Real-world examples of sustainable transportation options for travel

Everyday examples of sustainable transportation options for travel

Let’s start with what this looks like in real life. When people talk about examples of sustainable transportation options for travel, they’re usually talking about ways to:

• Burn less fuel per person
• Create less trash and plastic waste along the way
• Support public and shared systems instead of one-person-in-one-car

In practice, that means choosing things like trains, buses, bikes, shared cars, and smarter flights over defaulting to solo driving and short-haul planes. The best examples are the ones you can actually imagine using on your next trip.

Trains: One of the best examples of low-carbon long-distance travel

If you want a clear example of sustainable transportation that feels both practical and comfortable, look at trains.

High-speed and regional rail are consistently among the lowest-carbon ways to cover medium to long distances. The International Energy Agency (IEA) notes that rail accounts for only a tiny fraction of global transport emissions compared with cars and planes, even though it moves a large share of passengers and freight (IEA.org).

Real examples include:

• Amtrak in the United States for city-to-city trips, like New York–Washington, D.C. or Los Angeles–San Diego. Choosing rail instead of a short flight can cut your emissions dramatically, especially on busy corridors.
• European high-speed rail such as France’s TGV, Germany’s ICE, and Spain’s AVE. These trains often connect city centers faster door-to-door than flying once you add airport security and transfers.
• Japan’s Shinkansen (bullet trains), famous for reliability and speed, connecting Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and beyond with a lower per-passenger carbon footprint than flying the same routes.

If you’re looking for examples of examples of sustainable transportation options for travel that balance comfort, speed, and climate impact, rail is near the top of the list.

Buses and coaches: Underrated examples of sustainable transportation options for travel

Buses don’t get the same glamour as trains, but they’re often one of the best examples of low-impact travel, especially on a budget.

Modern intercity buses can move dozens of people using less fuel per person than most cars. Many companies now offer Wi-Fi, power outlets, and seat reservations, turning what used to feel like a last resort into a solid option.

Real-world examples include:

• Intercity buses in the U.S. such as Greyhound, Megabus, or FlixBus, which connect major cities and college towns.
• Regional coaches in Europe and Latin America, often filling gaps where rail is limited or expensive.
• Electric and hybrid buses being rolled out in cities worldwide. For instance, many U.S. transit agencies are transitioning parts of their fleets to electric to cut urban air pollution (EPA overview of clean school buses).

If your goal is to find examples of sustainable transportation options for travel that are both affordable and relatively low-impact, long-distance buses deserve a serious look.

Biking and walking: Hyper-local examples of zero-waste travel

Some of the most powerful examples of sustainable transportation options for travel are also the simplest: using your own two feet or a set of pedals.

When you choose to walk or bike instead of hopping in a cab for a short ride, you’re avoiding tailpipe emissions entirely. You’re also skipping the plastic bottles, snack wrappers, and disposable coffee cups that often come with “convenience” travel.

Real examples include:

• City bike-share systems like Citi Bike in New York, Divvy in Chicago, and Capital Bikeshare in Washington, D.C. These let you grab a bike for short hops instead of calling a rideshare.
• E-bike rentals in many tourist destinations, which make hills and longer distances more manageable, especially in hotter climates.
• Walkable itineraries where you intentionally book lodging in the city center or near transit so you can explore on foot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also highlights walking and biking as ways to boost physical activity and reduce chronic disease risk (CDC physical activity guidelines). So these examples of sustainable transportation options for travel are good for both the planet and your body.

Smarter flying: An example of “less-bad” air travel

Let’s be honest: sometimes flying is unavoidable, especially for international or time-sensitive trips. But even here, there are examples of more sustainable transportation options for travel that make flying less damaging.

These examples include:

• Choosing nonstop flights whenever possible. Takeoff and landing are the most fuel-intensive parts of a flight, so one long leg is usually better than two short ones.
• Flying economy instead of premium cabins. More seats per plane means lower emissions per passenger.
• Packing light. Less weight means less fuel burned. Airlines have been investing in lighter materials for this reason.
• Favoring airlines investing in newer, more efficient aircraft and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). While SAF isn’t a silver bullet, it’s part of the aviation industry’s effort to reduce lifecycle emissions.

For context, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains how transportation, including aviation, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and why efficiency matters (EPA transportation emissions).

Flying will never be the greenest choice, but if you need to fly, these are real examples of how to do it in a more considered way.

Carpooling, car-sharing, and EVs: Flexible examples of lower-impact road travel

Road trips don’t have to mean one person in a gas-hungry SUV. Some of the best examples of sustainable transportation options for travel on the road involve sharing space and choosing better vehicles.

Here are a few practical patterns:

• Carpooling with friends, coworkers, or fellow travelers. One full car is better than three half-empty ones.
• Car-sharing services like Zipcar, Turo, or local co-ops, which let you rent a car only when you truly need it instead of owning one full-time.
• Electric vehicles (EVs) for road trips, especially as public charging networks expand across the U.S. and Europe. If your electricity mix is relatively clean, the emissions per mile can be dramatically lower than a gas car.
• Hybrid vehicles when EVs aren’t practical. Hybrids are a concrete example of using technology to reduce fuel use without changing driving habits much.

