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.
1. ÖBB Nightjet: Lower emissions make environmental sense
The environmental case is the clearest driver for many travelers choosing rail. Austria’s ÖBB reports a steady rise in eco-minded passengers since about 2015, with more people citing climate as a reason to pick night trains (The World, Nov 2025). Night trains consume far less fuel per passenger-kilometer than short-haul flights, especially when occupancy is high and electricity comes from low-carbon grids. That’s a simple math advantage: trains move people across a landscape while producing lower CO2 per seat than airplanes on many regional routes. ÖBB’s Nightjet brand has become shorthand for that choice in Europe because it pairs sleeper comfort with the carbon benefit, letting travelers cover long distances overnight without daytime flying’s footprint. For North American readers, the comparison is relevant where electric or diesel-electric trains can substitute for frequent short flights between regional hubs. The environmental argument doesn’t erase trade-offs — speed and frequency still favor air in many corridors — but it reframes the trip as a climate decision as well as a travel one. If emissions matter to you, choosing a night train for an overnight leg can significantly lower the travel-related carbon cost versus a comparable flight.
