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Sleeper trains vs planes: Which is cheaper?
Groups could save money by taking a sleeper train instead of flying, new research by Which? Travel has found.
Night trains are enjoying a renaissance in Europe as more tourists choose to travel by rail to reduce their carbon footprint. And they can be surprisingly cost-effective too.
We looked at the cost of air travel vs train travel for five sleeper routes - two in the UK and three in Europe. Flights might seem a lot cheaper until you factor in the cost of baggage and an extra night’s accommodation.
Our spot checks found that a family of four could save nearly £100 travelling by sleeper train, while a bigger family could save more than £250.
We also compared the carbon emissions for each route and found plane journeys emit up to seven times more CO2 per passenger.
European sleeper trains and flight prices compared
For the three European sleeper routes, we compared the price of the cheapest private compartment in the first week of August, with the cost of the cheapest flight and a night’s accommodation.
Two of the services are run by the biggest European operator, Nightjet: Paris to Vienna and Brussels to Vienna. The third is a new sleeper service from London to Berlin, which launches on 25 May. Run by new firm European Sleeper, it allows you to catch the Eurostar from St Pancras in the afternoon, enjoy a beer in Brussels and wake up in Berlin. The prices in the table below include the cost of taking the Eurostar to Brussels or Paris to catch each of these night trains.
While taking the train was more expensive for two people, our snapshot research found two of the three European services were cheaper for families of four and six. Groups of four could save £94, while a bigger group could reduce their holiday bill by a whopping £267.
We only looked at the cost of private compartments - European Sleeper and Nightjet both offer cheaper sleeper fares if you share a couchette or sleeper cabin with other travellers. Under-fives travel free on Nightjet if they share your bed; under threes are free on European Sleeper.
*The cost of a private couchette and Eurostar fares. **Cost of cheapest flight departing between 9am and 5pm, two items of hold luggage and a night in an Airbnb/Vrbo in Berlin or Vienna.
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The UK’s night trains vs planes
The UK has two sleeper services: GWR's Night Riviera from London Paddington to Penzance, and the Caledonian Express from London Euston to the Highlands.
The price of Cornwall’s sleeper service was similar to the cost of flights - but cheaper if you have a railcard, which gives you a discount of around £50 (see below). You can also take a surfboard or bike for free.
Our research found that the more luxurious Caledonian Sleeper to Aberdeen is more costly than flying for two adults, while a family of four or six would pay a similar sum. Railcard-holders don't get a discount.
*Cost of cheapest ticket and cabin supplement with a Two Together railcard. **Cost of cheapest flight departing between 9am and 5pm, two items of hold luggage and a night in an Airbnb/Vrbo in Aberdeen or Newquay.
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Train vs plane: What’s the carbon cost?
Flying from London to Berlin emits seven times more CO2 per passenger than taking the train. The carbon emissions of flying from London to Vienna are around six times higher (see below).
Travelling from London to Cornwall or Aberdeen by plane emits more than twice as much CO2 per passenger.
Table notes: Numbers rounded to the nearest kg
Our research
Which? compared the cost of one-way flight and sleeper train fares for a week in August. Each comparable route was checked on the same day. For both train journeys and planes, Which? recorded the cheapest ticket it could find that week, but excluded flights departing before 9am or after 5pm because this might involve additional costs such as a taxi fare, airport parking or staying in an airport hotel.
Airbnb or Vrbo prices are based on data from analyst AirDNA. Carbon emissions data for train journeys was taken from EcoPassenger. Carbon emissions data for plane journeys was taken from Atmosfair.