Dutch Airline KLM To Replace A Plane With A Train

When KLM announced a marketing campaign to encourage its passengers to think twice before booking tickets, many accused the airline of greenwashing. But now the Dutch carrier is taking more concrete steps towards a greener future with the announcement of a high-speed rail replacement service for one of its popular short-haul routes between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) and Brussels (BRU).

The 93-minute rail connection from Brussels Midi station will be offered from March 2020 as KLM reduces the daily frequency on the route from five to four. 

KLM has teamed up with NS Dutch Railways and French-Belgian high-speed train operator Thalys to promote the service to connecting passengers who would otherwise take what Business Traveller dubbed Europe’s most expensive (on a per-mile basis) flight.

The KLM Cityhopper route is primarily used by Belgians planning to catch an international flight out of Schiphol, which has a much bigger range of destinations than its counterpart in Brussels.

The infrastructure supports the concept

More than most European airports, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport is well-positioned to support a connecting air-rail concept. The main terminal houses an intercity railway station that also has a stop on the high-speed Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam line.

KLM seems keen to offer rail connections as long as the service matches the speed and comfort of air travel. President and CEO Pieter Elbers said in a statement that the move will give the airline more experience of the concept. “Intermodal transport involving trains and planes remains a complex and challenging business. Speed is key, not only in terms of the train itself, but also the transfer process at the airport,” he said.

The airline plans to offer a dedicated check-in desk at Schiphol to ensure air-rail transfers are as smooth as possible. KLM states the new product, branded Air&Rail, is easy to book via their website or at travel agents. 

Benefits beyond environmental

This is the latest move in KLM’s “Fly Responsibly” campaign designed to highlight the company’s commitment to make aviation a more environmentally sustainable industry. It will also help appease politicians in the airline’s home country. Earlier this year, a group of Dutch parliamentarians called for an end to the Brussels-Amsterdam route on environmental grounds. 

However, there could be other reasons for KLM seeking to cut the number of short-haul flights to and from Schiphol. As one of Europe’s busiest airports, Schiphol departure slots are extremely valuable. So much so that earlier this year the European Commission forced KLM to hand over some of their slots to Norwegian on competition grounds. Cutting down on short-haul connections could be the best solution for KLM not losing out on more long-haul business.

The airport has also told airlines to encourage passengers to take surface options when making short connections such as from Brussels, Paris and Düsseldorf.