Traffic turnaround in Germany: Flying is becoming more and more expensive on average than taking the train
- Gisma University of Applied Sciences compares prices for train and flight tickets for travel from and within Germany.
- Flights are on average more and more expensive, but travel time is shorter: this time saving costs 18 cents per minute.
- On average, the difference is almost 70 euros: the average price difference is highest for domestic travel.
Flights from German airports within Europe and Germany cost an average of 64.52 euros more than train tickets for a comparable route. This was found by the Gisma University of Applied Sciences (www.gisma.com) in a study of flight and train ticket prices for selected connections. Connections in two, four and six weeks were examined. The basic rule is: flights are more expensive than train connections.
The time saved by a flight costs 18 cents per minute
In principle, trains are cheaper than flights, but the actual travel time for flights is significantly shorter. If you compare the travel time and ticket costs, the average price is 18 cents per minute, which a flight saves in time. However, the time saved on domestic flights costs significantly more: 38 cents per minute that could potentially be saved.
Meanwhile, the time saved is cheapest for international connections. On average, each minute saved on such connections costs 14 cents.
On average, the travel time for the connections examined is 80 minutes for flights and 444 minutes for train connections.
For both domestic and international connections, flights are the most expensive option
Good for the traffic turnaround: financially, there are no incentives to choose the plane: whether for flights abroad or domestic connections, the decision to fly is always more expensive on average than taking the train.
The difference between the means of transport is greatest for domestic connections: While a domestic flight costs an average of €101.61, a train ticket costs only €30.50. That’s a difference of €71.10. For international connections, the difference is only slightly lower at €61.90. Flights cost an average of €133.87, while train tickets are significantly more expensive than for domestic travel at €71.97.
On average, flights cost 64.52 euros more than train connections, at 124.12 euros per flight and 59.60 euros per train journey.
Prof. Dr. Sara Ravan Ramzani, Professor of Research and Quantitative Methods at Gisma University of Applied Sciences, comments on the study:
“If we want to achieve our climate goals, low-carbon modes of transport must always be the more attractive choice. For destinations that can be reached by train from Germany, there are at least financial incentives to choose the more climate-friendly means of travel. Business travelers and travelers in a hurry should pay a fair surcharge. After all, they consciously choose an environmentally unfriendly means of transport, even though there would have been a better alternative. Nevertheless, the financial lever is not necessarily the most effective: many travelers find the sometimes longer travel time unreasonable and opt for the plane despite the higher price. There is only one solution to this: a comprehensive overhaul of Deutsche Bahn to shorten travel times and, above all, to avoid delays and cancellations.”
About the study
For the study, the price and travel time of selected connections from Germany by plane and train were compared. Skyscanner.com was used as the source for the flight connections. The source for the train connections is the Deutsche Bahn booking portal. Only the ticket for the outward journey was examined. All combinations of connections between the following cities were examined, with a location in Germany always being used as the point of departure: Frankfurt am Main, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Rome, Prague, Warsaw, Amsterdam, Zurich, Vienna, Naples, Budapest, Brussels, Milan, Copenhagen. Only connections were considered where the travel time was between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Connections were examined with two weeks, four weeks and six weeks in advance.
About Gisma University of Applied Sciences
Gisma University of Applied Sciences is a state-recognized, private university. On its campus at Jungfernsee in Potsdam and Berlin, it brings together students and teachers from over 80 nations around the world.
In its 14 programs, it trains students to become sought-after talents for the global business world, in management, leadership, data sciences, AI and software engineering. Students learn from research-focused lecturers as well as from top executives and founders. The university cooperates with a network of global companies from the business and education sectors, such as Zalando, Ebay and Vattenfall, and is a member of “SAP University Alliances”. Its goal is to provide innovative impetus for business and society by preparing its students for management practice in a world characterized by constant change and increasing complexity. All of Gisma’s degree programs are state-recognized and are reviewed by the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) and the German Accreditation Council. www.gisma.com. In addition, Gisma is part of GUS Germany GmbH (GGG), a dynamic network of educational institutions with more than 15,000 students at locations in Germany, Europe and beyond.