Everyone’s talking about flight free travel, and how we can all do our bit.
But it isn’t that easy.
Or is it?
We’ve cut back dramatically on flights in the last few years. Our winter trip to Antwerp for the Christmas market last year was wonderfully easy, via Eurostar and local trains, and it inspired us to think about more flight free travel.
But can we go the whole hog, and commit to signing any sort of flight free pledge?
Honestly?
No.
Could you?
We’re not doing too badly this year, with a week in Lincolnshire and a handful of day trips, but I was whisked off to Rhodes for essential R&R at Easter. A short burst of bright sunshine, masses of history and the odd cocktail or two were exactly what I needed – and could only get by climbing on a plane.
Pork Belly and I both have relatives in America and, since a cruise is not my thing (and by all accounts is just as bad for the environment) a transatlantic flight is being lined up for 2024 for a much-needed catch-up.
We’re looking at the Isle of Man for next summer and, again because of my awful sea-sickness, a ferry is out of the question. So it’s likely to be a short haul flight.
So what gives us the right to promote flight free travel?
Well, we are doing our little bit.
While individual action isn’t enough, if lots of people change their travel behaviour, the industry will make changes too.
Even Flight Free UK, a charity that encourages people to travel without airlines, doesn’t expect us to stop flying altogether. Instead, it asks people to take a year off flying to reduce emissions and try out some alternatives.
Why go flight free?
The arguments are compelling.
Domestic and international aviation is responsible for about 10% of global emissions in the transport sector*, and an estimated 1% of the world population is responsible for more than half of these emissions.
Living in the UK, we are firmly in that 1%.
To put this in perspective, 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels.
So that one little plane trip doesn’t seem much in the grand scheme. But taking one less long-haul return flight can reduce your carbon footprint by up to almost 2 tons of CO2.
*Where possible, we’ve used official resources from the UN for statistics and analysis.
Lucy Fowler, marketing manager of Byway who offer flight-free holidays designed by sustainable travel experts, says reducing your carbon footprint is essential.
‘This means encouraging more holidays by train, bus and ferry – reducing our flying habits and embracing slow travel, off the beaten path.’
Flight free travel – better for your budget?
It’s not just about the climate, there are financial benefits to rethinking your holiday plans.
Of course, there are still cheap flight bargains around, and we suspect they’ll be with us for a long time.
Very tempting.
But shop around, and you’ll find something nearer, or better, without a flight.
And remember, slower and more local travel takes you to smaller places, where your budget can go a little bit further.
Justin Francis, co-founder and CEO of activist holiday company Responsible Travel, agrees.
‘With the right approach, travel can be a powerful tool for good – benefitting local communities, culture, and crucial rewilding initiatives. But the climate and nature crises mean that travelling responsibly is now more urgent than ever. We all need to fly less and – when we do fly – make our trip count by maximising its positive impacts for nature and people, for example by using local homestays, and visiting local conservation projects.’
And spending locally makes a huge difference to the people who depend on tourism for a living.
These days, that’s just as important at home as it is abroad.
How to plan a flight free holiday
This is the part that gladdens my heart – I love a good spreadsheet, and there’ve been times when I’ve enjoyed the planning almost as much as the holiday!
Because going flight free does take a bit of time and effort.
Train and bus timetables don’t always align, ferries can be irregular and last minute changes can throw your plans into chaos.
Lucy from Byway admits this can be daunting.
‘The trick is to remove the faff and hassle to give travellers a taste of just how joyful slow travel can be, introducing them to the bliss that comes from travelling through the world, rather than flying over it.’
‘That was the point of founding Byway. We’ve created a company that does all the planning, booking (and free disruption re-routing if needed), and provides on-demand support via WhatsApp throughout. This means our customers get all transport and accommodation included in one booking – and can travel with confidence.’
We had a go at doing it ourselves last summer, looking at a return trip to Nantes. Flights were cheap, train cost only a little more. But the issue of getting across Paris with luggage, laptop and camera equipment in hot and humid August, put me off.
