If you are going to travel in France, then it will be useful for you to know this. Some cities will soon be impossible to reach by plane, only by train. Keep this in mind when planning your travel itinerary.
Some France domestic flights are canceled if an alternative direct rail connection is available for less than 2.5 hours. Tourists may now have to choose the train instead of the plane. So far, a few routes only. It is possible that other flights will be closed in the near future. It is possible that other European countries will join this practice. Follow the news.
The idea of abandoning air travel, when it can be easily replaced by another mode of transport, has been proposed for the past few years. Goal: fight climate change, reduce CO2 emissions.
The Citizens Convention for Climate (CCC) has called for all flights to be canceled if there is an alternative to rail for less than four hours.
So far, a softer decision has been made and the ban will affect only three routes:
- Paris-Orly airport - Bordeaux.
- Paris-Orly airport - Lyon.
- Paris-Orly airport - Nantes.
The list of prohibited flights can be expanded. For example, flights on the routes Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport - Rennes, Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport - Lyon, Lyon - Marseille, Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport - Bordeaux and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport - Nantes may be banned. (So far, the train schedule does not allow for the complete replacement of flights by rail travel.)
These measures will have a limited impact on France's greenhouse gas emissions for now, but will be important for tourists traveling in France.
Check flight and train schedules in advance. You can buy train tickets for traveling in France (as well as for a plane) in advance.