A Growing Trend in Europe: Trains Over Planes There’s a growing trend in Europe—and no, it’s not a new diet or lifestyle fad. It’s a real shift in how people travel, backed in many cases not just by government support, but by government mandates.
A Growing Trend in Europe: Trains Over Planes
There’s a growing trend in Europe—and no, it’s not a new diet or lifestyle fad. It’s a real shift in how people travel, backed in many cases not just by government support, but by government mandates.
Europeans are increasingly choosing greener transportation options over air travel or their own polluting cars. Over the years, governments have attempted various measures to encourage a shift away from car use. In the Netherlands, for example, fuel taxes were raised in an effort to get commuters to switch to public transportation. The result? Not what was intended. Many people simply switched to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars instead. Carpool lanes were another experiment, but those often resulted in more congestion in regular lanes while the carpool lanes remained underused, leading to even more greenhouse gas emissions.
Germany and Sweden have taken a different approach, strongly encouraging citizens to take the train instead of flying for journeys under 400–500 kilometres. When you factor in airport transfers, check-in, and security queues, there's often little to no time savings with flying. The environmental movements in both countries are influential, and some travellers report feeling social pressure—or even guilt—about choosing to fly. Corporations are increasingly on board as well, finding that staff arrive better rested and less stressed after travelling by train compared to being packed into a pressurized metal tube.
France has gone even further. A few years ago, the government introduced a mandate that effectively eliminated most short-haul domestic flights—except where no viable rail alternative exists. Thanks to its ever-expanding high-speed rail network, France is now exceptionally well-connected by train.
Of course, there's a downside. Trains in Europe are getting busier. As demand for rail travel grows—alongside population increases—pressure on the system is mounting. Investment in new rail lines and trains is essential, but costly. Consequently, ticket prices are creeping up. Meanwhile, some airlines, especially low-cost carriers, are fighting back with deeply discounted fares on competitive city pairs, sometimes undercutting train fares.
In an exciting development this week, Eurostar announced plans to launch new routes from London to Geneva and Frankfurt. Travel times are expected to be about five hours to Frankfurt and around five hours and twenty minutes to Geneva. However, questions remain. Eurostar needs to secure enough depot space in East London to support the expansion.
Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave described the move as part of a broader shift: “A new golden age of international sustainable travel is here,” she said, noting that customers are “wanting to go further by rail than ever before.”
The company is introducing a new fleet of trains that will replace older models and increase overall capacity by 30%. Plans are also in place to connect Geneva directly to both Amsterdam and Brussels, in partnership with other rail operators.
It’s not yet clear whether the new routes will include intermediate stops where passengers can board or disembark, but the message is clear: the European rail renaissance is well underway.
For your European train journey, contact Gin & Tonic Travel today. We have great partnerships with several providers that can help make your travel more sustainable.
Article by Marc Geuzinge , Co-Founder and Travel Advisor, Gin & Tonic Travel.
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