"Getting there is half the fun.”

Whoever coined that phrase probably wasn’t squeezed into an EasyJet or Ryanair seat at the time, nor standing in Terminal 5, wondering whether their luggage would ever reappear. Doesn’t sound like fun to me.

And I’m not the only one. Something strange is in the air – or, rather, isn’t.

There has been a modest backlash against the boom in short-haul flights, with a growing number of travellers rediscovering the pleasures of overland travel to Europe, driven by the desire to cut down their carbon footprint and cut out the hassle of modern-day flying.

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Research commissioned by Eurostar suggests that you can trim your carbon emissions by up to 90% if you switch from air to rail for short-haul journeys to the Continent. But it’s not all about putting on sackcloth and ashes to save the planet. The best thing about European train travel is how painless it can be.

Trains arrive and depart at city-centre railway stations, often within walking distance of all the sights. There’s an easy 30-minute check-in for Eurostar and no check-in at all once you’re on the Continent. There are no seat belts, you have room to spread out and move around, and there are big picture windows through which to watch all that sumptuous scenery roll by. And feel free to bring a favourite bottle of wine along for the ride.

The biggest perceived disadvantage is that rail travel will cost more and take longer. Thanks to “budget” fares, however, going by train is often surprisingly affordable.

If you book a month or two in advance, London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £59 return, with Paris to Geneva by TGV from about £30 each way. Paris to Barcelona or Madrid starts at £54 each way, including a bed in a proper sleeper. And you can get from Paris to Rome, Florence, Verona or Venice from £28 each way, including couchette.

In making comparisons, it pays to be realistic about the true cost of “cheap” air travel. Your train fare is city centre to city centre, with no airport taxes, no baggage fees or weight limits, and nothing extra to pay for taxis, buses or trains from remote airports. If you’ve a toddler in tow, you’ll be pleased to learn that under4s go free.

It’s getting faster, too – Eurostar now reaches Paris in 2hr 15min, and Paris to Geneva takes just 3hr 20min. Sleeper trains from Paris to Italy and Spain make long journeys both comfortable and time-effective: leave central London at 3.30pm and you’ll arrive in Barcelona by 8.30 the next morning, having slept in a cosy bedroom aboard the excellent Paris-Barcelona “trainhotel”.

If you’d left central London at the same time by air – or, rather, by suburban train to Luton, then a shuttle bus to the airport, followed by the two-hour recommended check-in, then a two-hour flight – you’d probably reach downtown Barcelona by 10pm, saving little useful time and costing you an extra night in a hotel.

Convinced yet? Overleaf is a failsafe step-by-step guide to planning your trip and finding the best fares on the rails. But first, to whet your appetite, here is a selection of my favourite European train escapes.

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