Why is a train ticket more expensive than a airplane ticket
#31
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 552
The power supply of the railway network is from the same (mostly fossil fuel, coal and gas) grid as all other electricity in the Netherlands. When some gas or coal fired power stations go down and not enough import from other European networks is possible (however very unlikely) or even another power blackout occurs, then the trains also go to s standstill.
If this were true, then at night or when there is no wind, the trains cannot run.
NS has contracts with so-called 'green power' providers who buy power from solar and wind, but it is not guaranteed that it is really these renewable sources.
On-topic: As some say, trains have way less competition and are usually operated by sluggish government operations which are reluctant to innovate and rather spend money in freeway and air travel infrastructure.
On the other hand, air travel is heavily subsidized, because airlines don't pay excise for fuel and air tickets are tax-free. This is a result of the Chicago Convention of 1944.
It would be much more fair and greener to tax airline fuel and air tickets just like any other travel service.