Is railroad bad for the environment?

Train travel remains overall the most environmentally friendly mode of motorised passenger transport in Europe — in terms of greenhouse gas emissions — as compared to travelling by car or plane, according to two transport and environment studies published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) today.



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Trains create pollution; however, it is important to note that on a passenger level rail is one of the lowest impact public transport methods, in addition the carbon footprint intensity of rail continues to decrease.

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If we take an overall view of the transport sector, 71% of transportation related carbon emissions come from road users, whereas only 1.8% of emissions stem from rail travel. So in absolute terms, trains are responsible for a lot less emissions than cars.

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Compared to flying, using the train emits on average six times less GHG emissions.

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Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are directly related to fuel consumption. According to EPA data, freight railroads account for just 0.5% of total U.S. GHG emissions and just 1.7% of transportation-related GHG emissions. Moving freight by rail instead of truck lowers GHG emissions by up to 75%, on average.

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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.

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The railroad opened the way for the settlement of the West, provided new economic opportunities, stimulated the development of town and communities, and generally tied the country together.

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10 Downsides of Train Travel
  • Limited Destinations.
  • Expense.
  • Crowded Conditions.
  • Multi-Leg Journeys.
  • Noisy Neighbors.
  • Seedy Stations.
  • Language Problems.
  • Luggage Issues.


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There are risks and disadvantages of transporting your goods by rail including:
  • routes and timetables available can be inflexible, especially in remote regions.
  • rail transport can be more expensive than road transport.
  • mechanical failure or industrial action can disrupt services.


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One of the biggest environmental benefits of trains is that they consume far less energy than other types of transport. It takes a huge amount of fuel to get a plane carrying hundreds of people airborne, whereas trains are streamlined, require much less energy to move, and are increasingly able to run on electricity.

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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.

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Based on the study's fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emission data, the most sustainable mode of traveling in the U.S. is via intercity bus, followed by trains. Intercity buses use 280.1 passenger miles/gallon, while trains use 79.8 passenger miles/gallon.

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Emissions comparison Rail transportation emits about 0.2 pounds of greenhouse gases per passenger mile (55 g/km) when each car is filled with 50 passengers. This figure increases to about 0.5 pounds per passenger mile (140 g/km) when only filled with half that amount.

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Is it really greener to go by train? Compared to flying, using the train emits on average six times less GHG emissions.

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Mathews points to research showing that trains emit the lowest of CO2 per passenger mile at 177 grams per passenger mile. Buses come in at 299 grams per mile, second-worst only to cars at 371 grams.

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We find that car and motorcycle use for shopping and leisure activities fell more sharply along lines with a larger increase in regional passenger trains. These results indicate that expansions of local passenger railways reduce air pollution due to substitution from cars and motorcycles to trains.

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Rail transport may well be the most environmentally responsible way to travel, other than walking and biking.

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