train plane trane plain oh which is it?

Which is better for travelling to Europe I wondered,
so googling PLANE V TRAIN popped up this article from the Daily Mirror Mar 12 2006

"VIRGIN Trains have fired the first shots in a war against low-cost airlines, offering a free first-class ticket between London and Manchester in exchange for your old airline boarding pass.
Rail operators on key routes from London to other cities in the UK and the Continent are fighting back against the likes of easyJet and Ryanair wi th competitive fares.

Trains, they say, are also an altogether less stressful experience, offering city centre to city centre travel, no lengthy check-ins and security queues - and reduced fares for kids.

And as worries about global warming heighten, trains are a more environment-friendly way to travel than airlines.
But are they really able to compete against the low-cost airlines? To find out if the train really does take away the strain, Travel Editor GILL WILLIAMS tested six routes for price, times and hassle factor..."

LONDON TO BRUSSELS
PLANE: £118.70, 3hr 35min
THE PLANE: British Airways, leaving Heathrow 2.05pm on Mar 31, returning 3.15pm April 2.
FARE: £89.20 return plus £26 Heathrow Express and £3.50 on bus from Brussels airport. Total: £118.70
JOURNEY TIME: Heathrow Express 15min, check-in 90min, flight time 70min, plus 40min to collect luggage and get to city centre. Total: 3hr 35min.
UPSIDE: Frills, including newspapers and snacks. User-friendly website www.ba.com DOWNSIDE: Heathrow Express expensive.
BOOK: www.ba.com
TRAIN: £89, 2hr 50min
THE TRAIN: Eurostar leaves Waterloo at 3.40pm on Mar 31 and returns 3.56pm April 2.
FARE: £89.
JOURNEY TIME: Check-in 30min, journey 2hrs 20min. Total: 2hr 50min.
UPSIDE: Station in city centre, so you'll have time for Sunday lunch before you return home. DOWNSIDE: Slow online bookings. BOOK: www.eurostar.com
VERDICT: Train is much faster AND cheaper

LONDON TO LYON
PLANE: £224.95, 4hr 30min
THE PLANE: EasyJet from Stansted on Mar 31 at 6.25pm, returning April 2 9.35pm.
FARE: £189.70 return, plus £25 Express and £10.25 bus fare to Lyon centres. Total: £224.95
JOURNEY TIME: 60min train ride from Liverpool St to Stansted, 90min check-in, 60min flight, plus 60min to collect luggage and get to city centre. Total: 4hr 30min.
TRAIN: £154, 5hr 58min
THE TRAIN: Eurostar leaves Waterloo at 1.41 pm on Mar 31 and returns at 1.45pm on April 2.
FARE: £154.
JOURNEY TIME: Including check-ins, 5hr and 58min.
UPSIDE: Stress-free travel, no luggage restrictions and you can sip French wine watching the world go by. Change trains at Lille (although
UPSIDE: Frequent services, easy online booking.
DOWNSIDE: No frills, waiting at airports.
BOOK: www.easyjet.com
VERDICT: Train much cheaper but hour and a half longer

LONDON TO PARIS
PLANE: £230.90, 4hrs 15mins
THE PLANE: easyJet from Luton to Charles de Gaulle airport leaving at 2.25pm on March 31, returning April 3 at 5.05pm.
FARE: For one adult and one child the fares total £179.40 (no reduction for kids). Kings Cross to Luton train £32.90. Bus into city £18.60. Total: £230.90
JOURNEY TIME: 60min train to airport, 90min check-in, 60min flight, 45min bus to city centre. Total: 4hr 15min.
UPSIDE: Charles de Gaulle closer than Orly.
DOWNSIDE: Pricey, lots of messing about.
BOOK: easyjet.com
TRAIN: £177, 3hrs 10mins
THE TRAIN: Eurostar from Waterloo at 3.11 pm on March 31, returning at 3.19pm on April 2.
FARES: Adult £127 return, child £50 return. Total £177.
JOURNEY TIME: Including check-in, 3hr 10min.
UPSIDE: Fast and efficient way to travel, stress-free and good child fares make this the easiest way for families to travel from London to Paris.
DOWNSIDE: Avoid rush hours at Waterloo.
BOOK: www.eurostar.com
VERDICT: Take the train, it's easier, quicker and cheaper

