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The fact is that despite the European Union’s support for rail, bloc governments continue to give massive subsidies to airlines – in the form of bailouts and lower taxes on jet fuel. may change soon. While France and Austria’s bans on short-haul flight bans have garnered attention in Europe, the measures actually put an end to only one route in Austria – Vienna to Salzburg – and three flights in France: Paris to Bordeaux, Paris from Lyons to Paris, and from Paris to Nantes. In the case of France, passengers are still allowed to fly on these routes if they are part of a longer flight.
Herwig Schuster, transport campaigner for Greenpeace’s EU Mobility for All campaign, described the French and Austrian measures as “a starting point” and told the European Union. should ban flights with a train alternative that takes less than six hours instead of just two or three hours. Such a measure would eliminate around a third of Europe’s most popular short-haul routes, but Mr. Schuster suggested consumers are ready for such a change: a new climate. questionnaire It found that 62 percent of Europeans support a short-haul ban. He added that the biggest hurdle will be to ensure that rail options are at least as affordable as flights.
Flying on several European routes – particularly longer-haul trips crossing multiple national borders – remains a cheaper option: a one-way, mid-week flight from Zurich to Barcelona in July for as low as 45 euros on low-cost carrier Vueling. has a cost. with 140 Euros (and many more hours) to travel the same distance by rail. For travel from London to Madrid, Copenhagen to Rome, and Paris to Budapest, the plane is often the more affordable option.
Another challenge is that Europe’s vast rail network lacks a single ticketing system, he said. 61. The Man in the SofaA website with resources for train travel in the UK, Europe and around the world. But in many cases, he said, trains are good value compared to planes, especially when you factor in baggage fees and the cost of getting to and from the airport. Saying that booking a flight in advance, as you would for a flight, can also save passengers a lot of money, Mr. Smith added that he advises people to book long-distance train travel one to three months in advance to avoid last-minute prices. walks. It also recommends sites such as Railway and Rail Europe To book multi-country trips in Europe.
He added that many travelers still prefer the train, even if in some cases this means paying more for their tickets. When Mr. Smith launched his site 20 years ago, he said most people he spoke to interested in long-distance train travel were either afraid of flying or were unable to fly for medical reasons. These days, he hears a different logic.
“People are fed up with the airport and airline experience – they want something less stressful and more interesting,” he said. “And they want to reduce their carbon footprint.”
Hosted by Paige McClanahan Better Travel Podcast.
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