The European train departing from France, still far from achieving its goal

Taking the train across Europe sounds incredibly appealing. On paper, you can easily picture yourself speeding to Barcelona, Rome, or Lisbon without airport queues or seatbelts to fasten at takeoff. In reality, however, a report by the Climate Action Network, published on Tuesday, April 21, paints a less rosy picture: from France, connecting several major European cities remains complicated, due to a lack of direct links, a lack of clear visibility on SNCF Connect, and connections that can be costly even with the slightest delay.

Using figures to support its claims, the association compared rail services to busy airline routes. Of the 31 routes departing from France that exceeded one million passengers in 2024, only nine would offer a direct train journey. Eighteen would require at least one change, and four would not be feasible "reasonably" in a single day. Paris-Lisbon serves as a striking example, with a journey that can involve up to four changes, enough to turn a weekend getaway into a grueling day of travel.

When booking becomes an obstacle course

On major routes, the imbalance is glaring, especially towards Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The report cites Paris-Barcelona, where rail capacity remains far behind air travel, as if rail were still playing second fiddle to airlines. Outside of Paris, direct services dwindle rapidly, with a few exceptions. And the gradual disappearance of international night trains, those discreet but long-standing allies that saved passengers from repeated changes, closes off one option for travelers eager to sleep rather than rush between platforms.

The thorny issue remains: buying a ticket. The Climate Action Network is targeting SNCF Connect, which the association describes as the main sales platform in France, accounting for approximately 85% of purchases. According to the report, many cross-border journeys involving a change of operator are displayed incorrectly, or not at all. Of 18 connecting routes studied, eleven are never visible in the app, six appear only partially, and only one is displayed consistently. Routes such as Paris-Rome and Paris-Madrid are cited, with a clear criticism: without a single ticket or guaranteed connections, travelers are exposed to additional costs if a delay causes them to miss their onward journey.

Ultimately, this is less an environmental squabble than a reminder of common sense: the general public won't be dissuaded from flying with invisible journeys, a cascade of transfers, and a financial burden placed on passengers. The report highlights a lack of organization as much as a lack of service, at a time when trains are often presented as the logical alternative for medium distances. The European promise of rail exists, but it's still waiting for its well-aligned tracks—the kind that make you want to book without calculating, without hesitation, and above all, without spending your evening refreshing an app.