Planes vs. Trains: UK Rail Fare Hikes Could Derail Climate Goals

Inflation in the United Kingdom rose to 3.8% in July, prompting concerns that rail fares will climb sharply next year. The Campaign for Better Transport, a passenger lobby group, expects fares in England to rise by as much as 5.8%.

For climate goals, the risk is that flying will be more attractive than rail. Rail travel is widely regarded as a key part of the UK’s strategy to cut aviation emissions, which are projected to become one of the UK’s largest sources of greenhouse gasses.

But if fares rise faster than inflation, rail’s cost advantage all but disappears. It is often cheaper to fly from cities like London to Manchester, even with a stopover in Spain, than to take the train.

“We are asking for a freeze, people don’t realize that train passengers numbers have flatlined. If we are