Flight-free travel has gone from niche to chic – a fully mainstream holiday option anyone can try, whether they fancy hopping on the Eurostar to Paris or catching a sleeper train to Eastern Europe. And no wonder. Not only is swapping the skies for seas and overland journeying far more sustainable – drastically slashing travellers’ carbon footprints – it injects a whole lot more thrill and enjoyment into proceedings. I should know: I kicked the flying habit in 2020 and have never looked back. Every trip is an adventure — from setting sail across the Bay of Biscay to Interrailing your way around the Continent à la Before Sunrise. Here’s a selection of the coolest flight-free breaks booking now.
Sicily by rail
Byway gets a gold star for being a travel company that only offers 100 percent flight-free holidays. Their 15-day train adventure to Sicily allows passengers to slow the pace: nights in Turin, Rome, Catania and Syracuse are segued between two separate overnights spent on sleeper trains before the journey returns via Milan and Paris. But the stand-out bit? The train to Sicily itself boards a ferry for the sea crossing from the mainland – the ultimate combination of flight-free transport options rolled into one, baby. From £1,468 per person, including accommodation, transport, a journey guide with all trip details and WhatsApp customer support for on-trip queries.
Cycling in Bordeaux
This Unesco World Heritage-listed city in Western France might be best known for its affiliation with fine wine – and even boasts a museum, Cité du Vin, housed in a building designed to resemble a decanter – but there’s much more to discover. A great way to explore the city, plus the surrounding vineyards and the beach at nearby Arcachon Bay, is via pedal power. Responsible Travel is a top-notch sustainable tour operator; check out its five-day Bordeaux cycling holiday, costing from £1,045 per person, including return train travel, B&B accommodation, bikes, panniers and puncture repair kits, plus GPS Navigation app and route maps.
Kayak the Highlands
You don’t have to leave the UK to have a thrilling adventure – domestic travel can be just as rewarding, particularly if you dive into a new activity. Much Better Adventures has short kayaks and wild camping breaks around the West Coast of Scotland, with guests paddling along remote bays and rugged coastlines in small, like-minded groups, accompanied by expert guides. All equipment and food are provided throughout, and three-night tours start and end at Fort William, accessible by train from all over the UK – including aboard the luxurious Caledonian Sleeper train. From £666 a person, excluding travel.
Interrail around Europe
If you prefer to feel footloose and fancy-free, why not plump for an Interrailing pass over a package trip? The variety of pass options offers the flexibility to travel whenever you like within a specific time frame – such as five days in one month. Buy a global pass, and you can hop on and off most trains in the 33 included countries (just be aware you might have to pay extra to reserve a couchette on a sleeper train or seat on a high-speed service). Journey to and from your country of origin is included, often making it a better-value way of travelling from the UK. Five-day pass, €239.
Sail to Northern Spain
One of the most magnificent journeys by sea from the UK is to Northern Spain. The two-night crossing, operated by Brittany Ferries, is on board an airy, modern and comfortable ship with excellent catering. Travel is from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander or Bilbao; travellers traverse the Bay of Biscay (often accompanied by leaping pods of dolphins) before arriving in two equally magnetic Spanish cities, both ideal springboards for exploring the Basque country. Brittany Ferries offers packages from £242, including a return crossing (with car) and two nights at your chosen hotel.
Skiing in the French Alps
Forget flying, followed by an interminable coach transfer. The revamped Eurostar Snow Train runs from London to several stations in the French Alps and it has the benefit of giving holidaymakers an extra day’s skiing because of the early arrival time. Les Arcs, with its 300km of slopes shared with neighbouring La Plagne, is a doddle to reach: alight the train at the town of Bourg Saint Maurice and hop on the funicular up to resort, no hairpin bends required. Seven nights self-catering at Arc 1950 Le Village Apartments from about £800 per person based on four sharing, including rail travel from London St Pancras, transfers and eighth-night overnight stay with dinner in Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
Paris to Istanbul on the Orient Express
An overland trip all the way from the French capital to Turkey oozes old-world opulence, and stepping aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is about as glamourous as terrestrial travel gets (as it should be for the eye-watering price tag). This once-in-a-lifetime trip has limited places, voyaging once a year from Paris to Budapest to Bucharest to Bulgaria to Istanbul. Bookable through Luxury Train Tickets, it includes three nights on the train, two five-star hotel stays, VIP tours of Peles Castle, Bucharest and Budapest and a Danube river cruise. From £17,500 a person for 2025, full-board, sleeping in a twin cabin.
“Zero Altitude: How I Learned to Fly Less and Travel More” by Helen Coffey is out now. The Standard’s new Sustainable Travel podcast is available to download now, standard.co.uk/sustainable-travel