So, instead of falling at the first flight free fence, we went to Lincoln instead!
We had a great time.
Logistics of flight free travel
Our friends Helen and Monique recently travelled from the south coast of England to Gozo, completely flight free.
They went by train and ferry, including crossing the Straits of Messina where the train goes on the ferry – a totally new experience.
Their route took them via Paris, Milan, Rome, Syracuse, Pozzallo, Valletta and finally Gozo and took up half the holiday time. On the way they encountered landslips (ironically probably caused by climate change!), cancellations, confusion and the noisiest sleeper train ever!
Helen described it as ‘quite an adventure’ and says they’re glad they did it, and would do it again, although maybe not go quite so far next time.
They did it all themselves, booking, checking and amending every leg of their journey. But if the planning side of it feels too daunting, there are dozens of travel companies ready to lighten the load with flight free and sustainable holiday options.
Tips for enjoying flight free travel
If you’re heading off on holiday, or an adventure, you want it to be enjoyable, not a chore. Here are a few things to think about before you go.
Check your distance: We’ve all got so used to planes that we expect to be able to get almost anywhere on planet earth within a few hours. Going flight free means you need to scale back your expectations.
Travel light: It’s not just ‘hand-luggage only’ on a plane that brings benefits. If you have an overland journey with multiple changes, or are stashing your case in the boot of a long-distance coach, pack small and make sure your bag is easily identifiable. It’ll save both time and hassle.
Embrace slow travel: Travelling flight free forces you to take your time. Don’t fight it, enjoy it. Heading to the South of France? Schedule in a couple of overnight stops at small villages or towns on the way. Hiking the South Downs way? Plenty of hostels and pubs to stop at en route.
Don’t turn flight free travel into a competition! It’s not a race or a tick box exercise, it’s about developing new ways of approaching leisure time.
Night or day? Travelling at night has its advantages in terms of less traffic, fewer people and, possibly, faster transit times. But unless you are the sort of person (like Pork Belly) who can sleep on a washing-line and wake up fully refreshed after a 20 minute cat-nap, nighttime travel can be exhausting.
Sleeper trains are an option, but see what other passengers have said about noise, movement and facilities on board. Some services are far better than others. Helen and Monique found the night-train from Rome to Syracuse in Sicily to be hot, noisy and far from smooth. They found it amusing, but not exactly great for a good night’s sleep.
We once took a coach ride from Perth to Brisbane in Australia. 3 days and 3 nights on the road, most of it crossing the Nullarbor Plain with nothing to see but brown dust and equally brown sheep. We were young, it was an adventure, but for me, never again!
Travelling by day may be a bit slower but, if you have a window seat, at least you’ll have something to look at and some train routes give you unrivalled views of cities and landscapes, which you won’t see at night.
Know your limits: Be honest with yourself. Travel, especially in a foreign country where the language and systems aren’t familiar, add an extra layer of complexity. Even if you’ve opted for an escorted trip, you still have to be in the right place at the right time.
Some of us handle it well, others find it exhausting. Know which type of person you are. Get hangry if you have to skip a meal? Pack snacks and make sure you grab a bite at every opportunity. If you need 8 hours sleep in a comfortable bed before you do any sightseeing, or head off on a hike, make sure you factor that in.
Be kind to yourself as well as the planet!
Flight free holidays from the UK
The choices are endless, just search for no-fly holidays and you’ll be overwhelmed with options! Most will be destinations across Europe you can reach within 72 hours by rail, road and boat. But longer-term travel is still possible, if you aspire to being more adventurous.
How about a rail trip through Europe? And if you’re confident with rail travel in Spain, a boat trip to the Balearics or Morocco isn’t out of the question.
Take your time with a walking holiday in the foothills of the Pyrenees, or a river cruise down the Danube.
What about a ferry and sleeper train combination through Scandinavia?
And for the independent traveller, DIY backpacking on local bus and train services is possible almost anywhere.
Flight Free UK has a whole selection of destination inspiration ideas.
