A strong signal, almost a plebiscite, which comes directly from the tracks. For travel between Italy and France, from Milan to Paris, the train is no longer a simple alternative, but it is becoming the first choice. An analysis of the Trainline platform recorded an impressive fact: in the period between 1 and 14 September 2025, passengers on the Milan-Paris railway section increased by 71% compared to the same period of April. An increase that does not concern an isolated case, but outlines a transformation in the way of traveling to Europe.
The idea that thousands of people have suddenly embraced the train just to reduce their carbon imprint is, in fact, a right but partial vision. The analysis digs more deeply, revealing the reasons that are also convincing the most skeptical. Half of travelers (50%) simply put the time lost in queues on safety checks, transfers to peripheral airports and baggage restrictions, concluding that the game no longer applies the candle. Starting from the center of Milan and arriving in the heart of Paris is a logistical advantage that beats almost any other consideration.
To this is added a ticket which, for 47% of the interviewees, does not hide surprises and is simply more convenient. A figure that explodes to 54% for Gen Z, a careful generation both to the wallet and to the planet. The trend is not an anomaly, but it is confirmed with a +58% of passengers also on the reverse route and a +25% on the connections with Turin.
Regain the time of travel
The other great protagonist of this revolution is an increasingly rare good: the quality time. 48% of people associate the train journey not to a shift, but with a “break” and a moment of “relaxation”. In a world that runs fast, the hours spent on board become a decompression bubble, time regained to read, work without interruptions or simply look at the landscape flowing from the window. 31% explicitly speak of “tranquility”.
Sustainability thus becomes a tangible benefit, almost a side effect of a choice that is, first of all, smarter and more human. It is not a revolution imposed from above, but a change that starts from the bottom, from a simple question: why should I choose the most stressful and complicated option? Apparently, less and fewer people can find a good answer.
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