Planes may be faster than trains – but train travel can be faster than air travel. If passengers' total travel time is calculated, for example, it is faster to take SJ's high-speed train than to fly between Gothenburg and Stockholm, shows a new report based on data from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH).
A common perception is that flying is a faster form of travel than the train, and that is often true if the only thing measured is the time on board. However, if the total travel time from city center to city center is measured, a different picture emerges:
In 2024, a train journey between Gothenburg and Stockholm could be made in an average of 3 hours and 5 minutes with SJ's X 2000, while the corresponding journey by plane took 3 hours and 14 minutes.
This is stated in the report that SJ has produced in collaboration with KTH and is published today.
– The train gains time through central station locations within walking distance and extensive connecting public transport. Airports require longer connecting journeys on average and also require additional terminal times, says Oskar Fröidh, senior lecturer in railway systems and director of the Railway Group at KTH.
In order to make a fair comparison of travel times for SJ's high-speed train and the flight, KTH has therefore taken into account the time that air travelers normally have to spend in terminals and on connecting trips to get between the airport and the city center.
Four lines are compared
Trains and planes are modes of transport that both complement and compete with each other, not least when it comes to domestic travel. Opinions about both modes of transport are many, while the factual basis in certain areas leaves much to be desired.
The new report therefore studies perceptions and facts about the two modes of transport, including travel times, prices and number of departures for four long-distance routes where there is competition between trains and flights:
- Gothenburg–Stockholm
- Malmö–Stockholm
- Sundsvall–Stockholm
- Umeå–Stockholm
More time back
In addition to the Gothenburg–Stockholm line, Sundsvall–Stockholm stands out in the comparison of total travel time.
– There is a quarter of an hour difference in total travel time from city center to city center between domestic flights and SJ's fast train on the Sundsvall–Stockholm route, says communications strategist Peter Kraméus, who wrote the report together with Gunnar Alexandersson, transport researcher at the Stockholm School of Economics and advisor to SJ.
The report shows, among other things, that the longer the distances, the greater the differences in total travel time. But here too, there are other time aspects that travelers can consider when choosing a trip.
– If you take into account how the travel time can be used, train travel gives the traveler more time back than flying does. Up to 90–95 percent of the travel time with SJ's trains can be used for, for example, work, studies, socializing or relaxation. Since air travel is divided into more parts, it does not offer the same opportunities, says Peter Kraméus.
Facts: About the report
Using data from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), flights are compared with SJ's offering in terms of travel time and prices on four long-distance routes where there is competition: Gothenburg−Stockholm, Malmö−Stockholm, Sundsvall−Stockholm and Umeå−Stockholm.
KTH has produced data on the number of departures for each of the four lines.
To fairly compare travel times between SJ trains and domestic flights, the time that air travelers typically spend in terminals and in connecting trips between the airport and the city center is taken into account. Therefore, the report studies travel times from city center to city center, based on KTH data.
KTH has compared the prices for travel by SJ train and by plane in several different ways:
- Average price for all departures during the travel day for a rebookable ticket in 2nd class (SJ's train) and economy class (flight).
- Average price for all departures during the travel day for a ticket in 2nd class (SJ's train) and economy class (flight), including surcharge for feeder trips by airport bus to and from the city center. For Sundsvall, the surcharge refers to a feeder trip by taxi due to a lack of regular public transport by bus.
- Lowest price for any ticket on the day of travel. Typically, that ticket is non-refundable or non-changeable.
- Read more in the report: Perceptions and facts about trains and flights – A report from SJ – SJ
According to the press release.
