The transportation sector accounts for 28% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and train travel can be less carbon-intensive per person-kilometer than either plane or car options. Any long-distance trip requires planning, and each mode of transportation has pros and cons to consider. This article presents information on environmental impacts and recent legislative developments as well as personal experiences with long-distance train travel.
Sustainability of Train Travel
The High Speed Rail Alliance Blog describes reasons why train travel is more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable than travel by car or airplane. The blog points out that high-speed rail consumes almost ten times less energy per passenger-kilometer than cars—and six times less energy than planes. (These estimates assume a fairly full train.) Even diesel trains use over three times less energy than cars, and train cars have close to double the useful service life of automobiles.
The High Speed Rail Alliance website also offers recommendations for improving and expanding long-distance rail transportation in the U.S., including purchase of more equipment for Amtrak long-distance routes. Based on record Amtrak ridership in 2025, the Alliance estimates a need for 1,086 new Amtrak cars including coaches, sleeper cars, dining cars, and lounges, to avoid ridership limitations due to lack of capacity.
Recent Legislative Developments in Illinois
Illinois legislators recognize the importance of public modes of transportation. The LWVE Annual Meeting in May featured a panel discussing regional transportation developments, including the establishment of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA). The Illinois Passenger Rail Planning Act, currently in committee in the General Assembly, would require policy planning at the Illinois Department of Transportation to transform inter-city rail transportation in strategic corridors throughout the state by increasing frequency of service, improving reliability, and planning for investment to achieve the reliability and frequency targets.
My Train Travel Experience
About a year ago, my husband and I decided to take a cross-country trip by train. I believe train travel to be good for the environment, so I did some research and discovered Amtrak Vacations and Grounded Travel, a series of YouTube videos created by a couple who travel a lot. Amtrak Vacations are packaged tours that include hotels, transfers, and excursions through an affiliated company. We booked an Amtrak Vacation trip from Chicago’s Union Station that included stops in Denver, Grand Junction, CO, and San Francisco. Was it worth it?
When we arrived at Chicago’s Union Station, a helpful railroad employee directed us to the Metropolitan Lounge, which had complimentary beverages and snacks. When our train was available, an attendant directed us to our roomettes and explained mealtimes. We had chosen facing roomettes, to avoid the climb to an upper bunk, and to have views from both sides (something we learned from the videos).
Tables in the dining car seat four, so you are seated with strangers, but we enjoyed the experience of meeting new people as part of the adventure. If you aren’t feeling sociable, you can have your dinner brought to your room. The food was good, although the limited choices could become tiresome on a longer trip. We enjoyed the scenery. The section through Iowa and Nebraska went fast and the ride became bumpy, but I was able to fall asleep.
The next morning, I learned that there had been a storm during which the train hit a fallen branch. That caused a delay, and we were further delayed by a broken-down freight train that shares tracks with Amtrak. We arrived in Denver 6 hours late and learned that our hotel was not at the train station, as we had been told by the booking agent, but several blocks away.
The next day we had breakfast at the hotel, which was very nice, and then assembled for our excursion to Rocky Mountain National Park. The excursion and the leaders were wonderful. The following day we continued our trip. Since it was not an overnight ride, we chose coach seats. We had great views through one of the most scenic parts of the Colorado River area and the mountains. We arrived in Grand Junction an hour late, but our driver was there to drive us the 2 hours to Moab in Utah. The hotel there was nice, but not in the center of town, which would have made dining and shopping more accessible. We had another great excursion the next day that included Arches and Canyonlands National Parks along with Dead Horse State Park. Well chosen by Amtrak Vacations!
When we returned to Grand Junction Station the next day, we learned that our next train had broken down outside Denver, and it would take at least 5 hours to arrive. We stowed our luggage and walked into town to explore, but when we returned, the train was still waiting to be repaired. In all we were delayed for over 11 hours, and the train finally arrived at 3 a.m.!
We lost two more hours in transit and arrived in San Francisco too late for our excursion to Yosemite National Park. We tried to reschedule the excursion, but Amtrak Vacations said they couldn’t, so we enjoyed the extra time exploring San Francisco. (We did get the cost of our Yosemite trip refunded, after much paperwork.)
So, was it worth it? Yes, but if I did it again, I’d change some things. I would do without the Amtrak Vacations package deal. While the excursions were incredible, the hotel choices were not exactly as promised. More time should have been planned between arrival and excursions to account for train delays. If we travel by Amtrak again, we will make our own plans.
On the plus side, the Amtrak staff were professional, entertaining, and helpful throughout our trip. Amtrak also sent us a check to make up for our long delays without being asked! It matters. The return trip to Chicago was relaxing, just riding and enjoying the scenery and, this time, not concerned about arriving anywhere by a specified time. The trains were as clean as possible, although old. What they really need, in my view, are newer trains and more of them.
Other Experiences
LWVE member Elizabeth Kinney is also an Amtrak user. She reported: “I take Amtrak trains twice a month from Union Station to Jackson, Michigan. The trains are usually close to on time and full. Train fares are hard to figure out but seem to be related to how full Amtrak expects the train to be. The wifi on the train works sometimes. Sometimes a bus is substituted at the last minute for a train. At my age, taking the train is better than driving and I do appreciate being able to read while headed to my destination.” LWVE member Joan Linsenmeier had a positive experience on a short-distance Amtrak trip from Washington, DC to Richmond, Virginia. She, too, preferred this to driving—and enjoyed the scenery along the way.
Another person’s experience was recounted in a recent Sierra Magazine article. An excerpt: “The staff are uniformly pleasant, and the announcements are clear and tell you what is going on…the run from Denver to Salt Lake is spectacular. We cross the Rockies through several steep rocky gorges along the Colorado River, which only Class Five river rafters and train travelers ever get to see.”
Comparing Modes of Long-Distance Transportation: Some Pros and Cons
Air travel is generally faster than trains and cars, but time to reach the airport and pass security, as well as delays and layovers, are factors. Costs vary but are often higher than other modes, and ground travel after landing adds cost. Airplane seats are small, so there is a comfort disadvantage, and air travel is known to be carbon-intensive.
Car transportation is often the least expensive option, especially for multiple people traveling together, but gas, meals, tolls, etc., add cost. A big downside is that gas/diesel-powered car travel is more carbon-intensive than train travel. Electric vehicle travel is low-carbon but requires planning for charging; charging stations are not readily available in many locations.
Train travel is not as fast as flying, but it is possible to eat, sleep, and walk around on the train, and seats are generally more comfortable than plane seats. Ticket pricing varies but may be less than air fare. Train travel generally results in the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per person-mile as long as the train is fairly full.
My overall conclusion, based on my reading and personal experience: Travel by rail offers many advantages and can be one of the viable solutions to our climate crisis--but investment and modernization are essential to making broad expansion of rail travel a reality.