Train illustration

European Routes Faster by Train than Flight

Summer holiday 2023: Travelling on these rail routes is not only better for the environment than travelling by plane, it’s also faster

To make sure you’re as prepared as possible for your summer holiday in 2023, we’ve taken a look at your favourite travel routes and analysed them: Where do you get to your destination quicker by bus and train than by plane? Where does the journey from the airport to the city centre take a particularly long time?Is the environmental impact of your travel more important to you than speed? We provide CO₂ data for each route so that you can make more environmentally conscious decisions for your summer holiday in 2023. Of course, it’s up to you to decide which is the best way for you to travel!

Map for faster routes by train than flights

CO₂ emission reductions and time savings from train travel on key routes

The journey from the airport to the city centre can take a long time, as can waiting for luggage and getting through customs. Thanks to the route overview, you can see at a glance which means of travel will get you to your destination in the shortest time. 

However, saving time isn’t everything. What good is it if you arrive at your destination 20 minutes sooner, but are stressed out or have emitted significantly more CO₂? For us at Omio, summer holidays start on the way there. A glance out of the train window gives you a first taste of the landscape that awaits you – and the sightseeing begins.

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Rank Connections Grounded transport details Flight details Total numbers CO2 emission data evaluation
1 Washington DC, USA - New York City, USA 165 41 206 290 90 131 290 84 329 13,60 69,70 56,10
2 Rome, Italy - Florence, Italy 82 22 104 183 90 38 183 79 231,6 9,60 39,60 30,00
3 Paris, France - Lyon, France 118 22 140 217 90 62 217 77 392,6 16,30 76,20 59,90
4 Madrid, Spain - Barcelona, Spain 149 19 168 224 90 54 224 56 503,7 20,90 129,10 108,20
5 Manchester, UK - London, UK 126 25 151 187 90 37 187 36 261 10,80 36,10 25,30
6 Vienna, Austria - Salzburg, Vienna 145 21 166 188 90 38 188 22 251,2 10,40 37,80 27,40
7 Stockholm, Sweden - Gothenburg, Sweden 188 12 200 201 90 46 201 1 397,1 16,40 67,80 51,40
8 Porto, Portugal - Lisbon, Portugal 195 28 223 210 90 60 210 -13 273,7 11,30 42,20 30,90
9 Zurich, Switzerland - Geneva, Switzerland 163 8 171 157 90 17 157 -14 224,2 9,30 31,70 22,40
10 Munich, Germany - Berlin, Germany 234 17 251 224 90 69 224 -27 504,6 20,90 69,80 48,90
11 Genoa, Italy - Naples, Italy 340 13 353 218 90 43 218 -135 701,63 36,6 54,6 18
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Rank Connections Grounded transport details Flight details Total Numbers CO2 Emission data evaluation
1 Paris, France - Brussels, Belgium 82 5 87 65 120 44 229 142 264 10,9 37,0 26,1
2 London, UK - Brussels, Belgium 116 12 128 70 120 42 232 104 320,3 13,2 78,2 65
3 Rotterdam, Netherlands - Brussels, Belgium 126 7 133 45 120 51 216 83 119,7 5 40,4 35,4
4 Budapest, Hungary - Bratislava*, Slovakia 154 24 178 50 120 72 242 64 161,4 6,7 42,6 35,9
5 Vienna, Austria - Budapest, Hungary 140 24 164 45 120 47 212 48 214,2 8,9 36,1 27,2
6 Brussels, Belgium - Amsterdam, Netherlands 170 12 182 55 120 32 207 25 173,7 7,2 24,6 17,4
