France is raising taxes on flights to pay for trains: Should other European countries do the same?
by euronews-english
France is raising taxes on flights to pay for trains: Should other European countries do the same?
by euronews-english
22 comments
Some countries do not throw taxes at specific areas so politicians can fund their pet projects.
Taxes claimed go into one big pot of gold and is distributed according to the state budget.
Earmarking money from specific taxes to fund specific projects is in my opinion a mistake. What happens if not enough taxes is claimed or too much? Citizens also “adjust” behavior according to cost. In a short while the extra taxes might not be there to claim anymore.
not all countries have Frances’s train infrastructure and speed.
No, because not everyone has the same train infrastructure and planes are just faster.
Maybe after you build up good train infrastructure to compete with the airlines, but it should be done by lowering taxes for train related travel not on the backs of people that have to travel by plane.
Yes the other countries should do the same IF they have the infrastructure to do so. Not every country is The Netherlands or France, regarding trains.
Yes, negative externalities should be taxed. Then what you spend that money on is up to you. Some will want taxes cut, others will want it invested in railways and then anything in between.
Yeah. There’s seldom a reason to take a flight within even the larger countries on the continent. Trains are environmentally better (since they can run on 100% power, which can become arbitrarily green without needing to change the trains themselves), and they are simply more effective at moving people. (You don’t need to arrive 2 hours early to your train, and having 10s of stops along a route enables customizability and synergies between routes that planes just don’t get.)
Trains shouldn’t cost as much as they do now. Taxing is not gonna fix that. Competition will fix that! Look at the miserable situation of deutsche bahn! Few months ago I paid 85€ for a 3-4h trip! On top of that I was delayed by 5h! And this is the 3rd time this year.
Deutsche bahn is a private owned monopoly receiving state aid. while its employees protest for more and more salary and benefits.
France is raising taxes to pay for pensions of railway workers first and what crumps left behind are used for infrastructure
Other countries should do whatever their respective electorates think they should do.
Yes.
Discourage harmful activities with tax, promote the preferred alternatives with subsidies.
You know, government.
Preferably with scientific backing and and driven by an ideology that aims for sustainable wealth & happiness for all.
Yes. And don’t say “we don’t have train infrastructure”- tons of little towns or even villages have unused railtracks going through them, it’s just a matter of restoring those routes.
And let’s put more trains on those tracks- I live in a major city and I can either fly to another major city 3 times a day, or I can take the only train that goes there once a day. This is absurd: flying uses tons of fuel and it actually takes LONGER, if you account for the time spent getting to and from the airport and getting through security gates.
Absolutely
No
No, sorry.
Nope, taxes are to high in belgium. More is not going to fix anything.
I think jet fuel is not taxed, other than VAT, which I’m sure airlines are not paying at all. It should be taxed just like regular gasoline.
I might be wrong though.
the EU should transition to Trains, is way more effective, plus it gives oportunities to other prt of the countries to grow
Yes. Also, intereuropean travel with trains should be made easier
As long as it means that that trains become as cheap as planes. Because otherwise you’re just making it more expensive to travel.
And they put a Swiss train right in the middle of Switzerland (that’s Walensee with Gamsberg in the back) on the article…
Yes, indeed. In Germany, they are also using the money from road pricing of trucks to improve freight rail infrastructure, in a move to get more freight from the roads to rails, as the latter is much more efficient, cheaper, already electrified and reduces emissions from tires, road wear and congestion.
If it is going to make the trains cheaper then yes. However, I feel like we are getting more expensive planes and trains are not getting cheaper or better