UN Convention has developed a new international agreement, called the ‘Facilitation of Border Crossing Procedures for Passengers, Luggage and Load-Luggage carried in international Traffic by Rail’, based on current realities of East-West rail passenger traffic, helping border-crossings rail services.
“To address transport holistically as required by the 2030 Agenda, we need to harness the potential of all forms of mobility, including rail. As the home of the United Nations inland transport legal instruments, UNECE is proud to host this new Convention, which will make the life of millions of passengers easier. This in turn will further support efforts for improved regional connectivity and efficient, green and sustainable transport,” UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova said.
The Convention aims to engage countries in Asia and Europe in the implementation of new railway projects along the regions’ main transport corridors.
Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Turkey have already expressed their intention to start internal procedures to formally accede to the Convention in the near future. The Convention requires 5 signatories to enter into force.
By implementing new projects and measures, the technical and administrative limitations will be reduced, the customs procedures and border controls will be faster, which will reduce travel time at the border-crossings and will develop the international railway transport services.
In 2016, the global passenger rail travel reached over 3,731 billion passenger km. currently, Europe and Asia accounts for 97% of all passenger rail traffic. The UNECE Euro-Asian region registered a 3.3% increase from 2010 to 2017 in total passenger km.
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