Rail remains more expensive than flying in France

France-Europe rail fare on average 2.5 times more expensive than an air fare

The disparity is even more pronounced on international routes. A forthcoming report by Greenpeace, covering 21 popular France-Europe travel corridors, found that rail tickets are on average 2.5 times more expensive than air when weighted by passenger volumes. For example, on the Paris–Rome route, airfares average €70, while the equivalent rail fare can reach €210.

Greenpeace also found extreme pricing gaps on some days: a €15 flight from Marseille to London, while the cheapest train ticket was €188.

(Source: Greenpeace report June 2025)

Environmental think tank Carbone 4 analyzed costs for the Paris–Barcelona route and attributed the imbalance to two main structural issues:

Tax breaks for airlines, including exemptions from kerosene tax and 0% VAT on international flights, which effectively subsidize air travel by €30–€40 per passenger.

High rail tolls, which account for over half of SNCF’s operating costs on certain cross-border lines.

The Climate Action Network is now calling for a rollback of aviation tax exemptions (excluding overseas territories) and a redirection of funds toward rail improvements. Their proposal would finance three key initiatives:

A subsidized annual round-trip train ticket at €29 per person, updating the 1936 “vacation ticket” introduced by France’s first socialist government called “Front Populaire”.

A revival of night train services, focusing on under-served regional and international routes (e.g. Marseille–Nantes, Paris–Barcelona).

Reduced rail tolls for TGV services, particularly on international and cross-regional lines.

As the climate crisis intensifies and public scrutiny of carbon-intensive travel grows, campaigners argue that pricing structures must better reflect environmental impacts—and that rail must be made both affordable and accessible across France and Europe.