Changing tracks: how different visual presentations of travel itineraries impact the choice between plane and train.

ABSTRACT: Despite the negative impact flying has on the environment, people too often seem to choose the plane over the train because it supposedly "saves them time." However, these perceived time savings are often overestimated, and in reality, can be significantly smaller because people have (deliberately or not) forgotten to consider the time costs incurred at the airport for security checks or baggage collection, for example. We therefore wondered whether this illusion of time savings could be prevented or reduced by visually highlighting the total travel time, thereby increasing the choice of train. In our first randomized online study (N = 614) on work-related travel scenarios, we were indeed able to show that presenting a comprehensive itinerary (visualizing the total travel tim

SUBMITTER: Catarci D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12320055 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature