No, it is unbeatable within a specific range. For journeys under 4 hours (Paris-Lyon, Paris-Bordeaux, Paris-Strasbourg, Paris-Brussels and Paris-London), it is faster than flying door to door and emits 20 to 80 times less. Between 4 and 8 hours, night trains can take over where services exist, saving a hotel night, but the network remains limited: Paris-Vienna ended on 14 December 2025, and Paris-Berlin only resumed in March 2026 with European Sleeper, 3 times a week. Beyond 8 hours, or without a reasonable alternative, flying often remains the only option.
Read the source article: Train or plane: CO2 and actual times for 6 journeys from Paris