Introducing the 'Traincation'

"Fuelled by the popularity of the ‘staycation’... and with high-speed rail networks now touching all corners of Europe, rail travel is a more viable travel option with Brits embarking on an increasing number of flight-free holidays, monikered ‘traincations’."

That's according to green lifestyle movement Global Cool, which today revealed the findings of a survey it commissioned about whether holidaymakers would prefer taking the train instead of the plane.

"Over half of all holidaymakers are considering swapping air travel for train travel" reports Global Cool.

"British holidaymakers are tired of travelling by plane as half of plane travellers are put out by time wasted arriving ahead of departure (54 per cent) and queuing (50 per cent), whether it’s for check-in, security, or boarding the aircraft.

"Time spent in the confines of an airport is better spent taking the scenic route with over two thirds (70 per cent) preferring a more picturesque journey."

"Climate conscious Brits also want to ‘tread more lightly’. The survey of 1,772 holidaymakers revealed that 83 per cent of holiday travellers wish they could make a more environmentally friendly journey."

Total passenger journeys in the UK in 2008-09 increased by 300 million (total passenger journeys for franchised operated services increasing from 1.23 billion in 2007-08 to 1.27 billion in 2008-09). According to  Global Cool:

"Much of this movement is borne from evident benefits of train travel such as flexible routes with quick and easy check-in, no lengthy journeys into city centres from out of town airports and a more comfortable experience."

"Eurostar has played a key role in this trend by bridging the UK to the continent. In its 15 years of operation, it has carried more than a 100 million travellers to the continent, 9.2 million of them in 2009 alone."

Mark Smith, the founder of train website seat61.com, said: “This comes as no surprise to me - visitors to Seat61.com have increased from 4.5m in 2007 to 5.9m in 2008 to 7m in 2009, and the hassle of flying and a desire for more environmentally friendly travel are the most often-quoted reasons for taking the train. They're often mentioned in the same breath!”

“Taking the train turns the journey into part of the holiday, a chance to relax, spend time with your family and watch the Swiss Alps or the Rhone villages or the Rhine castles glide past the window with a glass of red in your hand”.

For easy and speedy ways to plan a fantastic ‘traincation’ see greentraveller’s Plan Your Journey’ section which gives information on how to plan and book over 80 train trips into Europe and suggestions for stopover hotels. Greentraveller’s website also include over 200 holidays that can be conveniently reached by train, from walking in the Pyrenees to kayaking in Sweden.

See also our detailed guide: How to travel to and from Ireland without flying