14.07.2025
Passengers in Europe and North America are showing signs of a shift: they prefer to travel by train more than any other mode of transport. This trend is evident from an international study commissioned by Hitachi Rail, a London-based rail industry group. The results of the study indicate growing public support for the development of rail transport – both in terms of limiting short-haul flights and increasing rail investment.
This preference is not limited to those countries where people are used to fast and frequent train connections. A similar trend is predicted in Estonia. Local train operator Elron predicts that the number of passengers will double by 2030. This is even before the international high-speed train connection along Rail Baltica, which will be completed in 2030.
The trend is based on several factors: increasing environmental awareness among passengers, the desire to avoid the aviation footprint, and the practical preference for using convenient public transport when infrastructure allows. The development of new train lines and the modernization of existing ones are underway in Central Europe, America, and Scandinavia.
Although the Estonian train network is not yet comparable to the new lines in France, Switzerland, Spain, or even America, growing passenger interest indicates that the demand for the train as a modern mode of transportation transcends geographical and technical boundaries.
People are increasingly leaning towards banning short-haul flights
The study did not focus solely on changing travel preferences. The responses to the questionnaire also reflected strong support for concrete policy steps: 62% of Europeans would support a ban on short-haul flights where high-speed rail connections are available, and in France and Spain, for example, support for such legislation was even higher. There was also a strong support for financing new rail infrastructure through air and road transport taxes.
The survey also highlighted what hinders wider use of public transport – the main concerns were overcrowding, inconvenient connections and infrequent routes. However, over 70% of respondents said they would be willing to use public transport more if it were better connected, and more than half would be willing to pay more for it if connections were faster and more convenient.
The study, conducted in nine countries including the UK, France, Germany, the US and Canada, surveyed over 11,000 people. The analysis focused on both travel preferences and public support for policies that would encourage rail over other modes of transport. The results were published in a report by Hitachi Rail "Better Connected: Accelerating the Global Shift to Sustainable Travel" 2025.
The study was commissioned by Hitachi Rail, a global group with 24,000 employees and headquartered in London. The company operates in 38 countries and is shaping the future of rail transport by providing top-quality train components, signalling systems and digital solutions.
The article was first published on July 11, 2025 as a content marketing story in Õhtuleht.
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