Budget Flights vs The Train - Part II

An interesting series of letters in the Guardian this morning, on the positive aspects to taking sleeper trains to Europe, versus Michael O'Leary's (the CEO of Ryanair) scorn for the environmental damage of short-haul flights.

The seat61.com website shows how it is possible, via Eurostar, to travel in a single night to many European cities, such as Zurich, Berlin and Vienna. French and German railways also run an excellent network of sleeper-motor-rail services during the summer, serving resorts in southern France, Italy, Austria, Germany and Croatia. It is an ideal way for a family to travel long-distance and a huge adventure for children, who are not confined to their seats but have the freedom of an individual cabin and the whole length of the train.
Steve Travis
Nottingham

How right you are. My wife and I recently visited Marrakech and the Atlas mountains, taking sleeper trains through France, Spain and Morocco. We visited fascinating cities en route and were responsible for fewer carbon emissions than any flight. So, no thank you, Mr O'Leary of Ryanair, we don't need your "most environmentally friendly" flights (Report, November 2).
Alan Dean
Stansted Mountfitchet
Essex

EasyJet's claim that only 8% of its flights are "in any competition with railways" is incorrect (Environmental activists target easyGroup, November 7). The figure is about 80%. The only destinations not also served by uninterrupted rail routes are: Belfast, Calgari, Casablanca, Ibiza, Mahon, Olbia and Palma.
Owen King
London