France Bans Some Domestic Flights If There's a Train Route Available

Certain domestic flights in France will be prohibited if an alternative train exists. This decision was approved last week by the European Commission.

According to Clement Beaune, the ban will be applied to routes where a train will take less than two and a quarter hours. According to the European Commission, you would need several high-speed, direct rail connections to qualify.

“France is a pioneer with this measure resulting from the Citizens' Climate Convention,” Beaune tweeted.

Three routes currently will be affected: Paris Orly Airport, Bordeaux, Nantes, and Lyon. All airlines will be prohibited from flying between these destinations.

The Commission stated that other routes, such as those between Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Rennes and Lyon, as well as Lyon and Marseille could be blocked if rail services improve. "They don't make it possible to reach [the airport ]...] early enough in the morning or depart from there later in the evening."

“Future improvements in the rail services, with services operating at sufficient frequencies and suitable timings, in particular for the purposes of connecting flights, will enable these air routes to be banned,” the Commission wrote in its ruling.

The ban on air travel will be in place for three years, and then it will be reviewed after two years.

High-speed trains are a great way to travel around Europe. The first passenger train was built in France. The SNCF runs both long-distance and high-speed trains throughout the country, including 11 high-speed lines covering more than 1,600 miles.

High-speed rail is available between major cities such as Paris and Lyon, Marseille, Lille, and Marseille.

Along with its German counterpart, the SNCF is also working to develop a new high-speed, direct link between Paris and Berlin. This would connect both major cities within 7 hours.

 

Source: travelandleisure.com