Re:Europe’s flight-shame movement has travelers taking train...
by mcv on Monday August 05, 2019 @07:28AM
(#20613184)
I don't downvote for saying the truth, but I do downvote for complaining about downvoting (not in this case because it's compensated by your complaint about the paywall).
In any case, many people certainly do take trains to save the planet. Also because of convenience, but there are multiple reasons why people can choose the train.
I take the train because I find train travel to be much more comfortable than car travel. I can read in the train, and don't have to pay attention to the road.
But especially for longer distances, even with ridiculously cheap budget flights, I do everything I can to avoid taking a plane for travel within Europe. I took the Eurostar to London, take the Thalys to Paris, and this year even took a Thalys to the south of France. My wife, who went to Cannes with a friend, took a 9 hour train trip on the way there, and only took a plane because the return trip would have been 17 hours by train. (My trip was only 5 hours because in the summer there's 1 direct Thalys per week from Amsterdam to southern France; I'd like it if they increased that frequency.)
My brother takes the train to all corners of Europe, almost never taking a plane.
Of course not everybody here cares about the environment; there are still plenty of short-distance low-budget flights. But a lot of people care enough to accept slightly longer journeys and more expense in order to not add to more air travel.
In any case, many people certainly do take trains to save the planet. Also because of convenience, but there are multiple reasons why people can choose the train.
I take the train because I find train travel to be much more comfortable than car travel. I can read in the train, and don't have to pay attention to the road.
But especially for longer distances, even with ridiculously cheap budget flights, I do everything I can to avoid taking a plane for travel within Europe. I took the Eurostar to London, take the Thalys to Paris, and this year even took a Thalys to the south of France. My wife, who went to Cannes with a friend, took a 9 hour train trip on the way there, and only took a plane because the return trip would have been 17 hours by train. (My trip was only 5 hours because in the summer there's 1 direct Thalys per week from Amsterdam to southern France; I'd like it if they increased that frequency.)
My brother takes the train to all corners of Europe, almost never taking a plane.
Of course not everybody here cares about the environment; there are still plenty of short-distance low-budget flights. But a lot of people care enough to accept slightly longer journeys and more expense in order to not add to more air travel.