Domestic travel is still rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic and while that continues to take shape, many travelers are opting to take trains over planes, writes Laya Neelakandan for CNBC.

Trains are cheaper, provide more leg room, and are better for the environment than air travel. 

Though train routes often take longer than flights, the total travel time usually evens out when factoring in traffic to get to the airport, time spent in security lines, and boarding wait times.

“We’ve done speed tests and measured the amount of time it takes to go between cities like New York and D.C. on the train versus the plane, and even though the flight is super short, it generally takes around the same amount of time,” said Clint Henderson, a managing editor at travel site The Points Guy.

He’s also seen an increase in the number of people choosing to take Amtrak trains over flights.

Leonor Grave, who lives in New York City and often travels home to Washington, D.C., often uses Amtrak.

“If trains were faster and reached more destinations, I don’t think I would ever fly domestically,” Grave said. “It’s such a frictionless way to travel… and I just find it a lot more enjoyable on the train.” 

Read more about why more travelers are using Amtrak in CNBC.

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