Participating in an Erasmus+ mobility program goes beyond just teaching and learning; it’s also an opportunity to embrace sustainable travel.
Your round trip to and from your Erasmus destination is indeed a key part of your mobility experience, but the way you choose to travel can make a significant impact.
Sustainable travel reduces your carbon footprint, promotes environmental responsibility, and aligns with the EU’s goal to decrease net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels).
In this article, you’ll discover practical tips to make your travel eco-friendlier and the various incentives and benefits that Erasmus+ offers to encourage sustainable travel choices.
We’ll explore how Green Travel contributes to the broader goals of reducing carbon emissions and how you, as an Erasmus+ participant, can make a positive impact on the environment while enjoying your international experience.
Whether you’re preparing for your exchange or simply looking to adopt greener habits, this guide will equip you with valuable insights and resources for responsible travel.
What is Green Travel?
According to the Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2024, “Green Travel” refers to the use of low-emission transport options, such as buses, trains, bikes, or carpooling, for the majority of a journey.
Emissions from air travel, specifically, have been rapidly increasing over the past two decades, and while technical solutions like sustainable aviation fuels are being developed, they’re still far from mainstream and won’t fully eliminate the problem.
This awareness lies at the core of all the measures through which the EU promotes “Green Travel” and reflects the growing need to balance international mobility with environmental responsibility.
How does the Erasmus+ Programme support green travel?
The goal of the EU’s incentives is to ensure that students and educators can continue enjoying exchange programs without compromising the planet’s future.
Each measure provided by Erasmus+ is designed to promote sustainable travel choices, especially in selecting transportation options.
While flying is often the fastest and most affordable option, it’s also among the least eco-friendly. To encourage greener travel, Erasmus+ offers financial support to participants who choose sustainable alternatives.
The travel funding amount depends on the distance covered, and participants can use the Erasmus+ Distance Calculator to find out their specific allocation.
Participants opting for green travel can receive up to six funded travel days, compared to just two days for those flying. If you are traveling within Europe the first thing you should try to do is avoid domestic flights in the first place: it is better to use the train.
The up-to-six-day funding allows for more flexibility in planning and budgeting. You can consider splitting your journey with an overnight stay and use this opportunity to explore a new city while reducing the impact of long-distance travel.
For journeys under 500 km, the Erasmus+ Programme encourages the use of low-emission transport options, offering a larger lump sum as a reward for avoiding flights.
In addition, nowadays many trains have a Wi-Fi connection so you can also work while traveling!
Not to mention that slowing down helps you enjoy the journey more, since on public transport you have the chance to chat with passengers from different countries and experience local culture along the way.
In the end, isn’t this exactly what the Erasmus+ experience is all about?
Greener options for transportation
As aviation alone is responsible for about 2-3% of global emissions, the distances in Europe could be crossed with many other greener alternatives:
Source: Fraunhofer ISI and CE Delft, 2020, (https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/rail-and-waterborne-transport)
Trains
In Europe, trains are an extremely efficient mode of transport, emitting only 33g of CO₂ per passenger per kilometer, compared to 160g for air travel. For trips under 1,000 km, traveling by train instead of flying can reduce emissions by up to 90%.
Buses
If trains aren’t available, buses are a good alternative, emitting 80g of CO₂ per passenger per kilometer on average.
Carpooling
Sharing a car with colleagues or other Erasmus participants is another effective way to lower emissions per person.
What if flying is unavoidable?
But sometimes, it’s impossible not to take the plane. In case this is what you’re up to, here are a few things to consider when buying your tickets to minimize the impact it can have:
Book direct flights
Direct flights are less polluting, as takeoffs and landings are the most fuel-intensive phases of any flight.
Once an aircraft reaches cruising altitude, it operates much more efficiently, with lower fuel consumption per kilometer, making direct flights an important strategy for travelers looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
When possible, fly to an airport near your destination and switch to sustainable options!
