Across Europe, travelers seeking sustainable alternatives to air travel are finding train tickets priced at premiums far higher than flights, leaving many to question why it remains so difficult to choose greener travel options. Despite efforts to promote eco-friendly train journeys, barriers such as limited ticket availability, complex booking, and inconsistent pricing continue to thwart the aspirations of environmentally conscious travelers.
For Tess Longfield, who planned a family holiday to Brittany by train, the experience highlighted these obstacles. Though she bought Eurostar tickets to Paris nine months in advance, she was unable to secure tickets for a connecting train within France, as domestic tickets weren’t available for purchase at the time. When the tickets finally went on sale months later, they sold out instantly, forcing her to cancel her Eurostar trip and book a flight instead. “I was so frustrated,” she shared, adding that despite being willing to pay more, the system seemed stacked against her sustainable choice.
The complexities of train travel aren’t limited to French routes. In Amsterdam, sustainability consultant Jo Geneen faced similar challenges while planning a trip to Hamburg. High prices and non-refundable fares left her questioning her commitment to rail travel. “When you’re faced with routes that are four or five times cheaper by plane, it’s hard to make the right choice,” Geneen said. Her story reflects a broader frustration as train travel in Europe continues to increase in demand, but infrastructure and accessibility lag behind.
Some European governments are working to close the gap between train and air travel costs. France has already banned short-haul flights on routes where trains can offer an alternative under 2.5 hours, and Spain is considering a similar rule as part of its 2050 climate plan. Yet, even with new train routes and night-train options expanding across Europe, challenges in accessibility and affordability remain significant. The high cost of diesel fuel for trains (taxed unevenly across Europe) and an absence of taxes on aviation fuel keep flight prices lower, making rail travel a difficult choice financially.
Justin Francis, CEO of Responsible Travel, points to additional issues holding rail travel back. Inconsistent ticketing policies, a lack of interconnected routes, and stringent regulations around package holidays all combine to make train travel cumbersome for travelers and travel agencies alike. “We’re on the right track with rail development in Europe, but without addressing the cost disparity and easing ticketing policies, we’re asking travelers to shoulder an unrealistic burden if they want to choose green,” he said.
Companies like Byway and Busbud are working to simplify the rail-travel experience by offering flight-free booking solutions and trip-planning support. Byway’s JourneyAI program, for instance, helps travelers avoid currency, language, and timetable hurdles, allowing for smoother multi-country train journeys. Meanwhile, Busbud provides a booking platform for point-to-point ground travel, from buses to trains, helping travelers avoid flying. Yet, for many consumers, even these services can’t entirely offset the underlying price disparity between rail and air travel.
As Europe takes steps to encourage more sustainable travel, many travelers hope that more accessible, affordable, and efficient train networks will become the norm. “We’ve been living on hope that rail travel is the answer,” said Francis. “But if we want it to truly compete with air travel, we need a level playing field in terms of cost, ease, and infrastructure.” Until then, many would-be train travelers may continue to turn to the skies, not out of preference, but necessity.
