According to the National Geographic Green Guide, which is no longer in publication, you roughly double your emissions if you cancel your plane reservations and drive across the country instead. If you take the train, then you'll cut carbon dioxide (CO2) by half compared to the plane.Cached
Are trains better than cars for the environment?
Environmental ImpactRailroads emit less greenhouse gas than vehicles by up to 75 percent for the same load. Plus, with careful planning, railroads can carry more per trip, saving emissions that might otherwise go into the air.
Do trains cause more pollution than cars?
Is Amtrak better for environment than driving?
According to the 2021 U.S. Department of Energy Data Book, Amtrak is 46% more energy efficient than traveling by car and 34% more energy efficient than domestic air travel.
What is the carbon footprint of a train vs plane vs car?
So the footprint of taking the train is around 20% of taking a car: [ 35 / 170 * 100 = 20%]. National rail emits around 35 grams per kilometer. A domestic flight emits 246 grams. So the footprint of taking the train is around 14% of a flight: [ 35 / 246 * 100 = 14%].