The term “Horizontal” refers to the project’s broad scope, covering various time horizons from the 2030/2031 timetable to 2039/2040, and the comprehensive nature of the analyses conducted. The Horizontal Timetable is not just a timetable; it includes traffic forecasts, capacity analyses, rolling stock requirements, economic assessments of train routes, new market organisation principles, and guidelines for infrastructure managers on maintenance, upgrades, and traffic management during track closures. 

Railway networks will always require maintenance and investment work, which inevitably limits line capacity. This is true even in countries like Switzerland and the Netherlands, known for their well-established cyclical timetables. The advantage of the Horizontal Timetable is that it will provide clear guidelines for scheduling construction work to minimise disruptions for train operators and, consequently, passengers. For each track closure, priorities can be set based on essential connections, non-negotiable travel times, and the number of trains needed to serve all passengers. The Horizontal Timetable will enable these issues to be addressed, including evaluating the impact of timetable changes. 

While it might seem clear that there is no need for the Ministry of Infrastructure to intervene if we treat commercial and subsidised services as separate systems, the reality is more complex. The entire transport network cannot be viewed in isolation. All train routes are part of a single, intricate transport system, with passengers using both commercial and subsidised services. Commercial trains reduce road congestion by offering efficient connections for business, family visits, and holidays. 

Therefore, it is crucial to plan the entire transport system holistically, especially given the limited network capacity, particularly at railway hubs. Only the transport provider has the tools to forecast passenger flows and analyse capacity utilisation. This enables effective planning of capacity allocation to balance different service segments. Tools like the Passenger Transport Model will help identify train routes that maximise passenger flows while ensuring profitability. 

Additionally, market consultations will be incorporated into the Horizontal Timetable process to ensure the development of commercially viable routes that address passenger needs. This stage aims to prevent the Horizontal Timetable from evolving into a system that, although potentially unviable commercially, relies entirely on subsidies. This approach is consistent with EU regulations on railway infrastructure capacity within the European Union’s single railway area, which require infrastructure managers to strategically plan capacity (strategy, model, plan) and consider preliminary capacity planning when evaluating train routes. 

Yes, it will. Consultations with regional transport authorities are planned to create the optimal coordination between long-distance and regional traffic. It is also essential to define development plans for regional services to ensure sufficient capacity for regional train routes. 

Not at this stage. The analyses focus on identifying “system” connections, which operate year-round on a basic cycle of every 2 hours (or exceptionally every 4 hours on lines with lower forecasted flows). Seasonal and night services typically involve individual trains, which should be scheduled after the daily traffic arrangements. It is not acceptable to have a single long-distance train during the summer while daily commuter trains are scheduled separately. Additionally, increasing capacity compared to the current situation may reduce the number of seasonal trains, as this demand will be accommodated by more frequent “system” trains. 

Yes, it does, in two main ways: 

1. When determining train routes, parameters for rolling stock (such as type, series, weight, and train length) are specified, which influence the calculation of travel times
2. The Horizontal Timetable globally estimates the demand for specific types of rolling stock

These considerations are crucial for: 

1. The Ministry of Infrastructure in organizing tenders for public service trains
2. The infrastructure manager in planning capacity allocation