Train or plane? Travel from Budapest to London!
In the age of air travel, we might forget just how harmful planes are to the environment. Trains, on the other hand, can spare our planet from climate chaos. Let’s say you want to travel to London from Budapest by railway: would that be feasible? Our article below will reveal the truths behind this railway adventure.
An article by CNA Luxury shed light on the possibility of train travel between the cities of London and Budapest. In the article Henry Mance, the writer details his experiences travelling by train between the two cities. With some personal reflections and a couple of scenic stops along the way, Mance arrives at his conclusion. He states that, although his trip by train was much more enjoyable, it was not worth the time or money.
However, while air travel is a cheaper option, the harmful gas emissions of such means of transportation can not go overlooked. Let us examine the topic further.
Pros and cons of both forms of travel
Train travel has some endearing facets to it. In spite of the long twenty-hour duration, there are some considerable upsides as well. The journey itself can become a part of your next vacation. Marvelling at the trans-European landscape, we can get a stronger sense of unity between the lands. All the stress of air travel is gone. Say goodbye to worrying about making it to your terminal on time, long security checks, and crowded planes.
Although these all sound like fine tradeoffs, train passengers pay the price. Your journey from Budapest to London could cost over EUR 587 (HUF 233,000F).
In the case of air transportation, the negatives might outweigh the positives. As mentioned above, security checks and boarding stress are just the first of many cons. Cramped economy flights, poor quality meals, and delays in departure and arrival are a few more. The list goes on: luggage collection, passports, and the travel time to and from airports. These are all reasons not to hop on a plane. On the other hand, there are some big advantages: timeliness and price. If you fly by Ryanair, you would have to pay around EUR 40 (HUF 16,000Ft) for a ticket. You will make it to London in under three hours as well.
But is it worth the 243 kilos of carbon dioxide released into the air?
Plan your trip
Let us now plan our train trip from the city of Budapest to London. Mark Smith’s website will be of great help in planning our voyage.
- Setting off towards Vienna from Keleti pályaudvar by railjet, we board our train on Tuesday, at 3:40 pm.
- From Vienna, we must make the lengthy transfer to Brussels. Nightjet sleeper trains leave from Vienna Hbf at 8:13 pm and arrive in Brussels at 9:52 am the next day.
- To arrive at London St Pancras, we board the Eurostar leaving at 12:56 pm. By 1:57 pm we arrive in the UK.
Takeaways
In conclusion, the choice of travelling by either train or plane is a personal one. Nothing beats the adventure (even if it takes about a day) of a transcontinental journey, which is also easy on the environment. If you must make it to London in a hurry, you are better off booking a flight. While the irreversible damage to our planet is a major downside, you will surely make it to your destination on time.
Source: cnaluxury.com, seat61.com
Who would think to consider this silly plan of doing Budapest – London via train(s)…. More expensive, more connections, 2 days to sit? Thanks no