German Greens Want Domestic Air Travel to Be Obsolete by 2035

Alliance 90/The Greens, a political party in Germany, wants the country's domestic travel to shift completely to rail. Achieving that goal will require making air travel more expensive and rail travel cheaper and easier.

1 minute read

July 29, 2019, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Hamburg, Germany

bibiphoto / Shutterstock

"Germany’s Greens plan to make domestic flights ‘largely obsolete’ by 2035," reports Florence Schulz.

The policy proposal would not ban domestic flights, but instead tax kerosene, increase train service, and reduce train fares, among other changes, to make rail travel the more attractive alternative.

A paper printed by the German Greens published the proposal, also suggesting €3 billion in annual funding for the German railway system Deutsche Bahn (DB).

The article includes a lot more detail on the tricky political proposition of taxing kerosene.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019 in Euractiv

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

A swamp in South Carolina with tall pale trees and Spanish moss in the water.

Satanic Place Names

From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.

7 hours ago - The Daily Yonder

A rendering of a high speed rain station in California, with wide platforms and a sleep train with yellow highlights.

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal

Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.

October 30 - Cal Matters

 A bridge stretches across the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states

Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.

October 30 - South Dakota Searchlight