With Europe travel rising, trains take on budget flights and win over Indian travellers
With trains connecting city centres directly, offering generous baggage allowances, and sparing travellers the hassle of airports, rail has become a cost-effective and convenient way to explore the continent
- Sep 3, 2025,
- Updated Sep 3, 2025 1:07 PM IST
When Indian tourists head abroad, especially to Europe, one of the biggest hurdles is moving between cities and countries. Airfares on short-haul routes quickly add up, turning every leg of the journey into a costly affair. For families and students travelling on a budget, the price of flying can often overshadow the trip itself.
This is where Europe’s rail network steps in as a practical alternative. With trains connecting city centres directly, offering generous baggage allowances, and sparing travellers the hassle of airports, rail has become a cost-effective and convenient way to explore the continent. For many Indians, it’s not just about saving money, it’s also about experiencing Europe the way locals do.
Celebrating this connectivity, this September marks 200 years since the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in northern England, the world’s first modern passenger line. What began with a steam locomotive hauling freight and passengers has since grown into a global network, with rail still at the heart of mobility and trade.
“Two centuries later, rail is still shaping society, but in a very different way,” Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe, told Business Today.
“Today the focus is on sustainability, digitalisation and making cross-border mobility seamless. In my view, the bicentenary is not just a celebration of history. It is a reminder that rail has always been a driver of progress, and it has a critical role to play in Europe’s low-carbon future.”
Rail vs air: shifting preferences
For decades, short-haul flights dominated European travel. But Bender argued the balance is changing. “Trains take you straight to the city centre, there are no hidden costs for luggage, and the overall experience is less stressful,” he said. Rail Europe aggregates more than 250 operators into a single platform, removing the complexity of cross-border bookings. “That is what makes rail a true alternative to flying.”
India as a growth market
India has emerged as one of Rail Europe’s fastest-growing markets, with strong double-digit growth driven by multi-country itineraries and family travel. “Indian visitors tell us they value safety, comfort and generous baggage allowances, and they appreciate that trains bring them directly into the centre of Europe’s historic cities,” Bender said. “There is also a cultural element: for many, travelling by train is part of the European experience they want to have.”
Bender identified three factors that matter most for Indian travellers: clarity when booking, family-friendly options, and connectivity to hubs like Paris, Amsterdam, Rome and the Swiss Alps. “My goal is simple: when Indian visitors think about crossing borders in Europe, the easiest answer should be the train.”
The road and track ahead
Bender underlined the importance of partnerships. “Public authorities set the framework, fund infrastructure and push for sustainability targets. Private players like Rail Europe bring innovation, speed and customer focus. When those elements come together, the results are powerful.”
Digitalisation is equally critical. “The journey starts long before you board a train,” Bender said. “Our focus is on making that digital journey simple: one website and one app, multiple currencies and languages, and wherever possible, mobile tickets. The principle is always the same: remove friction so that rail feels as easy as tap-to-book.”
Looking at competition with budget airlines, Bender was blunt: “Low-cost airlines changed the way people thought about travel, but their model has clear limits: hidden charges, long queues and a heavy environmental cost. On value, time, convenience, sustainability, rail is increasingly coming out ahead.”
When Indian tourists head abroad, especially to Europe, one of the biggest hurdles is moving between cities and countries. Airfares on short-haul routes quickly add up, turning every leg of the journey into a costly affair. For families and students travelling on a budget, the price of flying can often overshadow the trip itself.
This is where Europe’s rail network steps in as a practical alternative. With trains connecting city centres directly, offering generous baggage allowances, and sparing travellers the hassle of airports, rail has become a cost-effective and convenient way to explore the continent. For many Indians, it’s not just about saving money, it’s also about experiencing Europe the way locals do.
Celebrating this connectivity, this September marks 200 years since the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in northern England, the world’s first modern passenger line. What began with a steam locomotive hauling freight and passengers has since grown into a global network, with rail still at the heart of mobility and trade.
“Two centuries later, rail is still shaping society, but in a very different way,” Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe, told Business Today.
“Today the focus is on sustainability, digitalisation and making cross-border mobility seamless. In my view, the bicentenary is not just a celebration of history. It is a reminder that rail has always been a driver of progress, and it has a critical role to play in Europe’s low-carbon future.”
Rail vs air: shifting preferences
For decades, short-haul flights dominated European travel. But Bender argued the balance is changing. “Trains take you straight to the city centre, there are no hidden costs for luggage, and the overall experience is less stressful,” he said. Rail Europe aggregates more than 250 operators into a single platform, removing the complexity of cross-border bookings. “That is what makes rail a true alternative to flying.”
India as a growth market
India has emerged as one of Rail Europe’s fastest-growing markets, with strong double-digit growth driven by multi-country itineraries and family travel. “Indian visitors tell us they value safety, comfort and generous baggage allowances, and they appreciate that trains bring them directly into the centre of Europe’s historic cities,” Bender said. “There is also a cultural element: for many, travelling by train is part of the European experience they want to have.”
Bender identified three factors that matter most for Indian travellers: clarity when booking, family-friendly options, and connectivity to hubs like Paris, Amsterdam, Rome and the Swiss Alps. “My goal is simple: when Indian visitors think about crossing borders in Europe, the easiest answer should be the train.”
The road and track ahead
Bender underlined the importance of partnerships. “Public authorities set the framework, fund infrastructure and push for sustainability targets. Private players like Rail Europe bring innovation, speed and customer focus. When those elements come together, the results are powerful.”
Digitalisation is equally critical. “The journey starts long before you board a train,” Bender said. “Our focus is on making that digital journey simple: one website and one app, multiple currencies and languages, and wherever possible, mobile tickets. The principle is always the same: remove friction so that rail feels as easy as tap-to-book.”
Looking at competition with budget airlines, Bender was blunt: “Low-cost airlines changed the way people thought about travel, but their model has clear limits: hidden charges, long queues and a heavy environmental cost. On value, time, convenience, sustainability, rail is increasingly coming out ahead.”