Train Over Plane: Why Slow Travel Is Making a Comeback
Train travel has gone from quiet niche to a full-on comeback. Travelers who once reached for short-haul flights are increasingly choosing overnight and long-distance rail. That shift isn’t sentimental alone. It reflects practical changes in how people think about emissions, time use, and the value of the journey itself. Recent reporting and industry statements from 2024–2025 show operators expanding routes and seeing demand that outstrips supply on some lines (The World; The Guardian, 2025). The trend is visible in Europe — where private and national operators relaunched night services — and in pockets of Asia and North America where sleeper experiments are reappearing. For U.S. readers, the revival matters because it offers a credible low-carbon alternative on several coast-to-coast and corridor routes like the California Zephyr and Coast Starlight (Amtrak materials; Medium, 2025). This article explains why trains are winning attention over planes, using operator quotes and recent examples. Each reason ties to a named route or operator so you can picture real trips rather than abstract ideas. Along the way you’ll find practical tips for booking and traveling by sleeper, plus the trade-offs that still make flying the right choice in many cases. If you’re curious how to turn a point-to-point transfer into a slow, scenic chapter of a trip, these reasons will help you weigh that option with both head and heart.
