Booking platform Omio reports increase of cost of flying, while rail remains stable

Train in Germany

“Ground transport prices have been stable while the cost of flying has increased”, says booking platform Omio in their EU Mobility Report. The company sees that the average amount consumers are spending for train bookings has remained relatively stable compared to 2019, while the amount spent on flights has increased by more than a third this summer.

The amount travellers are spending for train and bus tickets has remained relatively stable, with a 3 percent decrease in the amount spent on train travel and 1 percent decrease on bus travel, while the amount spent per flight booking has increased by 34 percent, reports Omio. Because this is data only on average spend per flight or train journey, it does not shed a lot of light on how much the individual ticket prices of trains and airlines changed, however. The booking data compares the summer of 2019, before the coronavirus outbreak, to past summer, “the first since 2019 that was pretty much regulation-free across Europe”, says Omio.

“There is an increase in train travel, an increase in the amount spent per flight, and an increase in domestic travel”, the platform says in the report. “This could be because during the pandemic, numerous flights were cancelled and people felt safer travelling by train, as restrictions fell away, there were pilot shortages meaning the cost of flights increased but by this point, people were in the habit of taking more train journeys and booking trips in their home country.”

Shorter distances, more last-minute

Short-distance journeys of less than 400 kilometres increased last summer, compared to summer 2019. While everything over 400 kilometres has decreased, especially journeys over 800 kilometres, which are down by 47 percent. When compared to the mode of transport booked this makes sense, says Omio, as more trains are being booked. There however also been an increase in people taking short-haul flights, compared to the end of 2021, shows Omio booking data. Still, the number of people using ground transport for these distances has also increased, implying a preference for trips closer to home, according to the platform.

Train travel is increasingly being booked last-minute, as Omio sees travellers booking 1 day in advance with a 13 percent increase compared to summer 2019, or on the same day as they travel, with a 59 percent increase. Booking trains more than 30 days in advance has decreased significantly, with 41 percent.

Choosing more sustainably, also driven by cost

Looking forward, Omio expects the use of trains and buses to increase in the coming time. “We see people searching for travel closer to home, and past data shows an increase in travel using ground transportation for short- and mid-distances. When combined with the rising cost of flight travel, we expect to see a continued marked shift in travellers opting for the naturally more sustainable options of trains and buses”, says Omio.

Read more:

Author: Esther Geerts

Former Editor RailTech.com

1 comment op “Booking platform Omio reports increase of cost of flying, while rail remains stable”

bönström bönström|28.10.22|21:19

“The amount travellers are spending for train and bus tickets”, regrettably, just is top of the “mountain”.
Costs of Mode, now paid by others, “steering” imposed clients – of alternative available…, steadily are rising and since long too high!
(All other devices, by air, by sea, etc. add load capacity for reduced costs… So railways should!)
Quality pays! Those devices proving redundant, resilent and robust, in fact all except “our”…, handsomely are rewarded, by willingly paying clients…

Add your comment

characters remaining.

Log in through one of the following social media partners to comment.

Booking platform Omio reports increase of cost of flying, while rail remains stable | RailTech.com

Booking platform Omio reports increase of cost of flying, while rail remains stable

Train in Germany

“Ground transport prices have been stable while the cost of flying has increased”, says booking platform Omio in their EU Mobility Report. The company sees that the average amount consumers are spending for train bookings has remained relatively stable compared to 2019, while the amount spent on flights has increased by more than a third this summer.

The amount travellers are spending for train and bus tickets has remained relatively stable, with a 3 percent decrease in the amount spent on train travel and 1 percent decrease on bus travel, while the amount spent per flight booking has increased by 34 percent, reports Omio. Because this is data only on average spend per flight or train journey, it does not shed a lot of light on how much the individual ticket prices of trains and airlines changed, however. The booking data compares the summer of 2019, before the coronavirus outbreak, to past summer, “the first since 2019 that was pretty much regulation-free across Europe”, says Omio.

“There is an increase in train travel, an increase in the amount spent per flight, and an increase in domestic travel”, the platform says in the report. “This could be because during the pandemic, numerous flights were cancelled and people felt safer travelling by train, as restrictions fell away, there were pilot shortages meaning the cost of flights increased but by this point, people were in the habit of taking more train journeys and booking trips in their home country.”

Shorter distances, more last-minute

Short-distance journeys of less than 400 kilometres increased last summer, compared to summer 2019. While everything over 400 kilometres has decreased, especially journeys over 800 kilometres, which are down by 47 percent. When compared to the mode of transport booked this makes sense, says Omio, as more trains are being booked. There however also been an increase in people taking short-haul flights, compared to the end of 2021, shows Omio booking data. Still, the number of people using ground transport for these distances has also increased, implying a preference for trips closer to home, according to the platform.

Train travel is increasingly being booked last-minute, as Omio sees travellers booking 1 day in advance with a 13 percent increase compared to summer 2019, or on the same day as they travel, with a 59 percent increase. Booking trains more than 30 days in advance has decreased significantly, with 41 percent.

Choosing more sustainably, also driven by cost

Looking forward, Omio expects the use of trains and buses to increase in the coming time. “We see people searching for travel closer to home, and past data shows an increase in travel using ground transportation for short- and mid-distances. When combined with the rising cost of flight travel, we expect to see a continued marked shift in travellers opting for the naturally more sustainable options of trains and buses”, says Omio.

Read more:

Author: Esther Geerts

Former Editor RailTech.com

1 comment op “Booking platform Omio reports increase of cost of flying, while rail remains stable”

bönström bönström|28.10.22|21:19

“The amount travellers are spending for train and bus tickets”, regrettably, just is top of the “mountain”.
Costs of Mode, now paid by others, “steering” imposed clients – of alternative available…, steadily are rising and since long too high!
(All other devices, by air, by sea, etc. add load capacity for reduced costs… So railways should!)
Quality pays! Those devices proving redundant, resilent and robust, in fact all except “our”…, handsomely are rewarded, by willingly paying clients…

Add your comment

characters remaining.

Log in through one of the following social media partners to comment.