-Madrid-Valencia, Spain’s best train route in terms of time-saving compared to air travel
-Omio has drawn up with a list of 25 of Europe’s most popular routes that are faster to travel by train than by plane
-58% of Europeans interviewed recognise that travelling by train is the greenest option
Growing concern for the environment and preserving our planet has led to an increasing number of travellers looking for other alternatives instead of flying, which is by far the most polluting form of transport.
The common perception that flying is always the fastest way to get from A to B doesn’t necessarily hold true once you consider the additional time required to get to the airport, queue at check-in or security and wait to board.
Omio, the leading travel booking platform for trains, buses and planes, has analysed the main European routes that can be made by train or plane.
Omio has revealed the 25 most popular routes across Europe that are quicker by train than by plane.
Madrid-Valencia ranks first as the national time-saving rail route, saving 1 hour 28 minutes by travelling by train instead of flying. The number one Spanish route is 14th in the overall European rankings.
Travellers can reduce door-to-door travel time by 3 hours 8 minutes on the London-Brussels route by taking the train through the Eurotunnel, and this extra time can be used to visit the Atomium or stroll around the city centre and visit Manneken Pis or the Grand Place.
When comparing the same route by plane, the train journey between the British and European capitals takes just 1 hour 46 minutes, while flying takes 5 hours 6 minutes once you consider travel times to and from airports and stations and queueing at check-in and security.
Taking the train reduces C02 emissions by 55%.
Travelling by train is also the fastest option between other European capitals including Paris-London (which also reduces CO2 emissions by 55%), with a difference of 3 hours 1 minute between train and flight times; Paris-Brussels is 2 hours 44 minutes faster, and in the case of Rome-Naples, the flight takes 3 hours 38 minutes compared to 1 hour 6 minutes by train.
Sustainable travel
There are many reasons why people decide to travel by train or bus instead of flying, but one of them has become more relevant in recent years: the environmental impact of their travel.
According to the study carried out by Omio, in collaboration with YouGov, more than half the people (58%) surveyed recognise that travelling by train has the least impact on the environment.
The youngest respondents (18 to 24 years old) were the ones who said, under certain circumstances, they would choose to travel by bus or train instead of flying.
Thanks to the AVE in Spain, which was the first European high-speed rail network and the second in the world, only surpassed by the Chinese, the train gains the upper hand on many routes as it’s much easier getting to and from the cities.
In particular, the Madrid-Valencia AVE is 1 hour 28 minutes faster than travelling by plane; the Madrid-Cordoba AVE is 1 hour 40 minutes faster than the flight connection, and the Madrid-Malaga line takes just 1 hour 15 minutes by train.
