Study in Germany found significantly cheaper to make domestic trips by rail, not by air

Date added: 13 February, 2013

The German newspaper Die Welt reports on a study which found that within Germany, it was generally much more expensive to fly that to take the train. They compared a number of routes, and found significant savings, with as much saved as 50% or more. The new study was undertaken between May to September and looked at 540 trips, with 270 flights with the corresponding number of rail journeys compared. The ten routes were selected with the highest volume of passengers. It emerged that travellling by rail between Munich and Frankfurt was 42% of the fare compared to the same route by air. On the Frankfurt-Hamburg route the saving was 57%, and between Hamburg and Munich 63.3%. On the route between Cologne/ Bonn-Berlin there were the greatest savings with 77.2%. They conclude that within Germany is makes financial sense to go by rail and not fly.
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Flieger versus Bahn – Was wirklich günstiger ist

( = Flight versus train – what really is cheaper)

Viele Airlines setzen auf Schnäppchen-Tarife und wollen der Bahn damit Kunden abspenstig machen. Doch wie reist man innerhalb Deutschlands wirklich am günstigsten? Eine neue Studie klärt auf. Von Nikolaus Doll

Many airlines rely on bargain rates and want to alienate rail customers. But how to travel within Germany really the cheapest? A new study explains.

28.11.2012 (Die Welt)

Article in German at :

http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article111590956/Flieger-versus-Bahn-Was-wirklich-guenstiger-ist.html

Comparison of train price and flight price (%)

<br /> Auf allen Strecken ist die Bahn günstiger: 100 Prozent entspricht den Kosten für ein Flugticket, der Bahnpreis wird immer im Verhältnis dazu gesehen<br />

Foto: Infografik Die WeltAuf allen Strecken ist die Bahn günstiger: 100 Prozent entspricht den Kosten für ein Flugticket, der Bahnpreis wird immer im Verhältnis dazu gesehen

(Apologies for the imperfect translation into English of the first part of the article below)

Across the country if you want to book travel you probably choose a flight. It is faster. And cheaper. Many people believe that, but that is wrong. According to a study of the Verkehrsclub Deutschland has commissioned, rail travel within Germany is surprisingly affordable compared to flights. In representing 91.5% of the cases studied is the rail trip is cheaper..

This is true for the one-day business trip, a weekend away and a two-week family holiday. And it also does not matter, whether the tickets are bought three months, four weeks, a week or a day before the planned trip. “In fact, it is not necessary at all, to fly within Germany,” says Heidi Heidi Tischmann from the Verkehrsclub Deutschland.

From May to September the VCD looked at 540 trips, and carried out tests, with 270 flights with the corresponding number of rail journeys compared. The ten routes were selected with the highest volume of passengers. It emerged that travellers on the train route between Munich and Frankfurt saved an average 42% of the fare compared to the flight; on the Frankfurt-Hamburg route the saving was 57%, and between Hamburg and Munich 63.3%. On the route between Cologne/ Bonn-Berlin there were the greatest savings with 77.2%.

In absolute terms, that means that business travellers (a person, travelling on weekdays) on the train route from Munich-Frankfurt can save €135.41, compared to a flight. Between Frankfurt and Hamburg they can save €43.09 and on the Cologne/ Bonn-Munchen route save €36.72.

Because, of course, it depends upon what day you are traveling, how many people are travelling and where you want to go. On weekends there is a different picture, and two people going between Munich and Düsseldorf could save €333.17 with the railway, in the case of Cologne/ Bonn-Munchen there are €130.41. A family of four, taking a two week holiday, can on a trip between Frankfurt and Hamburg achieve the greatest savings: €609.67 .

….. and it continues …………