The new age of the train
Unless it’s a trip to Paris on the Eurostar, most people don’t give train travel much of a thought when planning their holiday, but it’s definitely worth looking into... Not only is train travel a great way to reduce your carbon footprint it’s also an accessible, relaxing and enjoyable way to see more of the scenery and immerse yourself in the culture.
Most people know that trains are better for the environment than cars and planes. Traveling by Eurostar, for example, releases ten times less CO2 than flying to the same destination (source: eurostar.com). Rail travel is also five times more efficient than traveling by car when transporting the same number of people (source: Europeanrailguide.com). And with over 40% of the average person's carbon footprint coming from personal transport, train travel is undoubtedly a more responsible way to travel.
However, less well known is the extent of the networks and how easy, accessible and enjoyable it can be. Did you know that European journeys less than 400 miles traveling by rail is generally faster than by air? On responsibletravel.com we have a whole section devoted to holidays that you can reach from the UK without flying (see our lower carbon travel holidays here).
| For example, this Chichester B&B, set in the rolling hills of the Sussex Downs, is only 1 1/2 hours from London and stays include a free pickup from the station. Or hop on the Eurostar to Paris, perhaps stop off for a night or two then take the TGV to Poitiers and stay in these beautiful Poitou-Charentes gites. Forget traffic jams or hanging around in airport waiting rooms. Just sit back and watch the countryside roll by. | Travellers' tales "The train journey from Kandy to Ella was amazing. It's a slow (about 15kmh) rickety train, which is all the better for seeing the wonderful scenery unfurl as you go up into the hill country..." Tony Ellingham > Read full review here |
If you do need to fly to your destination you can still incorporate train travel into your journey. Perhaps take the overnight sleeper from Budapest through the Carpathian Mountains to this stunning Transilvanian guest house. Or catch the train to Oban in Scotland, and go whale watching off the Isle of Mull. How about taking one of the epic journeys like the Trans-Siberian railway or Vietnam's Reunification Express? There’s nothing like a good chat with the locals en route to really get to know the country too.
You can now research and book all sorts of tickets from European City-to-City tickets through to Canadian Passes on our train ticket section