RAISE-CE (Revitalizing Rural Areas through Integrated Station Enhancements) has officially started its activities, bringing together partners from Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland and Germany. The project aims to improve accessibility in rural and peripheral areas by integrating sustainable mobility services, digital solutions and community-oriented functions within existing station infrastructure.The six pilot stations are located in Edolo (Italy), Primorski Dolac (Croatia), Pivka (Slovenia), Ajka (Hungary), Leżajsk (Poland), Kyritz (Germany).
Each site will test locally tailored solutions to address limited transport connections, service gaps and demographic challenges, while contributing to a shared transnational framework for rural station revitalisation. By combining place-based pilot actions with transnational cooperation, RAISE-CE seeks to transform stations into local anchors for services, social interaction, and economic activity.
The 2-day kick-off (18-19 February) included a site visit to Edolo (Italy), where partners assessed the railway station and its surroundings to establish a concrete baseline for the upcoming implementation phase. Discussions then moved to a working session focused on identifying local needs to align planned actions with regional development objectives.