Green Factor

High speed rail travel produces up to 90% less CO2 emissions than similar modes of transport

Travel makes up 27% of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Community, of which CO2 accounts for 96%. By choosing rail, rather than car or plane travel, you can contribute to keeping those emissions to a minimum. For instance, a Eurostar journey from London to Paris emits 11.2kg of CO2, compared with 68.9kg for a plane journey between London and Paris.

Many high speed trains are powered by electricity, so they don’t emit carbon. Their carbon footprint is dependent on how they generate that electrical power. Swiss Railways have virtually no emissions as their electricity is generated by hydroelectric power.

Several of the train operators we work with, such as Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn (DB), have made a commitment to reduce their existing emissions even further. All Eurostar journeys are carbon-neutral at no extra cost to the traveler, thanks to offsetting. Deutsche Bahn buys only renewable energy from local sources.

So, by choosing to travel by train when you’re in Europe, you’re helping to minimize carbon emissions.