7 Zurich, Switzerland - Paris, France 244 3 247 75 120 43 238 -9 488,2 20,2 91,9 71,7
8 Gothenburg, Sweden - Copenhagen, Denmark 205 9 214 45 120 38 203 -11 228,8 9,5 30,8 21,3
9 Turin, Italy - Paris, France 333 5 338 90 120 85 295 -43 582,9 24,1 121,7 97,6
10 Berlin, Germany - Amsterdam, Netherlands 363 22 385 90 120 48 258 -127 576,7 23,9 83,7 59,8
11 Prague, Czech Republic - Budapest, Hungary 405 30 435 70 120 46 236 -199 444,3 18,4 113,9 95,5
12 Copenhagen, Denmark - Berlin, Germany 436 19 455 60 120 50 230 -225 354,6 14,7 61,7 47
13 Warsaw, Poland - Berlin, Germany 462 16 478 85 120 46 251 -227 516,9 21,4 74,1 52,7
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Rank Connections Grounded transport details Flight details Total Numbers CO2 Emission data evaluation
1 Rome, Italy - Naples, Italy 152 13 165 50 90 52 192 27 188,7 6,98 36,1 29,12
2 Porto, Portugal - Lisbon, Portugal 195 38 233 60 90 60 210 -23 273,7 10,13 42,2 32,07
3 Valenica, Spain - Barcelona, Spain 240 20 260 65 90 77 232 -28 302,7 11,20 55,8 44,60
4 Zagreb, Croatia - Zadar, Croatia 210 47 257 45 90 93 228 -29 197,1 7,29 29,6 22,31
5 New York City, USA - Boston, USA 255 50 305 90 90 62 242 -63 305,4 11,30 52,1 40,8
6 Stockholm, Sweden - Jönköping, Sweden 255 9 264 65 90 40 195 -69 284,6 10,53 81,8 71,27
7 Manchester, UK - London, UK 295 25 320 60 90 37 187 -133 260,5 9,64 36,1 26,46
8 Paris, France - Lyon, France 330 22 352 65 90 62 217 -135 392,9 14,54 76,2 61,66
9 Varna, Bulgaria - Sofia, Bulgaria 375 30 405 50 90 82 222 -183 378,1 13,99 84,3 70,31
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Rank Connections Grounded transport details Flight details Total Numbers CO2 Emission data evaluation
1 Oslo, Norway - Gothenburg, Sweden 116 16 16 132 60 120 48 228 96 255,1 9,44 45,4 35,96
2 Zagreb, Croatia - Budapest, Hungary 270 46 46 316 145 120 101 366 50 299,5 11,08 58,8 47,72
3 Budapest, Hungary - Bratislava, Slovakia 155 33 33 188 45 120 65 230 42 161,4 5,97 42,6 36,63
5 Paris, France - Brussels, Belgium 200 5 5 205 60 120 44 224 19 264 9,77 37,0 27,23
6 Brussels, Belgium - Amsterdam, Netherlands 201 16 16 217 55 120 47 222 5 173,6 6,42 24,6 18,18
7 Zurich, Switzerland - Munich, Germany 230 10 10 240 55 120 52 227 -13 241,9 8,95 44,0 35,05
8 Talinn, Estonia - Riga, Latvia 245 17 17 262 50 120 42 212 -50 279,6 10,35 53,6 43,25
9 Prague, Czech Republic - Munich, Germany 285 17 17 302 55 120 72 247 -55 299,9 11,10 51,9 40,8
2 Vienna, Austria - Prague, Czech Republic 285 32 32 317 50 120 33 203 -114 252,6 9,35 50,2 40,85
10 Rotterdam, Netherlands* - Paris, France 395 19 19 414 80 120 51 251 -163 372,9 13,80 64,6 50,8
11 Madrid, Spain - Lisbon, Portugal 415 28 28 443 80 120 54 254 -189 502,4 18,59 100,5 81,91
12 Warsaw, Poland - Vilnius, Lithuania 445 19 19 464 65 120 51 236 -228 393,2 14,55 94,6 80,05
13 Sofia, Bulgaria - Istanbul, Turkey 510 58 58 568 85 120 113 318 -250 501,7 18,56 98,2 79,64
15 Porto, Portugal - Madrid, Spain 505 16 16 521 70 120 59 249 -272 421,3 15,59 112,5 96,91
16 Stockholm, Sweden - Oslo, Norway 470 20 20 490 60 120 36 216 -274 416,3 15,40 71,0 55,6
17 London, UK - Amsterdam, Netherlands 660 11 11 671 65 120 34 219 -452 357,2 13,22 75,8 62,58
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Experience the most beautiful rail routes through Europe in summer 2023

