Save 4 hours riding the rails, Brussels to Paris

A decade ago, if you were traveling from Rome to Milan you’d compare railway schedules with flight schedules to see which would be quicker, the train or the plane. Sometimes you could save a few minutes and many euros traveling on the ground.

These days, with even faster high-speed trains in Italy and longer waits at security, it’s a no brainer: four hours by air versus three on the ground, from one downtown to another. All across Europe, speedier trains and tighter security at the airport have shifted the balance in favor of the rails.

Flying Brussels to Paris, for example, will take you about five and a half hours, all told, while you can take a high-speed train and get there in an hour and 20 minutes. The traffic to the airport and long walks to the terminal gate only add to the clock. On top of that, you can keep your luggage at your side on a train and generally keep stress levels at a minimum.

Here’s a look at the top 10 time-savers when you opt to ride the rails:

10. Paris to Frankfurt

Plane: 4 hours

Train: 3 hours and 48 minutes

Savings: 12 minutes

9. Munich to Vienna

Plane: 4 hours and 15 minutes

Train: 4 hours

Savings: 15 minutes

8. Paris to Amsterdam

Plane: 4 hours and 5 minutes

Train: 3 hours and 25 minutes

Savings: 40 minutes

7. Rome to Milan

Plane: 4 hours

Train: 3 hours

Savings: 1 hour

6. Madrid to Seville

Plane: 3 hours and 25 minutes

Train: 2 hours and 20 minutes

Savings: 1 hour and 5 minutes

5. Barcelona to Madrid

Plane: 3 hours and 40 minutes

Train: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Savings: 1 hour and 10 minutes

4. London to Paris

Plane: 4 hours

Train: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Savings: 1 hour and 45 minutes

3. Brussels to Frankfurt

Plane 5 hours and 15 minutes

Train: 3 hours

Savings: 2 hours and 15 minutes

2. Brussels to London

Plane: 5 hours and 40 minutes

Train: 2 hours and 20 minutes

Savings: 3 hours and 20 minutes

1. Brussels to Paris

Plane: 5 hours 30 minutes

Train: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Savings: 4 hours and 10 minutes

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