Train often more expensive than plane: traveling to Berlin alone is cheaper

Anyone who thinks international rail is a viable alternative to flying is in for a rude awakening. Research by Evisumservice.nl shows that flying is faster and cheaper for nine out of ten popular city breaks.

Only a return ticket to Berlin is cheaper by train.

The price difference between a train and a flight is significant. A return trip to Barcelona by train costs an average of €706, and a one-way trip takes over twelve hours. Flying is faster and cheaper. Including check-in time, you'll reach your destination in less than 4.5 hours, for a quarter of the price. The difference for Edinburgh is even greater: €979 and 9.5 hours by train versus €160 and 3.5 hours by plane (including check-in time).

Want to go to Berlin? Then you're in luck. Berlin is an exception. A return train ticket costs around €180, while flying costs over €367. One downside to the train is that the journey takes over 2.5 hours longer, but of course, you don't have to arrive two hours in advance and you can bring more luggage.

According to Mattijs Wijnmalen of Evisumservice.nl, the research shows that traveling by train is more sustainable, but in practice it is often not an attractive alternative to flying.

Everyone knows the train is greener, but anyone who wants to go to Barcelona or Madrid automatically chooses the plane. As long as train tickets are four to five times more expensive, the train won't remain a realistic alternative.

With the October parliamentary elections looming, the train is also on the political agenda. GroenLinks and the Labour Party (PvdA) are advocating for a €59 per month climate ticket, allowing passengers unlimited travel on public transport.

Volt wants a European high-speed network to replace medium-distance flying with fast trains.

D66 and the Christian Union have also been emphasizing for some time that train travel must become cheaper and faster to be competitive with air travel.

Wijnmalen calls it "encouraging" that several parties have put the train higher on the agenda. However, he adds: "Anyone who truly wants the train to become a serious alternative to flying must ensure it's affordable and practical. This is only possible if Europe jointly invests in a modern international rail network."