Flying is cheaper than taking the train, criticizes Greenpeace – and that applies to 79 of the 112 routes studied. Train journeys are on average twice as expensive as flights. Despite its dense rail network, Austria doesn’t fare much better.
The environmental organization analyzed flight and train fares on nine different days. Of the 112 routes studied, only 23 were generally cheaper by train than by plane. “The biggest price difference was found on the Barcelona – London route, where the train ticket costs up to 30 times the plane ticket for a trip on the same day,” said Greenpeace. The most expensive train connection for Austria is London – Vienna, the train journey is on average almost five times as expensive as the flight.
Vienna-Berlin, Vienna-Zurich better by train
According to the study, the routes from Vienna to Berlin and from Zurich to Vienna were the only ones of the twelve routes examined to or from Austria on which the train journey was cheaper than the plane on all the days studied. “These two routes are not served by low-cost carriers,” Greenpeace admitted. On the route from Berlin to Graz, the train journey was cheaper on five days out of nine. On the routes studied between Austria and Italy, Romania or Poland, the train connection was sometimes cheaper than the flight.
“Why would anyone take the train from London to Barcelona and pay up to €384 when you can get plane tickets for €12.99?” the environmental group wonders. Greenpeace calls for an increase in the air passenger tax and for the abolition of tax benefits such as the kerosene tax exemption. At the same time, the rail network must be expanded and train tickets reduced. The NGO is in favor of a cheap, Europe-wide climate ticket.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
