Research undertaken by Savanta ComRes in December 2023, has shown that Londoners are more likely to take the train on long distance journeys compared to people living in other cities across the globe.

Some of the 12 cities that were selected to form part of the survey included Berlin, Dubai, London, Paris, Singapore, Sydney and Washington D.C.

The survey undertaken involved asking 12,000 people from across each city. They were asked which would be their preferred mode of transport and their reason for choosing it on journeys that exceeded 2 & ½ hours.

Like most of the city’s that took part in the survey, London was chosen due to the fact it has several intercity routes to most parts of the UK, meaning journeys would either Start, End or be made via one of London’s Terminal stations.

Londoners came out top in the survey, from across the 12 cities that partook in the study. 46% of Londoners said they would take the train on long journeys compared to an approximation of 34% of people living in the other 11 cities.

It also showed 41% of Londoners would take the car, 10% would take a short haul flight and 3% would use other forms of transport.

The survey also revealed that 38% of Londoners, over 1/3 of people in the capital, expect to travel more by train within the next 5 years, when compared to other forms of transport such as car travel at 18% and plane travel at 3%.

This data provides a valuable forecast as to the growth in Intercity Business Travel by train and also Leisure travel.

Trains vs Planes

It was also discovered that 51% would be in favour of increasing air taxes if it helps to fund UK high-speed rail programs

One of the question’s put to the people of London was whether short-haul flights should be scrapped if an alternative high-speed train service existed, and 60% of Londoners agreed that if that were the case then short-haul flights between cities in the UK should be withdrawn.

This was a similar percentage to the people who were asked the same question in Paris, as European countries look to promote more sustainable and greener travel.

It was also discovered by Hitachi Rail in a separate survey that Britain’s are more likely to choose the train over a plane or car for long distance travel.

The study also revealed people’s personal preferences for long distance travel, which came down to convenience, cost and comfort during travel, though most car or plane users were willing to switch to train travel if it was cheaper. It was also discovered that those who already travel by long-distance train would continue to do so, especially if cheaper and faster alternatives become available.

Railway companies have always competed against each other to deliver fast and efficient travel, with varying degrees of success. The latest are the Lumo trains which were developed by Hitachi-Rail and are now 1 year into frontline service between London and Edinburgh. So far Lumo has already surpassed air travel in terms of numbers of people it has carried, and has attracted over 1 million passengers to its high-speed service.

Hitachi Rail have designed and built many intercity high-speed trains for UK and international train travel, and are renowned for their excellence, smooth running and reliability. They have also received many awards, including three different Golden Spanner Awards, within the last year.

Jim Brewin, Chief Director of UK & Ireland at Hitachi Rail, said: “Todays research underlines the incredible value of reliable, high speed intercity rail travel in the UK. We know that a major shift to rail is required if we are to meet our Net Zero targets and so it is fantastic to see the UK lead the way globally for people choosing to travel by train, rather than by plane or car for long distance journeys. “The data also tells us that more and more people expect to make the transition to more long-distance train travel in the next five years. There are clear signs that there is consumer appetite for rail. Matching that appetite with investment in rail will deliver the seamless and sustainable transport that passengers demand.”

Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive Officer at Rail Delivery Group, said: “The latest research highlights the significance of rail travel in the UK compared to other modes of transport. Not only is it the green choice, but it also offers comfort and convenience when travelling between city centres. The data tells us that more and more people expect to transition to long-distance train travel in the next five years instead of taking short haul flights. While challenges remain, the potential for growth is there. Our industry is committed to working together, innovating and striving to continue making rail the most attractive option.”

Darren Caplan, Railway Industry Association Chief Executive, said: “It is encouraging that so many in the UK want to travel long distance by rail, and points to the fact that intercity trains provide quality time to work, rest or play as part of the journey. It is also positive that more than a third of those in this survey intend to travel more by train in the future. This, alongside a positive passenger bounce back following the pandemic and recent figures on UK population growth, mean that future demand for rail travel is going to be strong. And it is another reminder that we need to invest today to build the network capacity for tomorrow.”