On paper, a £29 Ryanair flight from London to Amsterdam looks cheaper than a £79 Eurostar. But add £25 in transport to Stansted, £15 for a checked bag, and 3 hours of airport time, and the equation flips entirely.
In 2026, the Eurostar extension to Rotterdam and the new Madrid-Lisbon high-speed link have made rail even more competitive. For journeys under 700km, the train is now door-to-door faster than flying in 8 out of 10 tested city pairs.
When to Take the Train
- Always Train: London–Paris, London–Brussels, Paris–Amsterdam (under 2.5 hrs).
- Usually Train: London–Madrid, London–Barcelona (overnight sleeper options).
- Usually Fly: UK to Southern Italy, UK to Eastern Europe (over 1,000km).
