Overview

• Across 142 city‑to‑city routes in 31 countries, trains were cheaper on 46% of routes, with rail underperforming on 109 cross‑border corridors where it was cheaper only 39% of the time.
• Domestic services were the exception, as rail was the lower‑cost option on roughly 70% of in‑country routes examined.
• Greenpeace compared the lowest one‑way fares at nine booking points and excluded loyalty discounts, baggage fees for flights, and rail advantages such as inclusive luggage and free travel for children in some cases.
• Price gaps can be extreme, including about €300 for a last‑minute train versus €20 for a flight on Cologne–Manchester, and a finding that Barcelona–London rail can be roughly 26 times costlier than flying.
• Results show modest gains for rail since 2023 on 111 comparable routes, and the release has prompted fresh calls for lower rail taxes, more direct international services and fairer flight taxation, with Deutsche Bahn highlighting domestic price competitiveness and stable long‑distance fares.