Putting the plane in Europe remains cheaper than the train in more than half of the cases: Belgium among the least powerful countries

Only 29 trips were always, or almost always, cheaper by train. Consequently, These were mainly journeys in central and eastern Europe, especially towards the Baltic states and Poland.

For Belgium, only the bonds from Brussels were studied. In addition, If the correspondence to Hamburg. Similarly, Zurich and Berlin are generally cheaper by train, on the other hand, those towards Vienna, Bratislava, Madrid, Copenhagen and Budapest are almost always more expensive, just like that towards Prague. Furthermore, The biggest difference has been observed on the Brussels-Madrid route. where rail is more than eleven times more expensive than by the air.

With 60 % of more expensive train journeys than in plane. Belgium ranks sixth in the classification of the least efficient countries and shares this place with Romania and Norway. Only France (95 %), Spain (92 putting plane europe remains cheaper new %), the United Kingdom (90 %), Italy (88 %) and Hungary (71 %) are doing less well.

Note that Belgium also obtains significantly lower results than Luxembourg (40 %) and the Netherlands (22 %).

At the other end of the spectrum, we find Lithuania, where all the journeys from Vilnius are cheaper by train. In Poland, this is the case in 89 % of situations, and in Slovenia in 80 % of cases.

The plane therefore often remains the most economical option, despite its significant impact on the climate. Greenpeace notably recalls that aviation fuel is not taxed and that international air rates are also exempt from VAT. This while railway companies often have to pay VAT. in addition to the increase in energy costs and high infrastructure costs.

Greenpeace, however, notes a certain improvement compared to 2023. The number of trips putting plane europe remains cheaper new where the train is the cheapest option has thus increased by 14 percentage points, reaching 41 %. According to the NGO. this increase is due to the decrease in aerial links at very low prices via hubs like London or Dublin. In addition, the price of train tickets has progressed less than inflation and rail links have improved on certain journeys.

To make the train more attractive. Greenpeace calls for the European Union and the national authorities to end the aviation subsidies, to introduce a simple ticket system for trains and to invest more in public transport. The organization also pleads for the introduction of “climate tickets”. affordable and simple transport titles, valid on all the public transport modes of a country or a region.

“Any route where the plane is cheaper than the train is a political failure,” concludes Jeri Thijs de Greenpeace Belgium. “In putting plane europe remains cheaper new the coalition agreement. the Arizona government promises to focus on ‘more numerous European rail links and on’ healthy price competition on international lines’. It is high time to materialize this commitment: the train must become the most economical. simplest option, not the last resort.”