- Travelling by plane is still two times cheaper in Europe than by train. The difference is even greater for certain journeys: Barcelona-London is 30 times cheaper to travel by plane, Lond-Bratislava 15.5 times, Vienna-Rome 10 times... These are data published by Greenpeace on July 20. In order to promote the ecological transition, the NGO requires political decisions in favour of rail transport.
With the summer holiday season, more than one will embark wanting to spend the holidays out of day to day. In total, this year the aviation sector expects 4.350 million passengers. It seems that the teachings taught by the COVID-19 pandemic have not influenced us, seeing that we are approaching the 2019 years, which were 4.540 million in 2019, 2.3 billion in 2021 and 3.3 billion last year. However, it is known that taking an aircraft damages the environment and the climate – it pollutes 80 times more than the train. The investigation published by Greenpeance on 20 July continues to clarify that everything is done to push the aircraft.
Between 25 April and 12 July it analysed 112 routes in Europe for nine days compared to the rail and air sectors. Firstly, the environmental NGO highlights the presence of low-cost companies. They are known companies: EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Volote or others. They are all over Europe and instead of proposing a direct trip, they offer longer, more stops but cheaper. In other words, they are offers that pollute ten times more than direct travel.
Taxation makes taking an aircraft much cheaper. Some taxes are not targeted at the aeroplane sector, but are maintained for the rail sector.
Railway policies
The environmental NGO calls for changes to boost the train: the end of aviation subsidies, both for airlines and airports; the bold development of the rail sector – the growth of night trains, more travel, cheaper tickets, the proposal for advantages to promote train use and others. For example, a change in the routine would be to extend over time the possibilities of buying a train ticket, which is currently not sold for more than two or three months, and which, when arranging the trip, may be one of the reasons for taking the plane ticket.
In addition, Greenpeance proposes a ban on the advertising of air carriers, a ban on short flights and the replacement by rail alternatives, the development of a railway box office at European level to facilitate connections between the different carriers.
The injustice in talking about the climate is also evident where aviation is concerned: 1% of the world’s population takes the plane, but the consequences are for everyone.