Travel Green
Traveling on Amtrak is 46 percent more energy efficient than traveling by car and 34 percent more energy efficient than domestic air travel on a per-passenger-mile basis.
Sustainability with Amtrak
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, safely moving people between large cities and rural towns, and saving money are key to sustaining our business for decades to come.
Travel Green with Amtrak
Amtrak's company-wide Sustainability Policy guides how we incorporate environmental, financial, and social considerations into our risk assessment processes and project outcomes. Over the course of the last decade, Amtrak has implemented new technologies and changed employee behavior which resulted in reducing Amtrak greenhouse gas emissions by more than 414,054 metric tons of CO2e, equivalent to 90,048 passenger vehicles driven for one year. Amtrak Vacations is focused on delivering safe and reliable service to our customers and we’re evaluating ways to improve operations in the face of changing climate conditions across the national network.
Environmental Compliance
Amtrak’s Environmental and Sustainability Management System provides the framework for our commitment to compliance, leadership and stewardship of environmental resources.
Amtrak, the American national rail operator has made a clear commitment to sustainability over the past decade.
According to the 2021 U.S. Department of Energy Data Book, Amtrak is 46% more energy-efficient than traveling by car and 34% more energy-efficient than domestic air travel. Amtrak has significantly reduced its carbon footprint by taking measures to reduce fuel consumption, such as installing new forms of green technology and adapting energy-conserving practices. According to Climate Counts, a nonprofit organization that grades companies according to their environmental practices, Amtrak is a “Striding” company. This means that they have consistently improved on their environmental record, and are a good choice for those looking to support eco-friendly businesses.
From 2010 to 2019, Amtrak reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, which is equivalent to removing roughly 51,251 passenger vehicles from the road. Through several key initiatives like energy efficiency upgrades, improved train handling, and more efficient locomotives, Amtrak has reduced fuel and energy use year-over-year.
Over the next decade, Amtrak is targeting a further reduction to 40%. In fact, rail travel produces up to 83% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than driving and up to 73% fewer emissions than flying, making Amtrak the best option to shrink your travel carbon footprint.
Explore our featured national parks
Resources available for you
Curious about the Amtrak dining menus? Want to download our brochures or maps? Looking for a guide to our National Parks? Simply select the resources you’d like to view and then start viewing your free resources instantly!