Greenpeace report: in Europe, the train remains significantly more expensive than the plane

According to a study conducted by Greenpeace Europe and published Thursday, August 21, nearly 60% of the hundred or so European journeys compared are cheaper by plane than by train, a means of transport that emits significantly less carbon dioxide. The prices for each route were analysed over nine separate days, divided into three booking periods: a few days, one month, and three months before departure. The report was prepared by Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe.

Flying Cheap, Paying Dear: How Airlines Undercut Rail and Fuel the Climate Crisis

Aviation remains one of Europe’s most climate-damaging and unjust forms of transport. Despite its heavy environmental impact, flying is often much cheaper than taking the train – not because it is more efficient, but because airlines benefit from unfair advantages such as tax exemptions and subsidies, while rail is burdened with high fares, fragmented ticketing systems and underfunded infrastructure.

This report reveals the extent of Europe’s distorted travel pricing. By analysing 142 routes across 31 countries, it shows that for most cross-border trips, rail remains more expensive than air – even though it is the far more climate-friendly choice. Low-cost airlines continue to undercut rail fares through aggressive pricing, enabled by a political system that still rewards polluters. Citizens deserve access to clean, affordable and fair transport options. To make the shift from air to rail possible, Greenpeace is calling for the introduction of climate tickets all across Europe, the end of airline subsidies, and a pricing system that puts people and the planet first.

Some of the key findings

• Only 39% of the 109 cross-border routes analysed were cheaper by train – despite rail’s significant climate advantages. In contrast, the results for the 33 domestic routes analysed were promising for the environment – with 70% being cheaper by train.
• The analysis found vast differences across European countries. The most expensive country for cross-border rail travel compared to flights is France, where 95% of all routes were more expensive by train on at least 6 out of 9 days. For Spain, the figure is 92%; for the UK, 90%; and for Italy, 88%.
• Airlines pay no kerosene tax and no VAT on international tickets, whereas rail operators are subject to energy taxes, VAT and high track access charges in many countries.
• There is a slightly positive trend: compared to a similar Greenpeace analysis from 2023, the share of routes where the train was cheaper than flying on at least 6 out of 9 days has risen from 27% to 41%. This is partly due to more direct rail connections and fewer ultra-cheap connecting flights via low-cost hubs such as London and Dublin. However, the trend is too slow, and a full overhaul of the pricing system is needed to effectively tackle the climate crisis and to make rail cheaper than flying on all routes.

The report is available here.

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