An international “train versus plane” comparison shows that budget flights between European destinations are often significantly cheaper than travelling by train. But what about some common international routes from Switzerland?
New research by Greenpeace suggests that passengers are not getting a fair deal – because taking the train between destinations in Europe is often far pricier than a budget flight.
In an analysis of 142 routes across 31 European countries, the environmental organisation found that flights are cheaper than trains on 54 percent of 109 cross-border routes.
READ ALSO: Flights in Europe up to 26 times cheaper than train routes
What is the situation in Switzerland?
Greenpeace analysed a total of eight routes between Switzerland and European cities, finding that the country has done comparably well, though there is much room for improvement.
For instance, trains between Brussels and Zurich, as well as from Zurich to Vienna, were found to be cheaper than plane fares on eight or nine out of nine days studied.
The comparison is also favourable on the Zurich to Berlin and Geneva to Paris routes, with train tickets costing less than plane travel on six or seven out of nine days.
However, the results were not as good on other international routes.
Trains connecting Geneva with Barcelona, Basel EuroAiport with Zagreb, as well as Madrid and Rome with Zurich, were more expansive than flights between these cities.
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‘A diverse picture’
“Thanks to its central location in Europe, most of the countries analysed can be
reasonably reached by train from Switzerland,” Greenpeace reported.
“But Geneva, as Switzerland’s second-largest city and home to the UN, is far less well connected by train than Zurich – for instance, there is not a single night train to or from Geneva.
Overall, the organisation found that its analysis of routes to and from Switzerland “presents a diverse picture.”
For instance, routes connecting Zurich with Brussels, Vienna and Berlin, as well as Geneva with Paris, were found to be predominantly cheaper by train.
On the other hand, the four routes to Italy, Croatia and Spain were always found to be more expensive by train.
“No route between Switzerland and the UK was included in the analysis, but it can be assumed that rail travel would be more expensive than flying, as all cross-border routes to and from the UK were almost always more expensive by train,” the report noted.
(There is currently no direct connection between the two countries, though this project is now underway).
The largest difference between rail and flight fares was found on the Madrid–Zurich route.
“Unlike in 2023, the Madrid–Zurich route can no longer be reasonably travelled at weekends due to a later first train departure from Madrid – a clear setback for climate-friendly travel,” according to Greenpeace.
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In conclusion…
In the comparison of the share of cross-border routes per country where the train was either predominantly more or predominantly less expensive than the flight, Switzerland ranks right in the middle – with 50 percent of its cross-border routes being predominantly more expensive by train, and 50 percent being predominantly cheaper.
This result, Greenpeace noted, “is very similar to that of the other German-speaking countries, Germany and Austria.”
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How does train travel compare to driving in Switzerland?
The answer to this question is revealed by an analysis carried out by Stefan Meierhans, Switzerland’s official ‘price monitor’ in 2024.
He found that the price of train tickets and travel cards has soared in the last 10 years, while the cost of car journeys has increased only minimally during this period.
“The price/cost evolution between rail and road seen in the last 10 years continues to worsen,” Meierhans said, pointing out that “for some sections, the price of public transport has doubled.”
READ ALSO: Why has train travel in Switzerland become more expensive than driving?
