Omio study finds European train routes beat flights in speed

Omio, a global online travel‑booking platform, analysed 25 of the most popular city‑to‑city routes across Europe, comparing door‑to‑door travel times, ticket prices and environmental impact for August 2026. The study shows that on every listed route the train reaches the destination faster than the plane, with time savings ranging from 97 to 140 minutes. Example routes include Brussels‑Paris (train 125 min, €34 vs flight 265 min, €209), Frankfurt‑Cologne (63 min, €32 vs 195 min), Madrid‑Valencia (130 min, €16 vs 240 min, €69), Milan‑Florence (140 min, €27 vs 240 min, €197), London‑Paris (156 min, €196 vs 255 min, €115) and Rome‑Florence (108 min, €28 vs 205 min, €131). Train travel bookings in Europe are up 32 % year‑on‑year, more than three times the growth of flight bookings, and the mode also offers lower emissions.

The findings suggest that for short‑ and medium‑distance trips in Europe, passengers may benefit from choosing rail over air in terms of speed, cost and environmental impact.