The airline industry contributing financially to the development of rail in France? It may sound like a funny thought, but it's about to become a reality, according to Clément Beaune, the French Minister for Transport. As part of a plan to invest €100 billion in rail transport by 2040, the French government is urging the aviation industry to play its part in the sustainable transition of mobility in France. According to ADEME calculations, travelling by train pollutes 23 times less than travelling by air, proving the need for this initiative. The train is now establishing itself as a sustainable alternative to other transport modes, and this trend is set to intensify in the coming years thanks to the many initiatives being taken in this direction.
The good student of sustainable transition
It's no secret that travelling by train has a much more moderate impact on the environment than travelling by car or plane. While train journeys pollute 23 times less than plane journeys, this figure rises to 32 times less when compared with car journeys. This difference in carbon footprint is not insignificant, and is encouraging more and more people to opt for this mode of transport, both in their daily lives and on holiday.
According to a survey carried out by Odoxa for SNCF Connect & Tech, 63% of travellers say they choose to take the train for ecological reasons, and 95% of them say they are proud to use this sustainable mode of transport when they travel. The train-bragging trend (pride in choosing the train), as opposed to fly-shaming (shame at taking the plane), is therefore on the right track. Trains are also being widely adopted across Europe. European railways have already recorded more than 5 billion passengers in 2021, a substantial number but still a long way from the record figure of more than 8 billion in 2019.
A growing number of business travellers are opting to travel by train in Europe. This is partly because rising air fares are pushing employees to take the train rather than the plane, but also because they are more environmentally aware. The vast majority of companies are currently engaged in a CSR process, so reducing carbon emissions is a necessity. According to the CWT business travel agency, 70% of national business trips are now made by rail. By way of example, the number of business travellers taking the Eurostar has doubled since 2018.
Hourrail's aim is to encourage more and more people to take the time to travel. Both a travel platform and a media...
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