If you’ve been captivated by the BBC’s Race Across the World, you’ll know the thrill of travelling between destinations without planes, phones, or debit cards. The show celebrates travelling through, not just over – the joy of actually seeing and experiencing the world as you move through it. Join us as we explore the sustainability of train travel which may result in you choosing train travel for your next event
After a recent series, we saw on Instagram one of the contestants, Alfie, embark on an incredible budget journey from London to Dubai via Poland, Albania, and Georgia, taking the next cheapest flight. It got us thinking: how could we recreate that Race Across the World adventure while not compromising the planet?
Planning a Trip That Aligns with Our Sustainable Travel Values
As two Geography graduates from the University of Liverpool, my friend Kate and I couldn’t ignore the environmental impact of flying. The guilt was real! Five flights in five days just didn’t sit right. I did wonder if it would be a good experience to see if we could compare train vs flying. It’s an encouragement we make to delegates all the time in the event industry. Could we stay true to our values? So we set ourselves a challenge: five days, £500, and a commitment to travel as sustainably as possible.
From Warsaw to London — The Ultimate Train Adventure
We began in Warsaw, where Kate flew in from Liverpool and I from London. After a weekend exploring Warsaw and Lublin — including a moving visit to a concentration camp inspired by the film A Real Pain — we set off early Monday morning for the journey home… entirely by train.
Our route:
- Warsaw → Berlin (5 hours)
- Berlin → Cologne (4.5 hours, more like 5.5 hours because of bridge delay!)
- Cologne → Brussels (1h 50m)
- Brussels → London by Eurostar (2 hours)
Yes, there were some delays — but also the kind of spontaneous moments you rarely get when flying: conversations with fellow travellers, long views of changing landscapes, impromptu snacks in the buffet car, and a whole car for the bar, plus those cute carriages with small cabins of 6 with the long corridor down the side, which is straight out of an Agatha Christie novel.
The Carbon Savings: Train vs Flight
As sustainability enthusiasts, we wanted to calculate exactly how much carbon we’d saved by travelling by train instead of flying.
Here’s what we found:
| Mode | Route | Distance (km) | CO₂ Emissions (kg) | Saving vs Flight |
| Flight (Warsaw–London) | Direct | 1,449 | 223.07 | |
| Train (Warsaw–Cologne, National Rail avg) | 1,053 | 43.02 | ||
| Train (Cologne–London, Eurostar) | 695 | 4.17 | ||
| Total Train | Warsaw–London | 1,748 | 47.18 | 78.8% lower emissions |
Even using a conservative calculation, our train journey produced nearly 79% fewer carbon emissions than flying the same route. That’s a powerful argument for sustainable travel – especially when multiplied across hundreds of event attendees.
The Added Value of Train Travel
For us, the benefits went far beyond the carbon savings. We:
- Discovered new cities like Cologne
- Met locals and other travellers, including a fascinating conversation on the Eurostar with a British couple who had travelled the world
- Had time to reflect, read, and watch the world go by
- The Brussels stop meant we brought home Belgian chocolate as a treat for our families!
When we plan corporate events or conferences, we see the same benefits for delegates: train travel encourages connection, mindfulness, and a sense of journey that air travel simply can’t match. If you are choosing train travel for your next event be reassured that you can clearly show the reduction in carbon emissions.
Making Sustainable Travel Part of Every Event
At Autumn Live, we’re committed to helping organisations make their events more sustainable – from low-carbon venues to eco-conscious attendee travel options. Encouraging participants to travel by train is one of the most effective ways to cut emissions and create a richer event experience. We know the industry struggles with making travel more sustainable, read more what the event industry is doing.
If you’re planning your next conference or incentive trip, consider how your attendees can travel through rather than over. A well-planned train itinerary can become part of the story, not just a means to an end. We are already researching our next trip from Tallinn to Vilnius via Riga – on the train of course!
Our Go-to Resource for Train Travel
If you’re inspired to choosing train travel for your next event or plan your own rail adventure, we highly recommend The Man in Seat 61 https://www.seat61.com/ a fantastic resource for train routes, bookings, and insider tips around the world.
Train travel really is a win: for friendships, for the planet, and for the kind of experiences that make journeys unforgettable.
