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Marc, Based on the information you provided, several thoughts come to mind. [quote]The longest train ride in the Netherlands is 4 hours I think, 5 max.[/quote] Can I assume that passenger operations occur mostly during daylight hours, e.g. no overnight passenger operations?  If so, then the extra capacity needed to be able to bid out slots for cross border freights would be available at night.  The key here is if intercontinental freights in and out of the Netherlands can achieve their objectives by utilizing Dutch tracks at night and the German, et al, tracks during daylight hours.  Otherwise, if the situation is the same thoughout Europe regarding passenger train saturation during daylight hours, freights would be parked during daylight hours until the tracks cleared after twilight. As I mentioned before, daylight operations of freights over passenger dominated tracks is tricky, but can be done if the freights can be squeezed in as second sections of passenger trains between terminals.  Waiting time in sidings for opposing traffic would increase slightly, but not to any dramatic effect. The other factor is in the cultural expectations most European citizens expect of their passenger rail system.  You could take all the passenger trains currently operating in Europe and bid them all out for privatization/tax revenue.  The problem is that the spector of massive disruption of people's daily routines may be too much, in that the gain in tax revenue from taxing the highest privatized bidder would be offset by the social disruption that might ensue.  Freight can handle such disruptions, passengers cannot. To sum up, I envision slot bidding for freights as workable, but for current passenger operations potentially disruptive.
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