21 November 2024

At Leiden University, we are committed to reducing our CO₂ emissions from business travel. Making more work trips by train, instead of flying, is important if we are to reach that goal. To make planning a rail trip easier, we’ve created a European train travel map.

The map (also available as a PDF) is an initiative of colleagues at the Leiden University Green Office (LUGO) and our central sustainability team.

To plan a train trip, simply search for your destination on the map and see:

• How long your rail journey will take;
• The number of transfers;
• If a night train is available;
• CO₂ emissions for your journey;
• How a trip by plane compares.

At Leiden University, second-class train travel is the norm for destinations which can be reached within six hours by rail. Are you planning a longer business trip by train? You may book a first-class train ticket or a sleeping place in a night train – as long as your destination is over 500 kilometres away or will take more than six hours to reach.

Advantages of rail travel

Business trips generated 5,174 tonnes of CO₂ and made up 11.3% of the university’s total carbon footprint in 2023. Almost all of these emissions (99%) were from air travel. When you make a work trip by train instead of flying, you help us to reach our goal of cutting carbon emissions from business travel by 25% in 2027 (compared to 2019).

Taking the train also benefits you. There is often more legroom, the ability to move around freely and fewer baggage restrictions. You don’t need to go through security checks and you arrive directly in the city center.