Train travel & the environment


It matters

Switzerland is a beautiful country. 15,000 lakes, about 8000 mountains, 1400 glaciers and an unparalleled beautiful landscape enchants millions of visitors every year.

In order for the next generation to be able to experience Switzerland in this same way as we do, we must take care of the environment.

Without drastic measures, a Switzerland without glaciers and without the year-round white mountain peaks will soon become a reality.

Aletsch glacier


A big difference

Train travel not only comfortable but also a very sustainable way of traveling. The emissions are very low compared to other modes of transportation. With my tours, you can explore Switzerland in an environmentally friendly way. The CO₂ output is significantly lower.

Example:

Let’s take as example a round trip from Zurich to Täsch (Matterhorn Terminal Parking for Zermatt).

By car (5 Seats, based on an average Swiss car, the CO₂ output is a whopping 299.38 Pounds.

By train: Even calculating with a low occupancy rate on all trains, which is usually not the case, the emission are at 22 Pounds per passenger.

Source of data: energy calculators of SBB and myclimate

Keep the meadows green, and the mountain peaks white.


Sheeps and goats on the payroll

The Swiss Federal railways are employing sheep and goats. Since they eat for 22 hours a day, a herd can graze up to 1000 square meters of the terrain around the railway embankments per day.

Wildflowers can grow, and animals, such as butterflies and birds, are not endangered.

The railway embankments also have many underpasses for animal mitigation, and there is a lot more investment and development in this field to come in the next years.

An Intercity train and an example of a railway embankment


Reservoir - Lac d’èmosson

Hydropower

All regular trains in Switzerland run on electricity. 90% of this electricity comes from hydropower, which makes SBB one of the most environmentally friendly railways in Europe.

By 2025 they plan to run on 100% renewable energy.

Hydropower accounts for around 60% of the domestic electricity generation. There are 83 reservoir lakes in Switzerland.


Recycling station

Recycling

The recycling rates show that the Swiss take recycling seriously. 96% of the Glass bottles, 91% of aluminum cans, and 83% of the plastic bottles are getting a second life.

The Swiss Federal railways help here as well. With an investment of over 2 Million Swiss Francs, hundreds of recycling stations have been positioned at the 34 largest train stations, so that travelers can now separate their garbage.

There are four compartments: general waste, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and paper.