Cost of Eco-Train Journey Typically Surpasses Flight Expense, According to Greenpeace - Greenpeace's statement: Train travel that promotes climate friendliness generally proves costlier compared to air travel
In a recent Europe-wide price comparison, Greenpeace found a shift in favour of train journeys compared to their 2023 study. The proportion of routes where the train is cheaper has increased from 27% to 41%, suggesting a trend of flights being cheaper than trains on a majority of routes, particularly international ones.
Greenpeace conducted the new price comparison for 142 city connections, excluding benefits and baggage costs. The analysis did not find extra charges for train journeys, but direct flights by airlines only allow one small piece of hand luggage per passenger free of charge.
In Germany, the train is cheaper on 15 out of 31 routes (48%), with the domestic connections Hamburg-Munich and Stuttgart-Berlin consistently cheaper by train. No clear statement can be made for the remaining 7% of routes within Germany.
Lena Donat, a transport expert, describes the improvement in the price comparison as a glimmer of hope. She states that it's unfair that longer journeys by train are so expensive while flights are heavily subsidized. According to Donat, trains should always and everywhere be cheaper than flying due to their eco-friendliness.
The more eco-friendly train is often more expensive than a flight in European city destinations. This discrepancy has been a subject of debate, with Greenpeace demanding higher taxes on flight journeys and advantages for train passengers.
Airplanes have the edge in terms of price on 109 international routes, with flying being cheaper in 54% of cases. However, on 66 out of the 142 routes analysed, train tickets are pricier than flights, making up 46.5% of the total routes.
The 71 routes in Europe where train travel is more expensive than flying, which were not included in Greenpeace's 2023 price comparison, are part of the total 142 routes analysed in 2025. Greenpeace found that on 66 of these 142 routes, train tickets are pricier than flights. The study does not list the exact 71 missing routes separately but notes that the 2025 comparison expanded the sample beyond the 111 routes studied in 2023, indicating the 71 additional routes belong to this later expanded set.
The demand for higher taxes on flights and advantages for trains is aimed at addressing the perceived unfair pricing in favour of flights. Greenpeace's new findings suggest a more favorable trend for train journeys compared to flights, particularly in Germany.
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