One journey offering plenty of opportunity for sightseeing is the Train des Pignes (pine cone train) route, which passes through southern France from Digne-les-Bains to Nice. Likewise, the Bernina Express Alpine crossing from Switzerland to Italy is a journey like no other. The Bernina Express runs from Chur to Tirano through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges. Travelling on the Rhaetian Railway, which enjoys UNESCO World Heritage status, you will also encounter its famous 65-metre-high Landwasser Viaduct and the Montebello curve, which allows you to see the Bernina Pass in all its glory. 

The scenically diverse route from Barcelona to Bilbao is also worth seeing. This train, which is operated by the state railway company Renfe, begins its journey at the foothills of the Pyrenees and transports passengers across the Spanish hinterland through barren steppes, rocky desert landscapes and wine-growing regions.

Lleida
Barcelona to Bilbao
Train from Barcelona to Bilbao
Pontresina
Chur to Tirano
From Chur to Tirano by train
Digne les Bains
Digne to Nice
Train to Nice

Unique travel experiences from Omio

It goes without saying that our experts here at Omio are efficient and environmentally conscious travellers. They have a wealth of experience and can give you exclusive travel tips.

Sofia

Sofia Larsson, Customer Service

Travel from Berlin to Norrköping, Sweden by train

I travel by train from Berlin to Norrköping in Sweden regularly, because it’s only about 2 hours slower than flying anyway. I love that I can pack a separate bag with lunch, snacks and drinks without having to worry about luggage restrictions. There is really nothing better than sipping on a coffee while soaking up the amazing ocean view from the bridges going through Denmark into Sweden!

Chiara

Chiara Sgarbi, Social Media

Travel from Berlin to Verona, Italy by train

Berlin – Verona by train allows me to travel without stress and even more now with my daughter that wants to walk and needs space…you know what I am talking about, right? And it is a treat for the eyes! From Innsbruck to Verona through the Alps and the valleys it is a stunning panorama and even the little one stops to check the view. We experience it with the snow and the green of spring and I cannot say which one was the best! I love travelling by train and from door to door the time difference with a flight is not so huge and luggage wise there is way more flebìxibility.

Maxime

Maxime Gallouin, Data Engineer

Travel from Berlin to Basel, Switzerland by train

I choose the train even if it takes longer, especially when I’m traveling with a bike. More and more ICE trains, for example from Berlin to Basel (Switzerland, gateway to the Alps!) are equipped with bike compartments, so there’s no need to pack your bike, no risk of damaging it, and the bike ticket costs around 10 euros. Unbeatable.

Catharina

Catharina Rijstenbil, Brand Marketing

Travel from Berlin to Amsterdam or Maastricht, Netherlands by train

Travelling from my home town Berlin to family and friends in Amsterdam or Maastricht is much more enjoyable by train than by plane! Fetching a coffee first, a delicious sandwich for later, and an excellent book to read and find my reserved window seat to watch the landscape and the change of weather slide by. A quick stop-over in Cologne to switch connections and get my favourite Dutch snack before my journey continues. This relaxed way of travel beats any short-haul, stressful flight.

Travel comfortably on a sleeper train

Night train illustra

Take a sleeper train to travel comfortably and arrive well rested. You can travel across Italy overnight on the Intercity Notte, which is operated by Trenitalia. If you want to travel from Germany or Austria, the Euronight is the best choice. The ÖBB Nightjet connects Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. In France, the railway company SNCF operates INTERCITÉS night trains, which run from

Paris and Toulouse to towns and cities on the Italian and Spanish borders. There is also a wide range of sleeper trains running in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, for example those operated by Statens Järnvägar (SJ) or Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS). Find out more on our info page on sleeper trains.

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