If you’re building a list of examples of examples of sustainable transportation options for travel that still give you flexibility and independence, shared cars, EVs, and carpools sit right in that sweet spot.

Public transit in cities: Real examples of low-waste urban travel

Once you arrive at your destination, how you move around the city matters just as much as how you got there.

Urban public transit systems are textbook examples of sustainable transportation options for travel within cities:

• Subways and metros like the NYC Subway, London Underground, or Tokyo Metro move huge numbers of people efficiently and with far fewer emissions per person than cars.
• Light rail and trams in cities like Portland, Oregon or Amsterdam make it easy to skip rental cars entirely.
• Bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in places like Bogotá or Los Angeles use dedicated lanes and frequent service to mimic the speed of rail at a lower cost.

Using transit also supports local infrastructure instead of funneling money only into private taxi and rideshare companies. It’s a clear example of how your travel choices can reinforce more sustainable city planning.

Ferries and boats: Sometimes the best example of low-impact island travel

When water is involved, ferries can be one of the most realistic examples of sustainable transportation options for travel—especially compared to short-haul flights.

Concrete examples include:

• Passenger ferries in the Pacific Northwest (like Washington State Ferries) that connect communities across Puget Sound.
• Electric and hybrid ferries being introduced in Scandinavia and parts of Europe, designed to cut emissions and noise.
• Water taxis and local boats in river or canal cities, where a shared boat ride replaces multiple taxis.

While not all boats are low-emission, a loaded ferry generally performs better per passenger than multiple small planes or cars making the same trip.

How to mix these examples into a real trip

Seeing a list of examples is helpful, but the magic happens when you combine them into a real itinerary.

Imagine you’re planning a long weekend from Boston to New York:

• You take Amtrak instead of flying—a textbook example of sustainable transportation for that corridor.
• In New York, you use Citi Bike and the subway instead of taxis.
• You walk most neighborhoods, choosing a centrally located hotel so you don’t need a car at all.

Or picture a Europe trip in 2025:

• You fly nonstop from the U.S. to Paris, pack light, and sit in economy.
• You travel between cities by high-speed rail instead of budget airlines.
• Inside cities, you rely on metros, trams, and bike-share.

These are realistic examples of examples of sustainable transportation options for travel that still let you see a lot, eat well, and enjoy the journey.

Zero-waste habits that pair well with sustainable transport

Transportation is one big piece of low-impact travel; waste is another. The good news: many examples of sustainable transportation options for travel naturally reduce waste too.

You can reinforce that by:

• Bringing a reusable water bottle and coffee cup so you’re not buying single-use drinks at every station or airport.
• Packing a small utensil set and cloth napkin to avoid plastic cutlery on trains, planes, and buses.
• Choosing snacks in bulk or in reusable containers instead of individually wrapped items.
• Using digital tickets and boarding passes whenever possible.

These habits turn already better choices—like trains and buses—into even cleaner examples of low-waste, low-carbon travel.

FAQ: Examples of sustainable transportation for real-life trips

What are some easy examples of sustainable transportation options for travel within a city?

Some of the easiest examples include walking, biking, city bike-share systems, subways, light rail, and local buses. These options usually have lower emissions per person than taxis or rideshares, and they often save money too.

Can you give an example of a more sustainable long-distance trip in the U.S.?

A simple example of a lower-impact trip is traveling from Washington, D.C. to New York City by Amtrak instead of flying. You’d depart and arrive in city centers, skip airport transfers, and typically generate far fewer emissions per passenger than a short-haul flight.

Are electric cars always the best examples of sustainable transportation options for travel?

Electric cars are often better than gas cars, especially where the electricity grid is relatively clean, but they’re not always the best examples. Trains, buses, and carpools can beat EVs in terms of emissions per person, especially when they’re full. Think of EVs as a strong option when you truly need a car, not a replacement for public transit or walking.

What are examples of low-impact transportation for island or coastal destinations?

Examples include passenger ferries, shared water taxis, and, when available, electric or hybrid boats. On the island itself, walking, biking, and local buses are usually better than renting a large car. In many cases, taking a ferry plus local transit is a lower-impact example than hopping on a short island-hopper flight.

How do I decide between flying and taking a train or bus?

When comparing examples of sustainable transportation options for travel, consider distance, time, and available routes. For trips under roughly 500–600 miles, trains or buses are often competitive on total travel time once you factor in airport security and transfers—and they usually have a much smaller carbon footprint. For longer international routes, flying may be the only realistic option, so focus on nonstop flights, lighter packing, and pairing your flight with low-impact options at your destination.

If you treat these real-world examples of sustainable transportation options for travel as a menu, you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to keep picking the better option most of the time. Over a year or a decade of trips, those choices add up in a very real way—for the climate, for local air quality, and for your own experience of the journey.