72 wanderlust.co.ukMarch 2020Ifyou’rechoosingan
alternativemethodoftravel
tolying,thereisstilllots to
consider.It’snotjustaquestion
ofoptingforatrainoraboat;
otherthingstolookatinclude
thetypeofengine,thenumber
ofpassengers,thejourney
duration,thespeedandfuel type.
Train
Trainsmaybeslower,butthey could
saveyoumoneyandlower your
carbonfootprint,especially if you
chooseanelectricoreven hydro-
poweredtraininsteadofa diesel
one(againdoyourresearch – some
slowertrainsmaybemore energy-
eicient).AtripfromLondon to
Ljubljana,Slovenia,emits42kg per
passengerbytraincompared to
approximately268kgbyplane
accordingtoEcoPassenger, who
operateanonlinecalculator that
comparestheimpactofdi erent
transportoptions.
Notonlydotrainsemitless
carbon,buttheyoftencarry more
peoplemakingthemeven more
eicientwhenitcomesto
energy-saving.Plus,ifyou travel
bytrain,yougettoseeacountry;
Alternative
travel
indeed, the train journey can be
an experience in itself. Book the
Eastern & Oriental Express, for
example, a slow train that travels
through South-East Asia, and you
can sit back, relax and not only
enjoy the view, but also a taste of
ine dining and elegant comfort.Boat
Travelling by boat isn’t necessarily
greener: cruise ships can omit up to
three times more carbon emissions
than aeroplanes. However, you
could sail emission-free, board an
electric boat or take a kayaking
holiday. Boats may take longer and
can cost more than a light, but
they o er a di erent perspective.Public transport
Using public transport is not only
much more eco-friendly than driving
(as there’s more people travelling
per gallon of fuel), it’s also a great
way to see a country – whether
that’s journeying across a continent
by bus or using a hop-on/hop-o
service in a city to see the sights.
Of course, if the transport happen
to be electric or uses alternative
fuel, then that’s one step better.Walk or rent a bike
The best way to avoid a carbon
footprint is to make real footprints
Why not explore your chosen
destination on foot or by bike. You
discover new routes and get to
take in more of your surroundings,
and you’ll feel all the better for it as
you’ll be breathing in fresh air and
enjoying the exercise. Plus, if you
rent a bike, you’ll save some moneRent a hybrid or
electric car
If you do want to drive, try renting
a hybrid or electric car. Hire
companies such as Avis and Budget
have fuel-e icient options and
some hotels o er accommodation
discounts if you’re travelling in an
electric car. There are also things
you can do while driving to save on
fuel. Avoid quick stops and starts,
make sure your tyres are always
inlated to the correct amount, don’t
idle on the roads and keep to the
speed limit. If you’re travelling long
distances make sure to keep your
load light and save on fuel.Fast solutions
(clockwise from this)
A shinkansen bullet train
powers past Mount Fuji;
Hurtigruten’s hybrid-
powered MS Roald
Amundsen; cycling Cuba
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