A significant majority of people across Europe and North America support the expansion of train travel and would back legislative measures to reduce reliance on short-haul flights, according to a new international survey commissioned by Hitachi Rail.
The research, conducted by polling firm Savanta ComRes, gathered responses from 11,000 individuals in countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. The findings suggest strong public appetite for investment in rail infrastructure and a broader shift toward sustainable travel.
Nearly half of all respondents said they expect long-distance rail usage to increase over the next five years. One in three people anticipate traveling more by train in the next 12 months, with the figure rising to between 40% (across countries) and 49% (in urban areas) by 2030. In contrast, only a net 2% of participants foresee an increase in air travel during the same period.
Currently, rail accounts for approximately 29% of all long-distance journeys—defined in the study as trips lasting 2.5 hours or more. Yet the study indicates that rail is poised for further growth, outperforming both air and car travel in expected future use. Respondents projected that their car usage would also rise, but at only half the rate of rail.
Public support for rail-friendly legislation was especially robust in Europe. Overall, 62% of those surveyed favored banning short-haul flights where high-speed train alternatives exist. That figure climbed to 67% among European respondents, many of whom already benefit from extensive rail networks. In France and Spain—two countries that have already introduced such restrictions—support for the measures was more than double the level of opposition. Moreover, a majority in both countries would welcome even stricter regulations, with 63% in Spain and 56% in France backing additional legislation.
Investment in new rail infrastructure also garnered widespread backing. A significant portion of the public believes that such development should be financed through taxes on air or road travel, with proponents outnumbering critics.
Edoardo La Ficara, Group Chief Markets Officer at Hitachi Rail, described the findings as “strikingly clear.”
“Respondents expect to increase their rail usage more than any other form of transport in the next five years, and they support government action to enable this,” La Ficara said in a press release. “We, as an industry, have a crucial opportunity to meet this public demand by delivering a great sustainable mobility transition.”
The study underscores a growing momentum in public opinion favoring rail as a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to traditional modes of transportation—particularly in the context of climate policy and urban planning.
