Is it cheaper to fly than take the train?

But Over Long Distance, Airfare Is More Economical Generally, short trips cost less by train, but it's more economical to fly for long journeys.



Whether it is cheaper to fly or take the train depends entirely on the distance, region, and booking window. In Europe and parts of Southeast Asia, low-cost carriers (LCCs) like Ryanair or AirAsia often offer "headline" fares that are significantly lower than high-speed rail tickets, sometimes as low as €15–€30. However, once you add the costs of airport transfers, checked baggage, and seat selection, the train often becomes more competitive, especially since stations are usually in city centers. In the United States, flying is frequently cheaper than Amtrak for long-haul routes (e.g., NYC to Chicago) because of heavy airline competition and limited rail infrastructure. Conversely, on "short-haul" corridors like the Northeast Regional (DC to NYC), trains can be cheaper if booked in advance. A major "hidden cost" of flying is time; when you factor in the two hours for security and the commute to an out-of-town airport, the train often provides better "value per hour" for journeys under 400 miles.

People Also Ask

If you consider efficiency from an environmental point of view and define it as CO2 emissions per passenger per km, then the train is way more efficient than the plane.

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Over the last two years, I've traveled between London and Paris three times. On nearly all of those journeys, I opted to take the Eurostar – for good reason. Unless you book well in advance, the cost of traveling to Paris on the Eurostar is more expensive than flying.

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“Generally speaking, traveling by plane is faster and more convenient, but can be more expensive and stressful. On the other hand, traveling by train is usually cheaper and more comfortable, but can take much longer.”

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City center to city center, rail is much faster. However, it is generally more 2x more expensive than flying when you don't consider that additional costs of getting to to and from airports. London to Paris takes 2.5 hours by train.

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'Twisted economics': UK trains 4 times more expensive than planes. A recent Greenpeace analysis reveals how regulations across Europe are incentivizing travel by plane, despite flying being five times more polluting than train travel.

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Trains offer greater flexibility at each stage of the journey, making family train travel easier and less stressful than flying. Children can move around more freely than on a plane, and you'll have the space to pack home comforts.

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Trains are three times more dangerous than flying but safer than traveling by car (which is 40 times more risky than flying), according to Savage. Yet many folks are still clearly afraid to fly.

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Train travel is often cheaper than flying, in part because you can generally take more with you before paying extra baggage fees. It can also be more convenient and relaxing than driving, especially if you'd be driving in an unfamiliar place or driving for many hours nonstop to get to your destination.

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It depends which trains and what times you are looking at - Eurostar is very expensive in times of high demand because the cheap tickets get snapped up but can be relatively affordable if you choose less popular times.

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The research said many countries charge railways value-added taxes (VAT), energy taxes and high tolls while exempting plane tickets from VAT and not taxing kerosene fuel.

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drive: The cost factor. For shorter trips, driving will usually be cheaper, unless you have rewards miles or you get an awesome deal on your plane ticket.

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Skyscanner UK, also way back in 2019, reached a similar conclusion. They found that Sunday was typically the cheapest day to book your flight – while flying out on a Friday would usually help keep costs low.

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A well-worn travel legend says that Tuesday is the best (and cheapest) day to book your flight. However, here in the UK at least, it would seem that the myth is exactly that – just a myth. Holiday booking site Opodo says that Sunday is the cheapest day for buying a plane ticket.

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The train is the easiest way to travel the UK but catching buses with Megabus or National Express is often the cheapest way to travel the UK. Is the train cheaper than the bus in England? Often the bus is cheaper, especially when moving between smaller cities.

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Can I take food on board? Absolutely. You can bring your own food on European and London routes. And unlike in the sky, we won't restrict you with stifling rules on liquids.

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Eurostar vs Flying: Journey Time A Eurostar from London to Paris takes about 2h 30m, whereas a flight takes circa one hour.

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