High-speed train price comparison between European cities
A Liligo.com comparative study of high-speed rail fares in Europe shows that routes between cities in Spain and France are considerably more expensive than between other European destinations. The high prices are driving travelers to opt for low-cost airlines.
Since 2013, when the AVE to Paris was inaugurated, for the first time it was possible to travel to this city from Spain without changing trains in Figueres. However, the line operates with only 30% occupancy rate, largely due to the high cost of their tickets.
According to the study of Liligo.com, going from Barcelona to Marseille costs on average 88 euros, which gives a cost per kilómetro of 0.22 euros. The same applies to the Barcelona-Nice route, whose average price is around 102 euros and 0.21 euros on average per kilometer.
These rates are high when compared with other European routes such as Milán-París, which has an average price of 71 euros and an average cost per kilometer of 0.11 euros. The same is true for routes such as París-Génova, with an average price of 41 euros and a cost per kilómetro of 0.10 euros.
Outside the routes between Spain and France there are only two routes with high prices, the Berlín-París with an average cost per kilometer of 0.21 euros, and the París-London route, with an average price per kilometer of 0.45 euros. The latter is the most expensive in Europe for high-speed trains due to the maintenance costs of the Eurotúnel.
The increase in prices has caused Spanish travelers to opt for other means of transport to travel to French cities. Carpooling, bus and low-cost airlines that cover these routes are the preferred ones.
A nationally, the AVE between Spanish cities maintains a European price range. For example, the average fare to go from Madrid to Seville is 51 euros and the average price per kilometer for this route is 0.13 céntimos de euro.
The methodology of the study is based on searches conducted on Liligo.com between April and September 2016 to travel by train between major European capitals.