A few weeks after volcanic ash grounded flights across Europe leaving passengers stranded, exposing Europe's dependency on air traffic and prompting calls for a better EU rail system, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) continues to plan for the future of rail. Together with Cobaty International, an umbrella organisation for urban development and architecture, the EESC will hold a hearing on the future of railway stations today, Thursday 3 June.    
  
This event, which aims to develop the reflection on the future of railway stations in Europe, is the culmination of five preparatory meetings held by Cobaty International, an international umbrella organisation for organisations involved in urban development, architecture and construction, in Milan (8 June 2007), Geneva (17 January 2008), Warsaw (28 November 2008), Lyon (17 June 2009) and Valencia (February 2010).

The conference in Brussels, organised jointly with the EESC, will analyse in depth the three dimensions of railway stations in Europe: stations and transport, stations and the city and stations and their human and financial organisation.