Hi Merry Flyer - it shows that you haven't been on trains for a long time - diesel? (only on privatised english rails).

Western Europe: France/Great Britain/Spain/Germany/Austria/Nederlands/Belgium/Luxembourg/Fuerstentum Liechtenstein/Monaco run to more than 95% on electricity.

And with the trains you get right in the middle of the place (you spare thew transfer time & cost from airports to the heart of the city).

In average in Western-Europe I choose the train if:
- I travel in Switzerland (longest train rides are 4-5 hours from one extreme point to the other and train connections are every hour).
- I don't go (fly) to Great Britain
- I don't have to go on or come from an overseas flight-connection
- if the train journey is under 5 hours (when there are discounted air-fares) otherwise 7 hours. Time-calculation for Zurich-Paris by air: ride from the main station to the airport 30', check-in-boarding 45', average delay in Zurich 21', flight 1'15, waiting for baggage 15', connection to underground/waiting for underground 15', underground 60': adds up to 4 hours and 21 minutes.
- if the train allows me to be home for the night
- if I don't "need" those miles (at the end of the year) to reach my status-goal
- if I don't "need" that flight to meet a (mileage or free ticket) airline promotion.
- if I have a lot of preparation work to do
- if I want to hold a meeting on the way (2-6 people)