Travelling by rail is ‘as much as 70% and over £200 cheaper than flying’

It’s a long-held theory that flying is much cheaper than taking the train in Britain – and this is certainly often true when you compare ticket prices.

But rail industry bosses have released a new study which they claim shows travelling by train can actually be up to 70 per cent cheaper on similar routes than taking the plane, when accounting for extra costs such as hold baggage and seat selection.

They also said going by plane takes longer than by train door-to-door for four out of six domestic routes examined, and rail is up to 17 times greener than flying.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) claimed trains are £250 cheaper than flights on the London to Manchester route, which has seven times more rail services than flights.

The routes examined were London to Glasgow; London to Edinburgh; Manchester to London; Aberdeen to Manchester; London to Newcastle; and Edinburgh to Exeter.

But there was no mention of long-running strike action that has crippled services in recent years; poor performance that saw cancellations in England and Wales rise 8 per cent in the past year; or average train fares increasing by 5 per cent in March.

It comes as Government legislation designed to help nationalise train operation in the UK is now moving closer to becoming law after Labour won the election.

The RDG said rail travel offers better convenience and flexibility with more frequent departures and direct access to city centres, and is quicker than flying on four out of the six routes for total journey time including airport transfers and security checks.

The study, issued last Friday, looked at the average costs of a fare between selected routes for a one-way trip departing on August 5 and a one-way trip returning on August 9, giving a total combined cost of both one-way trips.

The London to Glasgow route came in at £171 for rail and £248 for plane including £196 on tickets and £52 on baggage and seat allocation. London to Edinburgh was £156 by rail or £260 by plane.

Manchester to London was £91 by train and £341 to fly; London to Newcastle was £145 by rail and £384 by plane; Edinburgh to Exeter was £220 by rail and £297 by plane; and Aberdeen to Manchester was much closer at £224 for rail or £234 for plane.

The report claimed that the public are ‘often told that flying domestically is faster, cheaper, and more convenient’.

But the RDG described this as a ‘myth amplified by quick comparisons that typically ignore the length of time security checks take at airports as well as ignoring add-on costs for luggage and seat selection’.

The study said many comparisons do not consider the time it takes to get to and from the airport and ‘forget that railway stations are in central convenient locations, while airports sit on the outskirts of our cities’.

The RDG pointed out that journeys by air often involve trips to get to the airport from the city centre. It also said passengers need to consider the recommended time to be at the airport before the scheduled departure time, as well as the estimated 30 minutes to disembark, and the onward journey into the city centre.

It said that in total, this can add three and a half hours onto a journey. City centre to city centre flying was found to take longer on four of the six routes reviewed.

The four routes quicker by train were London to Glasgow (15 minutes quicker by train); London to Edinburgh (20 minutes), London to Manchester (two hours and 24 minutes); and London to Newcastle (two hours and three minutes).

However, Aberdeen to Manchester was 56 minutes faster by plane, Edinburgh to Exeter was two hours and 42 minutes quicker by plane.

The RDG added that environmental considerations should also be noted – claiming travelling by train for business between Edinburgh and London is 17 times greener by rail than by plane.

The study said that in 2019, 3.4million people travelled between London and Edinburgh by air, which made it the second busiest air corridor in Europe producing 244,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Its data compared a business trip by plane and by train, suggesting London to Glasgow is seven times greener by train, London to Newcastle is 12 times greener and London to Manchester is nine times.

The report said comparative plane and train carbon emissions data was unavailable for the Edinburgh to Exeter and Aberdeen to Manchester routes.

In addition, the RDG pointed out that a Railcard would offer a third off train travel on each route, lowering London to Glasgow from £171 to £113; and London to Edinburgh from £156 to £103.

Manchester to London falls from £91 to £60; Aberdeen to Manchester from £224 to £148; London to Newcastle from £145 to £96; and Edinburgh to Exeter from £220 to £145.

The RDG also said that airport transfers were a significant cost for customers, although these were not included in its cost analysis in the report.

Its research showed the average return fare of a minicab to the city centre was £122 to £228 for London Heathrow, £140 for Luton, £130 for Stansted, £113 for Gatwick and £75 to £85 for City.

Elsewhere it was £55 to £70 for Manchester, £80 for Edinburgh, £71 for Glasgow, £60 for Newcastle and Exeter, and £40 to £50 for Aberdeen.

The report concluded: ‘For too long, the narrative has been that flying domestically is cheaper and faster. However, when you do a true cost comparison, rail travel is considerably cheaper.

‘Rail travel offers a more affordable, sustainable, and convenient way to travel. Our research highlights the many advantages that rail travel offers to our customers when travelling within Britain.

‘We have picked six domestic routes that offer both trains and flights to provide a fair comparison of costs, carbon emissions and availability of services.’

And RDG chief executive Jaqueline Starr said: ‘It’s time to rethink domestic travel this summer. In a like-for-like comparison with air travel, taking the train is often cheaper, more sustainable and convenient way to travel with free baggage allowance and seat selection included in most fares.

‘Make the most of summer by travelling on rail – experiencing real-life moments, from family holidays to catching up on the way to work. Rail connects us to these important moments safely, quickly, and comfortably.’

The prices were taken between July 8 and 10 directly from rail and flight operators.

The RDG said it had advisory input from the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education at the University of Birmingham, which ‘assisted with the development of the cost calculation methodology in this report’- but the insights given were based on the RDG’s own analysis.

The organisation also said its analysis noted that fares can ‘vary depending on how far in advance the booking is made, the date chosen and the time of travel’.

Patricia Yates, chief executive at VisitBritain/VisitEngland, said: ‘Traveling by train is a cost effective and sustainable way to explore Britain this summer.

‘Rail travel opens up iconic destinations and attractions to visitors with hidden gems and stunning scenery revealed along the way.

‘The ease and convenience of hopping on a train means visitors can access less explored destinations and local businesses, in a relaxing and environmentally friendly way, encouraging visitors to discover more and stay longer, boosting local economies.’

And Silviya Barrett from the Campaign for Better Transport said: ‘Choosing to travel more sustainably whenever we can is one of the most effective things we can do to reduce our impact on the planet.

‘This new report backs up our own research and shows that taking the train not only saves carbon emissions, it can also get you there quicker, save you the hassle of airport security and leave you more spending money in your pocket this summer.’