In recent years, rail travel underwent a global renaissance, one driven by cost, safety, luxury, and the promise of more immersive experiences.
To go by a report published by TMR in February of last year, demand for railroad trips has grown thanks to the introduction of new train services, itineraries, and destinations.
Rail travel industry leader Railbookers pointed out in their end-2024 report that sectoral revenues have risen by 30 percent of late as travellers seek options for slower, more meaningful trips that are also sustainable.
The rise of high-speed rail travel, particularly in Southeast Asia, has also served to boost the popularity of such trips which cut travel time from up to eight hours on the road to just two.
Why would anyone even consider train travel in the first place?
If you look at travel in terms of geographical distance and speed, it would be much easier to get to your destination by plane, especially if you need to get there as soon as possible.
But if you’re the sort of traveller who wants to know a destination properly, the slower, more stately pace of train travel will be more to your taste.
This is especially true in Europe: according to a May 2026 report from Insurte, there are many reasons why travelling by rail is a better option and these include both convenience and comfort.
As the report states: “Train stations typically sit in city centres, so you can skip long airport transfers and arrive closer to departure time. You can also avoid most airport-style procedures that often involve long queues. [And] unlike airlines, trains generally have more relaxed luggage policies. You can bring large bags without add-on fees, and leave without waiting at baggage claim. [Also,] many routes offer Wi-Fi, restrooms, and café or bar service, plus more space than a typical economy seat on an airplane.”
A more sustainable option
We should also point out here that trains consume less energy per passenger compared to both planes and automobiles, and that’s a major thing from a sustainability standpoint.
Consider this example from Carbon Click: “A journey from London to Nice generates just 36kg of CO₂ by train, compared to 250kg by air. Even on longer trips, such as London to Tangier, taking a 48-hour rail and ferry combination can reduce emissions by up to 85 percent.”
The Carbon Click report goes on to say that today’s electric trains emit around 45g of CO₂ per passenger-kilometre, roughly half the emissions of diesel-powered trains.
Compare this to the way cruise ships produce approximately 251g of CO₂-equivalent per berth-kilometre; rail certainly comes away as the cleaner way to travel.
The trends you need to keep track of
The railroad renaissance can be seen and felt most keenly in three trends in different parts of the world.
In Europe, for example, travellers see rail travel at night as an affordable and eco-friendly alternative to intra-continental flights.
Specifically in Belgium, operators like NMBS/SNCB are seeing a 50 percent increase in international bookings; and this has been going on even before the pandemic as it started in 2019.
Meanwhile, Asia is seeing an age of expansion for its high-speed railway networks as nations invest in railway modernisation.
Indonesia’s Whoosh bullet train and Taiwan’s high-speed railway have made cross-country travel faster, safer, and more comfortable.
Meanwhile, China and Laos began integrating high-speed connectivity to boost domestic and cross-border tourism as of August 2025.
At the same time, luxury travel firms like Belmond are investing in more immersive experiences and new itineraries, turning the train ride into the primary destination rather than just a method of transit.
