Are bullet trains more environmentally friendly than planes?
Amid all the talk about reducing aviation emissions, modal shift does not get a lot of air time. However, the spread of high-speed rail (HSR) over the past decade has made trains a competitive, low-carbon alternative to short-haul flights.
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However, as an energy researcher, my decision was motivated by the fact that trains, whether for cargo or passengers, pollute much less than airplanes, sometimes by as much as 73%, and they are more easily electrified than planes.
Trips on bullet trains emit about 14 to 16 times less carbon per passenger than trips by car or airplane, according to a report that evaluated the carbon footprint of transportation options in southern France.
High-speed rail is generally regarded as the pinnacle of attractive and green transportation. But all too often, it makes train travel more expensive and less flexible. In the end, costly high-speed lines may just push more people into cars.
In fact, unless you're looking to venture from Los Altos to LA off-road through state parks the whole way—in a Hummer with Tonka-truck mud tires—driving is generally greener than flying.
According to the 2021 U.S. Department of Energy Data Book, Amtrak is 46% more energy efficient than traveling by car and 34% more energy efficient than domestic air travel.
Older models of Japan's pioneering bullet train, the shinkansen (“new main line”), had an energy intensity of around 0.35 MJ/pkm; more recent fast-train designs—the French TGV and German ICE—typically need just 0.2 MJ/pkm. That's an order of magnitude less than airplanes.
Planes Remain A Problematic Means Of TransportAir traffic represents less than 2-3% of the global CO2 emissions whereas road traffic accounts for around 10% of these direct emissions. Still, planes remain among the most polluting means of transport, together with cars.
High-Speed Rail Is Too ExpensiveBuilding the 48,000-mile Interstate Highway System cost about $500 billion (in today's dollars). Paid for entirely out of user fees, it carries about 25 percent of all passenger travel and 15 percent of all freight in the United States.
CLIMATEWIRE | The first U.S.-made high-speed bullet trains will start running as early as 2024 between Boston, New York and Washington, with the promise of cutting transportation emissions by attracting new rail passengers who now drive or fly.
Trains. Besides walking and biking, traveling by train remains one of the greenest and most environment-friendly options when getting around. Regardless if electric or diesel-powered, trains emit between 66 and 75 percent fewer carbon emissions when compared to cars and airplanes.
Buses. The second safest mode of transport are buses. This is generally associated with the fact that buses are driven by professional and experienced drivers, they are also driving significantly slower and more predictably.