2025
9
UK Holidays by Rail Market Report 2025
2025-11-26T10:00:54+00:00
REP08BEB9BC_3370_470A_8DF5_FC5CB1B0543F
2195
189020
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Report
en_GB
The UK rail holiday market is on the brink of transformation, driven by a growing preference for sustainable/mindful travel. Eurostar's passenger numbers have already surpassed pre-pandemic levels. 11% of UK…
UK
Travel
simple

UK Holidays by Rail Market Report 2025

"Sustainable travel is boosting demand. Marketing should promote the relaxing, authentic, and eco-friendly appeal of rail holidays, while addressing booking complexities."

Utku Tansel, Senior Analyst

Utku Tansel, Senior Analyst

UK Rail Holiday Market – Trends and Insights

  • The UK rail holiday market is on the brink of transformation, driven by a growing preference for sustainable/mindful travel.
  • Despite inflationary pressures, demand for rail travel remains strong. 48% of UK holidaymakers show interest in long-distance journeys featuring stopovers and sleeper services, a preference that held steady over the past year.
  • Effective marketing should highlight how train travel transforms a holiday into an integral, relaxing, and authentic experience. A significant 78% of consumers agree the journey itself enhances the overall holiday, with an equal percentage finding international train travel offers a more authentic cultural immersion.
  • A good opportunity also lies in promoting eco-conscious travel. Conversely, the industry faces the challenge of overcoming the perception that rail travel is complex or limiting. To attract more travellers, a streamlined and user-friendly booking process is essential.

Key Issues Covered in the Report

  • An analysis of current rail usage for overseas holidays, along with future interest and growth prospects.
  • The potential for value-added rail holidays abroad, extending beyond core Eurostar and LeShuttle destinations.
  • Opportunities for international rail holidays, including interest in long-distance journeys with stopovers, sleeper services, iconic routes, and package deals.
  • Consumer perceptions of rail holidays, such as the belief that train travel offers a more authentic and relaxing journey, making it an integral part of the holiday experience.
  • The influence of sustainability trends on rail travel and the potential for creating premium and mindful travel experiences.
  • Key marketing messages and the primary barriers hindering the adoption of rail holidays.

UK Holidays by Rail Market Report – Report Scope

This Report covers the market for holidays by rail, with a primary focus on overseas holidays. These include overnight leisure trips where trains are used via the Channel Tunnel and beyond to get to and from the holiday destination, as well as travel within the destination itself. The main focus is on passenger-only services (Eurostar and onward inter-connecting services), but consideration is also given to the Le Shuttle passenger vehicle service. The Report also covers specialist rail holiday products and services, including multi-destination rail touring holidays. Use of the train for domestic holidays, although not the focus of this Report, is also included within Mintel’s consumer research and is referenced elsewhere.

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for Holidays by Rail
    • Opportunities
    • Emphasise eco-friendly travel
    • Leverage the power of technological advancements
    • Elevate rail travel: luxury, experiences and seamless journeys
  2. THE MARKET

    • Inflation surge strains household budgets
    • Graph 1: CPI* inflation rate, 2021-25
    • Consumer confidence outlook
    • Graph 2: consumers’ financial confidence over the next year or so, 2025
    • Holiday bookings remain comparable to last year
    • Graph 3: holiday booking and intentions, 2020-25
    • Tunnel and sea crossings lag in post-pandemic recovery while air travel soars
    • Graph 4: volume of overseas holiday trips, by mode of travel, 2019 vs 2023 and 2024
    • Tunnel travel sees a boost in 2024, but long-term decline persists
    • Graph 5: modal share (%) of overseas holidays trips, 2015, 2019, 2023, and 2024
    • A new era for UK-Europe train travel?
    • Graph 6: Eurostar total passenger* volumes via Channel Tunnel, 2014-24
    • LeShuttle passenger vehicles lag pre-pandemic levels
    • Graph 7: Eurotunnel Le Shuttle total passenger vehicle* volumes, 2019-24
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Holiday travel by rail and other modes
    • Eurostar and LeShuttle pave the way for European rail holidays
    • UK domestic holiday travel: rail on the rise, but cars still reign supreme
    • Graph 8: travel modes used for domestic holidays in the last five years, 2022, 2024 and 202524
    • On track to Europe: Eurostar and LeShuttle lead holiday travel abroad by rail
    • Graph 9: travel modes used for holidays abroad in the last five years, 2022, 2024, and 2025
    • LeShuttle and Eurostar destinations
    • Beyond the shuttle: where are travellers heading next?
    • Graph 10: holiday destinations travelled to from Calais after using the LeShuttle service in the last five years, 2025
    • Graph 11: holiday destinations travelled to by Eurostar in the last five years, 2025
    • Travellers seek broader horizons
    • Graph 12: holiday travel beyond main Eurostar destinations in the last five years, 2025
    • Future interest in holidays by rail
    • Unlock potential with competitive pricing, fostering convenience and package deals
    • All aboard: driving growth in train travel with better deals
    • Graph 13: interest in taking holidays by rail in the future, 2024-25
    • Opportunities for holidays abroad by rail
    • The future is bright for long-distance train adventures
    • Long-distance train adventures present good prospects
    • Sleeper trains are on the rise
    • Making an iconic long-distance rail journey
    • Graph 14: interest in making an iconic long-distance rail journey (eg Canadian Rockies, Trans-Mongolian Railway), by age group, 2025
    • The Great British Heritage Rail Tour
    • Slow down: the rise of mindful train travel
    • LeShuttle packages: your passport to seamless holidays
    • Attitudes to holiday rail travel
    • Transforming train travel: relaxation, authenticity, and cultural immersion
    • Train travel: when the journey becomes the holiday
    • Graph 15: attitudes to holiday rail travel, 2025
    • Rail holidays: the journey is the destination
    • How to get undecided travellers on board with train travel
    • The rise of rail for a greener future
    • The greener getaway: why eco-conscious travellers are choosing trains
    • Graph 16: ethical travel priorities, 2025
    • Rail travel abroad: what’s holding Brits back?
    • Graph 17: agreement that travelling abroad by train is too limiting*, by age, 2025
    • Can trains compete with planes? Speed, comfort, and the future of travel
    • Graph 18: agreement that it is only worth travelling abroad by train if it takes less time than flying, by age, 2025
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Cross-channel travel shake-up
    • All aboard: Europe’s rail renaissance
    • Eurostar plans to launch high-speed trains from UK to Germany and Switzerland
    • Travel to Europe, your way, with LeShuttle
    • Brands are working towards offering more sustainable forms of transport
    • Guilt-free travel options
    • Berlin to Paris: how to market a slower train journey
    • La Dolce Vita Orient Express: when the journey becomes the destination
    • Eurostar teams up with Team GB and ParalympicsGB for Paris 2024
    • Festive pastry ride: Italian supermarket chain Esselunga hosts festive cake tastings aboard
  5. APPENDIX

    • Market definition
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology – EMEA
    • Other data source methodologies
    • Mintel Spark
    • Snoop SpendMapper methodology
    • Abbreviations
    • Avoid travel chaos: operators must boost EES and ETIAS awareness

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