Malta And Cyprus Are The Only EU Countries Without A Railway System

As rail travel across Europe reaches record levels, Malta continues to debate introducing its own mass transport system to tackle traffic.

Malta and Cyprus remain the only two countries in the European Union without an operational railway system, according to the latest figures published by Eurostat.

The statistics reveal that rail travel across the EU reached a record high in 2025, with 457 billion passenger-kilometres recorded, an increase of 2.6% compared to 2024.

Hungary recorded the highest rail passenger-kilometres per inhabitant at 1,692, followed by France with 1,606 and Austria with 1,588.

Meanwhile, Malta continues to struggle with traffic congestion, increasing vehicle numbers and growing concerns over the amount of time people spend travelling between localities.

The possibility of introducing a railway system has been discussed for years, with both the Labour Party and Nationalist Party presenting different proposals.

In 2021, the Labour government unveiled plans for an underground metro system. However, rising costs and other considerations led to the original proposal being reconsidered.

The government's newer Malta in Motion strategy instead proposes a hybrid rail system combining underground, street-level and elevated sections, with implementation planned over a longer period.

Meanwhile, the PN, led by Alex Borg, proposed an €1.4 billion underground metro line stretching 11.5 kilometres between Malta International Airport and Pembroke, featuring eight stations.

The party pledged that the first line would become operational within five years of taking office, with Borg even promising to resign if the commitment was not delivered.

However, despite years of discussions, studies and political promises, Malta still has no operational railway system.

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