Your student budget isn’t the only thing stretched thin when studying abroad – your time is, too. One minute you’re hunting for cheap hostels, the next you’re wondering is EssayPro legit or not, and somehow that spirals into debates about the fastest ways to hop between cities.
Yes, travel itself forms your impression as much as the destination. So, should you fly, or will the train do? Let’s break it down before you book your next escape.
Let’s Count the Train vs Plane Cost
Money speaks loudly when you’re living off instant noodles and scholarship stipends. As a rule, trains offer more predictable pricing, while planes may be cheap one minute and jaw-droppingly expensive the next. Budget airlines can lure you in with €20 tickets, but that’s before adding luggage fees, airport transfers, and seat reservations.
High-speed trains may look pricey upfront, yet they often include seat, baggage, and even Wi-Fi (a huge perk for many).
Pro tip: student discounts and rail passes (hello, Eurail) can slash prices dramatically. If you’re booking last-minute weekend getaways, trains tend to be the more forgiving option, while plane fares skyrocket as the date nears.
Here’s what students often overlook when comparing travel costs:
- Rail passes can chip away at your travel costs if you ride a lot.
- Airports sneak in extra spending on shuttles, baggage fees, overpriced snacks, etc.
- City-center train stations save you from pricey taxi rides.
So, if you’re a frequent traveler, rail passes will make you tilt heavily toward trains in the long run.
Plane vs Train: How Long Each Takes
At first glance, planes are faster, but note that real travel time includes more than just airtime. Add the two-hour early arrival at the airport, security checks, boarding lines, baggage claim delays, and the trek to and from airports (which are usually far outside city centers). What might look like a 90-minute flight balloons into a 5-hour process.
Trains are often city-center to city-center, which means you don’t have to pay for pricey airport shuttles or transfers. You show up 15-30 minutes early and glide out of town. High-speed trains like France’s TGV or Spain’s AVE regularly hit 300 km/h, while Japan’s Shinkansen clocks up to 320 km/h.
So, trains beat planes door-to-door in the 500-800 km distance.
Is a Bullet Train Faster Than a Plane?
The short answer is no. Planes win at pure top speed, as they cruise around 800-900 km/h. But bullet trains often rival or beat them over medium distances once you count prep and commute time.
Let’s take an example of the Tokyo to Osaka route: the Shinkansen takes 2.5 hours city-center to city-center. A flight will take you one hour in the air but four hours door-to-door.
Productivity is another non-obvious win on trains. You can study, snack, scroll, or nap without turbulence jostling your laptop. Try writing an essay draft at 35,000 feet next to a crying toddler (it hurts even to imagine this scenario).
That’s why students who plan frequent city-hopping often side with trains for their sanity.
Inside the Trains vs Planes Travel Debates on Student Forums
That’s where you find real-world travel hacks! On NoCramming, for example, the study-help platform’s community forum has threads comparing travel tips as passionately as they debate essay services. And yes, a few even drop EssayPro reviews between train advice.
What’s clear from those discussions is that cost isn’t the only factor. Students value low-stress boarding, an overall calmer experience while traveling, and the ability to study on the go in trains. For many of them, planes are reserved for very long distances only.
If you’re the type who needs to squeeze in coursework while visiting new places, listen to those forum voices: they’ve been in your shoes, usually with a textbook in hand.
Comfort Is Even More Important Than You Think
Don’t you want seats that don’t crush your knees and a steady ride without turbulence? Isn’t it precious to have no one leaning over to tell you to “switch off your laptop”? Trains make travel feel like… well, travel.
Planes are loud and cramped, almost always. Sure, they shave time off long hauls, but they leave you stiff, dry-eyed, and simply tired. If arriving somewhere still feeling human is a priority to you, choose trains – they will treat you better.
Save this quick comfort checklist:
- Outlets and Wi-Fi to study (or entertain) while you ride;
- Spacious seats and legroom that won’t ruin your posture;
- Freedom to stretch and walk around.
Overnight routes seal the deal: snag a bunk in a sleeper car, drift off to the hum of the tracks, and wake up in a new country. It’s cheaper than a hostel and way kinder than a red-eye.
Eco-Friendliness and City-Hopping Vibes
Flying guzzles fuel like there’s no tomorrow (literally). Trains are far more climate-friendly. By choosing them, you can cut your travel carbon footprint by up to 90%.
There’s also the vibe factor. You step off a train right into the heart of a new city (avoiding security queues or shuttle buses), and that beats wandering through sterile airports. If your goal is to see as much as possible on a tight schedule, go with bullet train vs plane.
One more thing: unlike planes, trains rarely cancel due to mysterious technical issues.
When Flying Makes More Sense
Let’s be real: trains can’t do everything. Flying is unavoidable if you need to cross continents, islands, or vast countries like the U.S. Book early to make flights cheaper and catch flash sales from budget airlines (they’re intended for you!).
For distances over 1,000 km, planes vs trains comparisons usually flip – planes reclaim the time advantage even with airport hassles. And if you’re traveling with oversized luggage or sports gear, trains can be trickier (good luck shoving skis into a narrow aisle).
So, if you’re planning a once-a-semester big trip, flying might be your best shot.
Bottom Line
When students weigh high speed rail vs plane, it usually comes down to how they want their travel to feel. Trains offer calm, city-center journeys that leave room for studying or daydreaming out the window, while planes make sense for long distances where every hour counts.
Try mixing both to find the sweet spot: use trains for quick weekend hops and flights for the big once-a-semester adventures. The best choice is the one that gives you stories to bring back with you, so do everything to make that happen.
