Trains or internal flights?
There is no such thing (yet) as a non-polluting flight, but short-haul and domestic flights are far worse for the environment than long-haul. That’s because planes use most fuel during the take-off and climb to altitude, so when they’re not traveling far, the carbon emissions to passenger km ratio is higher. But in many destinations, it’s possible to travel internally by train rather than by air, which can significantly reduce your vacation’s carbon footprint.
Where an itinerary mentions internal flights, it’s always worth checking with the tour operator if it’s possible to get from place to place by train instead. Often there may be little difference in cost, and while it may take substantially longer to get where you’re going, the journey itself can become part of the adventure. It’s a cliché, but all clichés have their roots in the truth, don’t they?
Where an itinerary mentions internal flights, it’s always worth checking with the tour operator if it’s possible to get from place to place by train instead. Often there may be little difference in cost, and while it may take substantially longer to get where you’re going, the journey itself can become part of the adventure. It’s a cliché, but all clichés have their roots in the truth, don’t they?
Why take the train?
It might seem like a no-brainer to opt for internal flights when you’re on vacation, given you have limited time during which you probably want to see and do as much as possible. That’s especially the case when you’re in a country that may have a less-developed transport network than you might like. But taking the long way round has plenty of advantages too:
Where to take the train between destinations
Egypt
Nile cruise vacations in Egypt typically begin or end with a night or two in Cairo to see the Pyramids of Giza. A journey from Cairo down to Luxor, where most cruises get underway, takes just an hour by air. But undoubtedly the best, most romantic and classic way to get there is by overnight train.
China & Tibet
Beijing to Lhasa is a four-hour flight to cover over 3,700km, or 40 hours on the train. No contest, right? Wrong – this is one of the most dramatic rail journeys in the world, crossing eight provinces across northern China and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (the highest plateau on Earth). Before reaching the Tibetan capital you’ll pass the Qarhan Salt Lake, the Gobi Desert, spectacular mountains and vast grasslands.
India
A long distance train journey is one of the quintessential experiences when traveling in India, which has one of the world’s busiest and most extensive rail networks. Most trains have a variety of different classes, and there is an incredible range of India rail vacations available.
Japan
There’s been growing interest in budget airlines in Japan in recent years, but for now nothing can knock the shinkansen bullet trains from their perch. You can follow a classic route between Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, mountains and countryside speedily and comfortably. With the Japan Rail Pass that tour operators can organise for you before departure, it’s a breeze.
Thailand
The journey between the Thai capital, Bangkok, and its more laidback second city, Chiang Mai, takes 2.5 hours by air – or 13 hours on the train. The scenery is especially attractive as the track climbs into the mountains on the approach to Chiang Mai, but many people choose to go with the overnight instead.
Vietnam
The North–South railway in Vietnam must be one of the most bombed and sabotaged in the world, having been regularly targeted between World War II and the Vietnam War. Taking the Reunification Express between Ho Chi Minh City and Saigon takes around 36 hours compared to a two-hour flight, but as it follows the coast much of the way, it’s a very scenic way to get between two must-see cities.
Our Low carbon Vacations
Devon eco lodge accommodation, England
Quirky eco lodges, 1 with Hot Tub, on a Devon nature reserve
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Island hopping cruise in Northern Croatia
Small ship cruise Croatia's to northern islands from Opatija
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Split to Dubrovnik Premium cruise
A classic cruise from Split to Dubrovnik on a premium vessel
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Sail the Croatian islands on a beautiful luxury motor yacht
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Split to Dubrovnik Luxury cruise, Croatia
Cruise Split to Dubrovnik in luxury via Croatia's islands
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Long-distance rail vacation experiences, according to Responsible Travel
Krissy Roe is our head of special projects. She loved seeing China from a different angle:
“I went from Beijing to Chengdu by train, eating durian fruit and chatting with a local family whilst traveling at high speed through villages and rice paddies. Such a different side to the China I’d seen in the cities….”
“I went from Beijing to Chengdu by train, eating durian fruit and chatting with a local family whilst traveling at high speed through villages and rice paddies. Such a different side to the China I’d seen in the cities….”
Lyn Hill, our finance and officer manager, travelled the epic Indian Pacific route in Australia: “The Indian Pacific train from Perth to Adelaide was an amazing journey…vast expanses of nothing...unbelievable. (But once you’ve seen it for 36 hours, that's enough!) I remember the train had to stop for a while due to a thunderstorm. It hadn’t rained for years, they said. We briefly got off the train at Cook and I’ve never felt a heat like it. It’s basically a ghost town, so I didn’t go too far away from the platform as I really didn’t want to miss it and be stranded until the next train, which was probably days away.”
It was all about the Reunification Express for Anna Rice, our responsible tourism manager:
“On the Reunification Express, we shared our cabin with a Vietnamese couple who were traveling with a large number of other family members, dotted amongst the other carriages. There was a celebratory atmosphere as they began to unpack steaming flasks of tea and pots of noodles to share amongst themselves. The women started to gather in one carriage while the men congregated on chairs by the sink area, both parties soon deep in conversation and laughter. One of the women helped us map out the exact train route on a blow-up globe we had brought along. Although there was a language barrier we really appreciated being privy to what was essentially a family gathering taking place on a train and they were very generous with their delicious homemade food.”
“On the Reunification Express, we shared our cabin with a Vietnamese couple who were traveling with a large number of other family members, dotted amongst the other carriages. There was a celebratory atmosphere as they began to unpack steaming flasks of tea and pots of noodles to share amongst themselves. The women started to gather in one carriage while the men congregated on chairs by the sink area, both parties soon deep in conversation and laughter. One of the women helped us map out the exact train route on a blow-up globe we had brought along. Although there was a language barrier we really appreciated being privy to what was essentially a family gathering taking place on a train and they were very generous with their delicious homemade food.”
Account manager Chris Kearney describes why a single train trip was his favourite memory from his four months in India: “My favourite day from the four months I spent traveling around India was a 12-hour train journey from Pushkar to Delhi. I was in a carriage with around 30 others heading en masse to a wedding near Delhi. There were four generations of them on the train and they thought it was hilarious a strange westerner had gate-crashed their pre-wedding party carriage, making me the center of their attention for the entire journey. I woke from a nap to three kids poking their heads through the curtains, then scarpering when they realised they had been spotted. When the train finally pulled in to Delhi I helped the family unload their mountains of luggage onto the platform and it took a full 15 minutes to say goodbye, with hugs and laughter and even tears from some of them!”
More about Low carbon
Our low carbon vacations travel guide contains information on new technologies, low carbon transport and accommodation - starting with what we mean by low carbon vacations.
Finding ways to decarbonise air travel is necessary for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The race is on to develop hybrid, electric and hydrogen fuel alternatives for planes.
It’s easy to feel dismayed and hopeless in the face of alarming climate change statistics, but in fact, there are so many positive steps we can all take to reduce our carbon emissions.
Cheap flights aren't the product of clever marketing or revolutionary business models, they are a direct result of huge tax breaks on international aviation fuel enjoyed by UK airlines.
More and more people are considering their carbon footprint when going on vacation, and one of the biggest ways you can reduce it is traveling by rail instead of by air.
Low carbon vacations in Devon offer a deliciously guilt free taste of rural British countryside.
