders and improving cooperation between Dutch and German institutions for sustainable cross-border transport connections. 

The EuregioRail project is part of the INTERREG Germany-Netherlands programme and is supported by the European Union, the Province of Overijssel, Nahverkehr Westfalen Lippe (NWL) and the Ministry for Economy, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy (MWIDE) of North Rhine-Westphalia. Other co-financiers are Gemeente Enschede, Kreis Coesfeld, Kreis Steinfurt, Kreis Borken, Regio Achterhoek, Regio Twente, Regio Zwolle, Stadt Münster, Stadt Osnabrück, municipality Hengelo and municipality Almelo.