Study: What is the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation?

Omio, a travel booking platform, compared routes between flights and trains to determine which was faster and more environmentally friendly. 

This weekend marks the official start of summer holidays for young people and parents. An opportunity to compare air travel and trains, especially regarding travel time, but also on the most environmentally respectful mobility options. The survey also measured the minutes between the train station in the city and the city center. 

The train is much faster 

Out of the 11 routes analyzed by Omio, seven show that train travel takes less time than flying. Taking the Rome – Florence route as an example, these two cities are in Italy. They are separated by 231 km in a straight line. However, the train journey takes 82 minutes, with 22 minutes from the train station to the city center. In contrast, the flight duration is 183 minutes. A difference of 79 minutes between the two modes of transportation. 

Time savings, but not only 

Yes, using the train will save you a significant amount of time, at least on this route. For example, on the Genoa – Naples route, you will lose 135 minutes traveling by train. 

Let’s revisit the Rome – Florence example: the train produces 9.6 kg of CO2 per passenger, compared to 39.6 kg of CO2 for the plane. A difference of 30 kg of CO2. 

For Genoa – Naples, CO2 emissions are also higher for flying than for taking the train. 

New regulation in France 

Last May, a decree was published banning flights if a train alternative is available for the same route with a duration of less than 2 hours and 30 minutes. In reality, this decree only applies to the routes between Paris, Bordeaux, Nantes, and Lyon.

Read also: Trenitalia enhances its train services between Paris and Lyon