Naomi’s Sustainable Travel Journey from Walenstadt, Switzerland back to St Andrews
A couple of months ago, I was faced with the ultimate university student environmental decision: Would I travel via train or fly back to St Andrews from my family home in Switzerland at the end of the summer? This decision ultimately led to the experience of a lifetime but with its challenges along the way. First, I need to provide some necessary background information to accompany what led me to choose the most eco-friendly option and how you could choose train travel as your next sustainable mode of transport.
My family could be considered ‘serial’ travellers and as young kids, my parents always introduced me and my sister to exciting destinations and fascinating cultures. Back then, eco-consciousness existed but was not incorporated into lifestyles as much in today’s world. It was only in high school that I started questioning my lifestyle and my role in protecting our invaluable planet. Now at university, I have to travel far distances on holidays to visit my family (as do many other international students and staff), and I tend to question my travel choices, even during leisurely breaks during Revision Week. Although I decided to spend many of my holidays travelling sustainably and hostelling throughout Scotland, many students in St Andrews tend to travel internationally on city breaks or beach holidays.
This summer, I made the bold choice to travel 16 hours (or what turned out to be longer by unexpected cancellations), from Walenstadt, Switzerland to St Andrews, with four stops, on my way home on the 8th of September. My journey was long and tiring but provided a scenic view and ample time for me to focus on administrative work, including writing this blog! The first two legs of the journey, which involved Switzerland and France, were pleasant. However, upon entering the UK, I was faced with a plethora of challenges, including nearly missing my train from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley station, and eventually realizing that all trains and buses from Edinburgh to Leuchars had ultimately decided to stop running after 6 PM. With all these complications proving to derail my original plans, I made the most out of the situation and stayed positive for the rest of my journey.
There are financial barriers towards choosing train travel. Still, those can be avoided by booking your journey early, selecting student or youth prices (which can be up to 10% cheaper than adult fares), and even thinking of buying an Interrail pass if you are traveling to multiple destinations, especially in central Europe. Train travel can be expensive and, at times, longer and perhaps more inconvenient than a simple flight, but when considering carbon emissions, train travel uses an estimated 10x less CO2 emissions than taking a flight (Greentripper). This reason alone could be your first step towards a more sustainable and rewarding lifestyle. For your upcoming travels, I highly recommend you replace your cheaper yet uncomfortable and, at times, stressful flight with a much more comforting train journey.
By Naomi Smith
All images credited to the author.