Train vs plane: my trip from London to Paris

Blog

In the peak travel season in Summer, while our suitcases may be packed with guidebooks and sunglasses, our travel choices also carry something else: carbon footprint. Small decisions about how we move can make a big difference – for our comfort and our planet.

For my recent short Paris getaway, I began it by train and then took the flight back. It was my first time combining the two in one trip. Here’s my review for the two modes of transport.

In the early morning, I took the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare Du Nord. Arriving at the well-connected station just an hour before departure, I breezed through ticket, luggage, and both passport controls of the UK and Europe under 15 minutes. After a two-hour scenic train journey (except a quick dash through the Channel Tunnel), I arrived at the city centre of Paris and directly started enjoying my trip with visits to museums and cafes.

A sidenote about my Eurostar journey – wanting to keep costs down while experiencing the service, I booked through Eurostar Snap for just £60. This option offers up to 50% off fares, making the price comparable to budget airlines but without extra charges for luggage. It’s designed to fill remaining seats so I only received my exact train time 48 hours before departure. Even with a bit of spontaneity, I still enjoyed the same comfort, a smoother journey, and a much smaller carbon footprint.

The return flight was a different story. It first took me more than an hour to travel to the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, then the standard pre-flight routine: arriving 90 minutes early for a long queue for check-in and security check. The line for passport check was exceptionally long and it took me half an hour. By the time I reached the gate, I was just in time to board the plane. And after all that, I landed at Luton with another long line for passport check and a long journey back to London.

Apart from a smoother, more efficient and convenient journey, traveling by train is a much greener option. Travelling from London to Paris by Eurostar emits 2 kg CO₂ per passenger. Flying the same route produces 61.5 kg CO₂, which is more than 30 times higher. (Source: Eurostar)

At Enroute, we collaborated with the Bring Back Euro Trains (BBET) campaign on a research to advocate for restoring Kent’s international rail services, making sustainable cross-Channel travel more accessible. Read the research to discover the potential economic, environmental, and social benefits, and the practical steps for future development.

Read some of our other blog posts