BIRMINGHAM TO AMSTERDAM
PLANE: £275.03, 3hr 50min
THE PLANE: BMIBaby leaves Birmingham at 3.20pm on Mar 31, returning 6.20pm April 2.
FARE: £265.46 plus £5.30 train fare to airport and £4.27 train rides to and from Amsterdam. Total: £275.03
JOURNEY TIME: 15min from Birmingham New Street to airport, 90min check-in, 75min flight and 50min to collect luggage and get to city centre. Total: 3hr 20min.
UPSIDE: Fast.
DOWNSIDE: Pricey.
BOOK: bmibaby.com
TRAIN: £174.40, 9hr 8min
THE TRAIN: Combination of Virgin Trains to London, Tube to Waterloo then Eurostar to Brussels and Dutch rail train to centre of Amsterdam.
FARE: £174.40.
JOURNEY TIME: 9hr 8min.
UPSIDE: A fordable, no baggage restrictions and a pleasant way to travel for a longer holiday.
DOWNSIDE: Lots of changes - too much travelling for a weekend.
BOOK: 08705 186 186
VERDICT: Train is cheaper but much slower

GLASGOW TO LONDON
PLANE: £98.04, 4hr 30min
THE PLANE: Ryanair from Glasgow Prestwick to Stansted leaves at 5.40pm on March 31, returning at 4.05pm on April 2.
FARE: £67.64 plus £25 Stansted Express to London. Train to Prestwick £5.40. Total: £98.04
JOURNEY TIME: 45min to airport, 90min check-in, 75min flight, train to London 60min. Total: 4hr 30min.
UPSIDE: Good website, frequent flights.
DOWNSIDE: No frills, airports miles away from town and lengthy check-in.
BOOK: www.ryanair.com
TRAIN: £94.10, 5hr-plus
THE TRAIN: Virgin Trains Glasgow to London Euston, travelling out mid-afternoon March 31 and returning Sunday afternoon April 2.
FARE: None of the advertised one-way cheapies at £17.50 were available so had to go for a Saver ticket at £94.10 return.
JOURNEY TIME: 4hr 30min on Friday, but longer on Sunday due to engineering works.
UPSIDE: 14 audio channels and chargers for mobile phone. Upgrade to first class at weekends from £10 one-way.
DOWNSIDE: Engineering works at weekends.
BOOK: virgin.com/trains or 08457 222333.
VERDICT: Train is slightly cheaper but journey's longer

LONDON TO MANCHESTER
PLANE: £106.50, 3hr 5min
THE PLANE: BMI from Heathrow at 3.20pm on Mar 31, returning at 2.20pm on April 2.
FARE: £74, plus £26 Heathrow Express and £6.50 train fare to Manchester city centre. Total: £106.50.
JOURNEY TIME: Heathrow Express 15min from Paddington, 90min check-in, 65min flight time, train to Manchester Picadilly 15min.
Total: 3hr 5min.
UPSIDE: Some frills.
DOWNSIDE: Expensive.
BOOK: www.ebookers.com
TRAIN: £57.10, 2hr 15min
THE TRAIN: Virgin Trains Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, leaves 2.05pm on Mar 31, returning 2.11pm on April 2.
FARE: £57.10.
JOURNEY TIME: 2hr 15min on Friday (3hr on Sundays).
UPSIDE: Fast and cheap with plenty of choices of departures (two trains an hour). No restrictions on baggage.
DOWNSIDE: Lower fares at £12.50 each way sell out very quickly.
BOOK: virgin.com/trains or 08457 222333.

VERDICT: Train much cheaper and q uicker