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Do people really prefer to travel rail over plane?

The comfort and convenience of rail officially outweighs the speed and availability of planes, according to a new study.

The comfort and convenience of rail officially outweighs the speed and availability of planes, according to a new study.

 

A survey conducted by Rail Europe throughout April and May this year found 73 percent of travellers said they’d prefer to travel around Europe via trains – more than the 61 percent that preferred plane.

Sounds a little hard to believe until you hear the reasons why.

According to the study, the majority of respondents said they choose rail because of convenience and it’s cheaper than air.

raileurope

Others found it to be a time saver as well as an eco-friendly alternative and a way to interact with locals.

In terms of reasons for travelling to Europe, a whopping 84 percent listed holidays as the key incentive, while others go over to visit family, study and to honeymoon.

Rail Europe also reports that couples top the list of visitors (at 34 percent), followed by solo travellers (26 percent), groups of friends (23 percent) and finally, families (17 percent).

Rail Europe Spain

According to the rail ticket provider, Australians and New Zealanders travelling to Europe predominantly visit the UK, France and Italy respectively, with visitor numbers increasing yearly to Spain, Germany and Switzerland.

Also, while individual country passes are frequently used, the most popular pass among Aussies and Kiwis is the Eurail Select Pass, which entitles holders unlimited travel to four adjoining countries.

Do you prefer to travel around Europe via plane or rail?