Planes versus trains

Planes versus trains

Danielle Teutsch looks at whether you're better off flying or going by rail around Europe.

You're hopping around Europe - do you go by plane or train? Only a decade ago, the answer was simple. Flights were expensive and the rail system worked well. It was a no-brainer.

Then came the advent of budget airlines, EasyJet and Ryanair, selling flights within Europe for ridiculously cheap prices - think London to Paris for £20 ($44). Suddenly, plane travel was too tempting to refuse.


But rail travel is fighting back with high-speed services that are improving - so much so that, in some cases, rail travel is quicker than going through airport red tape. And compared to carbon-emission spewing aircraft, electric rail has a a green halo.

Take, for example, London to Paris. Easyjet has a one-way fare from London's Luton Airport to Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport for £22. Pricewise, it's a winner compared to taking the train - Eurostar - where fares start at £59 one way.

But let's look at the convenience factor. Luton Airport is slightly more than an hour by bus from central London (bus tickets start at £10). It is recommended you check in two hours before departure and flight time is one hour and 15 minutes. Add at least half an hour to take the RER train from Charles de Gaulle Airport to the centre of Paris. Total time with Easyjet: about five hours.

In terms of saving time, Eurostar is a winner, with a check-in time of 30 minutes before pulling out of St Pancras International Train Station in central London. Two hours and 15 minutes later, passengers arrive at Paris's Gare du Nord which is a short hop on the Metro to anywhere in the centre of Paris. Total time: about three hours.

Eurostar also has the advantage of there being no need to check in baggage; nor is there a baggage charge. The limit is two large pieces (with no weight limit) and one piece of hand luggage.

With Easyjet, you pay £5 for each item of checked-in baggage (to a maximum of 20 kilograms); and £16.50 for each item of sports equipment. Ryanair has a limit of 15kilograms and charges £6 per bag and a hefty £7.50 a kilogram for excess baggage.

High-speed TGV trains depart Paris for several French towns including the new St Malo connection in Brittany, Bordeaux and Marseilles (all three hours).

The TGV Est, which opened in June, has cut travel times dramatically between Paris and nearby north-eastern cities. Paris to Strasbourg is two hours and 20 minutes, formerly four hours; Paris to Frankfurt is three hours and 50 minutes - it used to be more than six hours.

Reserve online at least two weeks in advance (see to get a discounted price, or "prem". A Paris to Marseilles "prem" fare starts at EUR40 ($69).

Germany's rail system, Deutsche Bahn, is also efficient. A search on found a fare from Paris to Munich, taking six hours, for EUR129 but with a special "savings" fare available of EUR39. Conveniently, trains depart from and arrive at the centre of both cities.

Spain's high-speed AVE rail service now includes a long-awaited connection between Madrid and Barcelona. It takes slightly more than two and a half hours each way and costs about EUR180 return.

The Eurail Pass is still the most practical and cheapest way to get around Europe for multiple city stops, despite complaints by pass holders of having trouble getting seats on certain journeys.

There are various passes to choose from, with the average cost being $800-$1000 for 10 days of travel (

So trains are looking good for travel within Europe for the "door to door" service they provide. They operate from stations in the cities' centres and you save time by bypassing airport security and check-in. And electric rail's environmental credentials are strong.

High-speed rail connections look set to improve further. France plans to buy AGV trains, TGV's successor, which will travel at 360 kilometres an hour (40 kmh more than TGV). Italy has also bought some AGV trains to develop its network.

But a comprehensive high-speed rail network across the continent is still a way off, so cheap flights have their uses for single, longer trips.

Paris to Venice by rail, for example, it is about a 12-hour journey, costing from EUR142, whereas EasyJet has a fare for EUR72, taking about an hour and 40 minutes. From London to Budapest by rail, you'd pay from £150 with the trip taking about 24 hours. Or you can fly from London's Gatwick Airport for about £45 (even cheaper if you leave from Luton), a three-and-a-half-hour trip.

So consider where you want to go and mix and match rail and air if necessary to get the best travel deal.


London to Paris by air

* Cost: London (Luton)-Paris (Charles de Gaulle) by EasyJet, £22. Central London-Luton by bus, £10. CDG Airport to central Paris by taxi is about £48. Total: about £80.

* Check-in time: one to two hours before flight.

* Flying time: one hour and 15 minutes. Commuting time to central Paris: one hour.

* Total time: about four-and-a-half hours (allowing for baggage collection).

London to Paris by train

* Cost: from £59 for one-way, second-class Eurostar ticket.

* Check-in time: 30 minutes before leaving St Pancras.

* Rail time: two hours and 15 minutes. Arrive Paris Gare du Nord.

* Total time: three hours.

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