Pack light
The more you carry, the more fuel is required to get off. Packing light reduces emissions, especially on long-distance journeys. Stick to the essential: reduce unnecessary packaging and transfer toiletries into smaller, reusable containers.
Additionally, having less and lighter baggage to carry allows you to move more freely, for instance, using public transport instead of taking a taxi.
Finally, checked bags are mishandled quite often, resulting in an additional carbon footprint to reconcile these mishandled bags with their owners.
Flying economy
Opting for flying economy is not only more affordable but also more sustainable. Business and first-class seats take up more space, meaning fewer passengers and higher emissions per seat.
Tips for budget-friendly green travel
We said that, when traveling in Europe, trains are often the fastest and most direct way to reach city centers, but ticket prices can sometimes be high. To help stay within budget, you can opt for:
- Teacher discounts: In some countries, like Poland, public school teachers can get discounts on train travel.
- Group discounts: Larger groups can often benefit from discounts when traveling by train or bus. For instance, if several teachers are attending the same Erasmus course, carpooling or traveling by train together could lead to significant savings.
Check whether similar discounts are available in your country or look for offers from local transportation providers!
Useful platforms for train tickets
Even though the perfect rail journey booking platform for all of Europe doesn’t exist yet, here you’ll find some websites to book train, bus, or carpooling travel that may be useful:
- BlablaCar – connects drivers with empty seats to passengers traveling the same route, offering dynamic pricing, ID verification, and user ratings.
- Deutsche Bahn – you can find connections even if you’re not traveling in Germany
- Map of European night train connections – Night trains can be a convenient option as well. Check this interactive map to find some options:
- The Man in Seat 61 – this website can help you plan your train travel in Europe!
- You can also find some Platforms where you can book your train tickets in one go, but they may charge a small fee:
- Omio (also for bus, flight, and ferries)
And don’t wait until the last minute, booking in advance can help you snag better prices! Check this overview from The Man in Seat 61: When does booking open?
Incorporating sustainability into the curriculum
Your Erasmus mobility experience can also be a unique chance to inspire future generations to be mindful travelers.
Start by engaging your students with tools like the Carbon Footprint Calculator. This practical exercise raises awareness about sustainable travel and the impact of everyday choices.
Another useful activity to bring sustainability to life in the classroom could be the EU Ecolabel Exploration: Discuss the EU Ecolabel with your students!
This label guarantees that products meet high environmental standards, offering a practical way to understand sustainable consumption.
You can challenge your students to identify eco-friendly products in their daily lives!
Finally, where possible, have them explore GreenKayak, an initiative allowing volunteers to borrow a kayak for free in exchange for collecting waste from waterways.
This is a fantastic example of hands-on environmental action, blending leisure with a positive ecological impact.
Embracing Green Travel as the new normal
In today’s world, adopting green travel practices should become the norm, especially while living abroad, even for just a short time.
By being mindful of our travel choices, we can reduce our environmental impact and set an example for our students.
As you explore new destinations, aim to minimize your impact: reduce or offset carbon emissions, support local economies, and prioritize eco-conscious decisions.
Shopping at local markets, buying from indigenous artisans, and respecting the customs of your host community are small steps that create a ripple effect, deepening your experience and fostering meaningful connections with those around you.
Every action you take, and every choice you make plants the seeds for responsible travel habits that will inspire your students and enrich the communities they touch.
Erasmus face-to-face courses related to this topic:
Being deeply rooted in Erasmus’s world and missions, we offer courses on sustainability and environmental education to equip teachers with the right tools and strategies to turn green habits into a permanent lifestyle.
- Environmental Education: Learning and Acting for a Better Future
- Teaching for a Sustainable World: Climate Change and Global Citizenship
and more!
Let’s turn green travel into a habit and a lifestyle, and not just a trend: let’s make sustainable choices that leave a positive legacy for future generations of Erasmus+ travelers.