[odshoifsdhfs]

Let's see, will fly with them tomorrow. Faro->Porto (550km). 9.95 euros. 50 minutes flight

Train-> 6 hours, which is usually 7+ due to delays (last one I did in December was 7.20 making me late for a training) and costs 39 euros (20 if I buy 1 month in advance)

National airline -> No direct flight, need to fly to Lisbon and then Porto, total around 4-5 hours (two flights + layover), 80+ euros last time I checked. Service exactly the same (last time I used them, not even a glass of water was offered due to short fly times)

Car -> 5 or so hours, around 100 euros taking in account tolls + gas (is ok if 2+ people are doing the trip though)

Yeah, I will take the short sitting space (fuck, I would even stand in this route if needed, I have had longer train rides where I had to stand).

[nolok]

> Let's see, will fly with them tomorrow. Faro->Porto (550km). 9.95 euros. 50 minutes flight

> Train-> 6 hours, which is usually 7+ due to delays (last one I did in December was 7.20 making me late for a training) and costs 39 euros (20 if I buy 1 month in advance)

Look, I do not strictly disagree with your comparison and I have often taken low cost airlines for the same reasons here and in asia (though airasia is a whole other class above ryanair so i'm not sure it's fair to compare them).

But you're missing four important things:

1. those 50 minutes are actually at least 90 in reality, from entering the starting airport to leaving the destination airport, when taking into account check in and baggage, depending on the crowd.

2. the airport they use is off the city by a fair bit, adding at least 20 minutes of car or rail travel + costs, often both side (in and out)

3. if you need to add any kind of baggage + the link to the city, you end up costing the same as train

4. depends on rail link but here in france for such travel it's common to have a tgv or similar, which gives you ample room for your legs and a proper table for your laptop, along with power, so you can work

Low cost airlines have their advantages, but it's not that clear cut over train: 2h/2h30 where you can't do anything and unpleasant vs 6h where you are not cramped and can reliably work and / or relax. At least for intra-national travel at eu-scale train should be majorly pushed, and I personally agree with my country's plan to do so.

[odshoifsdhfs]

While I know in other countries it isn't like this, here Faro/Porto is the same airports that Qatar/Tap/SwissAir, so it isn't a difference at all.

I never travel with baggage. Even in not cheap airlines, this add 30+ minutes for checkin and pick up also

I gave examples for Portugal. All these I did a lot. I used to travel Porto->faro and back many times a week (work in one place, my son in another). There is no real option here unless you are a full anti-flight person. I took the train down to faro last week but only because I wanted to do a training and times werent compatible, otherwise I would have flown, there isn't even a comparision here

[tluyben2]

I live in Faro and when I have to fly, I drive to Malaga and fly from there. But yeah, that is not to Porto but international. Never flew inside PT (inside spain, I do fly malaga Madrid with air nostrum ).

[odshoifsdhfs]

I used to live before near Malaga, but they didn't at the time (I think now they do) Malaga->Porto direct flights. it was a shame

[noduerme]

when I lived in Granada, to travel to Madrid was either 6-7 hours by slow train, or 1 hr by bus to Malaga then 2.5 hrs by fast train, or... 5 hours by first class bus service directly from Granada. The first class bus included food and what seemed to be unlimited beer and wine for like 30 euro. No comparison. This is my favorite option for point to point travel in Iberia if there is no fast train nearby.

[odshoifsdhfs]

ps:I am in vilamoura for that last night tonight, if you want to grab a drink ping me ;)

[0xbadcafebee]

People get so uptight about cheap airlines (especially the cheaper it gets, as if it's supposed to get better). It's a bus in the sky that takes you 10x farther, 10x faster, and is the safest form of transportation in existence!

"Ooh I'm so cramped, and I didn't even get a free meal" so either deal with the hassle, time and cost of any other form of transit, or fork over 300 more euros for a big seat on a different airline!

I live in the US, and we almost never get Ryanair prices. I think I've paid 12 euros to fly Ryanair between two countries. That's insane.