Not only a reference to the fantastic 80’s comedy starring Steve Martin, but also an intriguing question when proposed to business travelers: which is better for travel, trains or planes?
There are multiple factors that can affect the traveller’s perceptions of these modes of transportation including cost, traveling time, comfort, security, and baggage.
In order to highlight the importance of these factors, we examined some of Europe’s busiest travel routes based on number of passengers: Madrid to Barcelona, Berlin to Munich, London to Dublin, Amsterdam to London, Rome to Milan, and Stockholm to Copenhagen. We also varied the time the tickets would be bought, ranging from one day to 30 days in advance. The tickets bought would be for a single adult, round trip with no discounts, along with no extra baggage or extra ground transportation fees. Thanks to GoEuro, the table below compares the average cost and average traveling time between a multitude of different airline and railway services.
Railway vs. Airline: Cost and Time Comparison
| Railway/ Bus* | Travel Time | Airline(s) | Travel Time | Savings | |
| Booking 24 Hour Advance | |||||
| Madrid – Barcelona | €120 | 3h 10m | €58 | 1h 15m | €62 |
| Berlin – Munich | €112 | 6h 6m | €91 | 1h 15m | €21 |
| Booking 7 Days Advance | |||||
| London – Dublin | €52 | 8h 5m | €26 | 4h 44m | €26 |
| Amsterdam – London | €199 | 4h 48m | €95 | 4h 26m | €104 |
| Booking 30 Days Advance | |||||
| Milan – Rome | €55 | 4h 28m | €75 | 4h 30m | €20 |
| Stockholm – Copenhagen | €45 | 9h 0m | €78 | 3h 45m | €33 |
*In cases where there is no direct train route, a bus route is used instead.
Time Comparison
On all six routes, the airlines are significantly quicker, or at least as quick as a railway. The return times are also similar to the initial traveling times, unlike the railway. The return trip from Dublin by train takes an extra four hours compared to the initial trip, whereas the flight is only a five minute difference.
Perhaps to some, seeing the countryside, darting through oceans, and/or weaving through mountains is worth the extra few hours of travel.
Cost Comparison
Almost all of the airlines are cheaper as well. By taking a flight from Amsterdam to London, one could save around €104, and the travelling time would be the same for both modes of transportation. Buying railway tickets in advance seems to trump airlines, as both Milan to Rome and Stockholm to Copenhagen are cheaper. One could save €20 by taking a train to Rome from Milan instead of taking a flight, and €33 by taking a train to Copenhagen from Stockholm.
Safety
Eurostar, a railway service that has lines running from London to Brussels to Paris, is an example of how prices are affected by the recent terror attacks that have plagued Belgium and France. Eurostar’s chief executive, Nicolas Petrovic, says many travellers remain skeptical after the recent terror attacks in Paris and Brussels, to the point where Eurostar is beginning to lose customers. According to The Guardian’s Angela Monaghan, “Passenger numbers fell to 2.2 million in the three months to the end of March, from 2.3 million a year earlier. Sales revenues were down 6% at £201m in the first quarter.”
With more travellers beginning to favor air travel, railway providers like Eurostar are developing and incorporating different train routes in order to compete. Tickets may even become cheaper in order to attract more customers, but will it be enough to compete with airlines? Other factors should be considered, such as levels of security, baggage restrictions, and comfort.
Security
Many railways do not have restrictions on liquid-based substances, unlike airlines. Traditional airlines require travellers to dispose of open containers before reaching security checkpoints and also have stricter restrictions on items, especially toiletries, which are only allowed in regulated sizes. Railways seem to be the obvious choice here, as dealing with security checkpoints in airports usually ends up being a hassle.
Baggage
Eurostar suggests two pieces of luggage and a small piece of hand luggage, but does not have a size or weight restriction on baggage. Most European airlines allow for one cabin bag and one personal item with weight restrictions anywhere from 6 kg to 23 kg. Again, railways seem to have the upper hand here as there is less stress on the business traveller when packing.
Comfort
On a train, the most common seats are a solo seat, twin seats, opposite seats, and a table seat. Usually there are outlets, a compartment for trash, and even WiFi in some standard or business class cars.
Flights are limited to twin seats that can retract along with a foldable table in front. Occasionally in standard seating, there are screens for movies, music, games, and TV, but these additions may be limited to first or business class.
Final Destination
Everyone travels differently, whether it be on planes, trains, buses, and/or automobiles. At the end of the day, it all comes down to preference. The business traveller would most likely prefer the traditional airline in terms of its speed and cost (unless buying in advance), but the bon vivant that ventures inside all of us would most likely choose the railway with its chance to see breathtaking countryside sceneries and its stress free packing.