EuroCity - Definition and Overview

EuroCity, abbreviated EC, denotes a train service within the European inter-city rail network. In contrast to trains with the "IC" (InterCity) label, "EC" trains are required to make multilingual announcements and meet certain other standards of interest to international travellers.

During the pre-Schengen era, passport checks were conducted on EC trains while in motion, rather than while parked at a station or requiring the passengers to disembark, as was sometimes the case for non EC trains.

EuroCity is also the intended name of the crossborder town to be created when Tornio, Finland and Haparanda, Sweden are joined together.