Rail vs air travel: how to decarbonise your next holiday
New research indicates that travelers could lower their carbon footprint by opting for train journeys instead of flying.
Cutting down on flight emissions and making air travel more environmentally friendly is often seen as a technical challenge. However, researchers at the University of Leeds argue that we should view it as a social issue, focusing on how to enjoy a great vacation without relying on air travel.
More than 50% of British travelers head to nearby European countries—such as Spain, Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands—where taking the train could be a practical option instead of short flights. This shift could assist around 41% of Brits in lessening their carbon footprint.
Is Flying Really Necessary?
Dr. Malcolm Morgan, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Transport Studies, commented, “A lot of individuals planning a vacation don’t necessarily have a specific location they want to visit; they’re simply in search of an enjoyable experience. Therefore, instead of asking ‘How can we transport millions of people across long distances without causing any emissions?’ we might want to consider the question, ‘Is it possible to have a great holiday without taking a flight?’”
In 2019, investigators discovered that travelers from the UK who took short flights produced about 22 metric tons of carbon dioxide (22 MtCO2e). This accounted for 5.4% of total emissions from aviation, particularly from flights to regions in Spain that lack train connections, including the Spanish Islands. Many of these tourists were likely heading to beach destinations, and instead of choosing a flight to Mallorca, they could opt for a train ride to Malaga.
“Nearly two million visitors travel there each year, as it’s a favored spot for an affordable beach getaway. While you can't take a train directly to Majorca, you can catch a train to the mainland of Spain,” Morgan explains.
The researchers suggest that the UK's decarbonisation plans for international travel should encourage trips within the country and to nearby European locations. They recommend offering package holidays that feature train tickets instead of flights.
"Our paper suggests offering some incentives instead of the typical punishments like saying 'you can't go on holiday because you can't fly.' We aim to shift the conversation towards a more optimistic perspective on what individuals and the government can do to ensure that taking holidays doesn’t come with feelings of guilt," Morgan explains.
You can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner in various European cities all in one day, and sleeper trains offer the chance to travel overnight from British cities to numerous destinations around the Mediterranean, according to Morgan. Although train travel is generally slower and costlier, upcoming upgrades to the rail system and international connections may make it a more practical option for many travelers.
Morgan suggests that while a low-carbon vacation to the Canary Islands may still seem unlikely, it's easy to envision a world where low-carbon beach getaways are possible if you're open to adjusting your travel plans and choosing alternative destinations.
However, short-haul flights represent just one aspect of the issue. Even if the 41% of travelers who could switch to train travel actually did, they would still only make up 14% of the total emissions from aviation.
"We're starting to see a clear trend: a small number of extremely long trips contribute significantly to travel emissions," says Dr. Zia Wadud, a Professor specializing in Mobility and Energy Futures. "Most of these emissions come from long-distance flights that rail networks simply can't reach. Therefore, creative solutions like changing travel destinations could be highly beneficial."
The swift increase in flights to Dubai, surpassing well-known cities like Barcelona and Rome in annual passenger numbers, raises significant concerns due to the inclusion of long-distance flights that produce high emissions. Researchers note that it's challenging to measure the impact of connecting flights associated with these routes based on the data examined in the study, but it is probably considerable.
"Air travel contributes significantly to environmental harm largely because it covers long distances. For instance, the carbon emissions from a single round trip between London and Sydney are comparable to the total emissions from a typical UK citizen's road and rail travel over an entire year," explains co-author Sally Cairns. "Individuals can greatly reduce their personal carbon footprint by opting for holiday destinations that are nearer. Additionally, the government should implement fair taxes on aviation to encourage the use of more eco-friendly travel methods, such as trains."
Can trains help lower carbon emissions from British aviation? Transportation Research Part D, November 29, 2024, by Malcolm Morgan, Zia Wadud, and Sally Cairns.