Flight free holidays in the UK
This is a lot easier (although see above my personal reservations about ferries!) as there’s so much to see and do in the UK.
Road travel is obviously the most convenient and almost everywhere is accessible, even if some roads are a bit rough and narrow. If you’re taking your own car, just make sure you know its capabilities and don’t attempt any real off-roading.
And if you’re renting one, make sure you read the small print, as there may be some routes they warn you not to take.
For additional climate-consciousness, have you thought about renting an electric vehicle for a holiday? Ranges between re-charges are going up – we would love to know if you’ve done it, how you got on.
The train system in the UK is complicated, with different companies running different lines.
Routes between major cities are pretty good – fast and reliable (when there aren’t strikes!) but some parts of the country remain tricky to reach by rail. Blame Beeching in the 1960s!
Buying in advance, online is the best way to go and look out for special concession passes and, sometimes, split ticketing can bring the cost down.
Slower, but sometimes the most scenic way to travel, is by bus and coach.
Again, service reliability can vary, but there are some amazing bus routes in Britain.
An online app to keep track of your connections is vital for any last minute, unavoidable issues.
Useful resources for planning a flight free trip
Flight Free UK is championing the cause and their website is packed with suggestions and tips for getting around without getting airborne. Have a look at their ‘How to’ guides.
If long distance coach travel through the UK, Europe or USA doesn’t worry you, Flixbus has some bargain rides. You can head for Europe with a coach/ferry combo for very little outlay, and the buses are smooth-running and well-equipped.
If however you’re just travelling around the UK, Megabus has a range of budget-friendly, popular routes.
Sleeping on a bus isn’t easy, but let’s face it, when was the last time you slept well on a plane?
Many holiday companies are now focussing on providing flight free options. First Choice, part of the TUI group, has a whole section on their website dedicated to destinations accessible by rail or coach.
Responsible Travel is another great company to open your mind to flight free travel options. Have a look at their website to discover who they are and see their hand-picked, flight free holiday choices. Their CEO Justin Francis thinks there’s more to it than just ditching the plane ticket. ‘Responsible travel is all about trying to maximise the positive impacts of tourism, while minimising the negative. And when your holiday respects, and benefits local communities and nature, you’ll gain a richer, more enjoyable experience, too. So it’s a win-win.’
Byway have a similar philosophy, building a personal itinerary for travellers. And they have on-demand support and re-routing help if you meet with disruption. That was by far the most challenging part of Helen and Monique’s trip – the worry of delays and missed connections.
But Lucy Fowler from Byway says that doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker.
‘Disruptions are often one of the perceived barriers for people going flight-free. That’s why we offer free disruption rerouting, so you can travel with peace of mind. It’s also worth noting that, because most train stations are central, even if there are disruptions they’re easier to manage and there are more things to do if you end up with a few spare hours. Plus, there tend to be multiple ways to get somewhere, so finding an alternative route is very doable.’
Trailfinders are a tried-and-trusted brand who’ve been around for more than 50 years. They specialise in guided group rail journeys, self-guided rail holidays and personalised itineraries for no fly breaks.
Green Traveller has some fantastic looking breaks, specialising in walking tours of areas with spectacular scenery.
And finally, we follow The Man in Seat 61 on social media, as his posts are packed with info and hot tips on no-fly holidays. Have a look at what he covers on his website.
So, we’re taking steps towards being flight free.
How about you?
Are you willing and able to sign the Flight Free pledge at Flight Free UK?
Have you gone flight free already?
If so, how was it for you?
Our thanks to Flight Free UK, Byway and Responsible Travel for helping research this article. It’s interesting that many of the companies we contacted didn’t respond. Sustainable travel is the latest buzzword – they’re all talking about it, but are they doing all they can to promote it?
Back to Lucy of Byway for the last word.
‘For the sake of our planet, it’s essential for sustainable, flight-free travel to become the norm, and it’ll take everyone working together to make this happen.’
Where to next?
• Questions to ask before you travel
• Hand luggage only
• Grab the passport