On this World Tourism Day, the International Union of Railways (UIC) reaffirms its commitment to sustainable tourism as a tool for promoting economic, social and environmental development. Through different initiatives, such as TopRail and More Trains, UIC members have been working for a long time to promote rail as the backbone of sustainable mobility, acknowledging the importance of developing synergies between rail and tourism.
In alignment with the World Tourism Day 2024 theme of “Tourism and Peace”, UIC emphasises that sustainable travel not only reduces environmental impact but also contributes to building bridges between diverse communities, promoting cultural exchange and driving economic development.
Cooperation among key stakeholders from both the rail and tourism industries, and beyond, is essential for making sustainable travel the norm. Through collaboration, the tourism and transport sectors can jointly drive meaningful environmental impact, promote greener solutions and ensure that the future of travel is both sustainable and inclusive.
How UIC is fostering sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism is becoming an increasingly important aspect of global travel, with the transport sector accounting for over a quarter of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, UIC plays a pivotal role in promoting sustainable tourism by leveraging the inherent environmental benefits of rail transport. Rail accounts for 7-8% of global freight and passenger transport, but emits only 1-2% of total transport emissions, positioning it as a key player in making tourism more sustainable. In 2022 and 2023, global rail ridership rebounded from the pandemic, especially in Europe and Asia, in part thanks to leisure travel. In 2022, European passenger traffic surged by 77% in the first quarter compared to 2021. High-speed routes and scenic railways in countries like Switzerland, Japan or Italy remained popular, with many tourists opting for rail as a sustainable travel choice.
Tourism by rail has many faces, from high-speed city breaks to slow-travel experiences where the train itself is a central part of the journey. Rail tourism offers a wide range of alternatives, combining nature, culture and heritage or even exclusivity, luxury and technology, all while contributing to sustainable tourism and regional development from economic, social and environmental perspectives.
Here’s how UIC is fostering sustainable tourism:
The TopRail platform: A holistic approach to rail tourism
One of UIC’s most significant contributions to sustainable tourism is its TopRail initiative. For over a decade, TopRail has produced studies and guidelines, and brought together experts from the railway and tourism sectors to promote rail-based tourism as a strategic tool for boosting the railways’ image, increasing rail use and addressing sustainable social concerns.
Through this group of experts, UIC has been part of EU projects, including RailtoLand and Tour&Rail, and through its website and social media, TopRail showcases a range of leisure activities that can be enjoyed on board trains, providing travellers with sustainable holiday options across more than 10 countries worldwide. Additionally, UIC is set to release a Night Train Atlas, which will help tourists to explore international destinations by night, further promoting rail as an attractive and eco-friendly tourism option.
Enhancing the passenger experience
UIC understands that the success of sustainable tourism depends heavily on the passenger experience. To ensure rail travel is inclusive and comfortable for all, UIC has launched several initiatives aimed at improving accessibility and passenger satisfaction.
UIC’s customer experience group, known as CEMP, shares best practices among railways, resulting in workshops and guidelines to improve every stage of the journey – from booking right up to the final destination. This holistic approach ensures rail travel is not only a sustainable choice but also a practical and enjoyable one.
For example, the Train2bEqual initiative focuses on making rail stations and trains safer and more comfortable for women. Similarly, the PASSAGE group of experts on accessibility has been working together since 2010 to improve rail accessibility for people with reduced mobility (PRMs) or disabilities, ensuring that rail travel is inclusive for all tourists.
Multimodal and inclusive transport solutions
Sustainable tourism is not limited to one mode of transport. UIC is actively fostering multimodal transport solutions that integrate rail with other modes, such as cycling and air travel. UIC has explored how to improve infrastructure and services for passengers who wish to combine cycling with train travel, offering dedicated bike spaces on board trains and secure bike parking at stations. For example, the Rail4Cities project demonstrates how railway stations can become more than just transport hubs. This initiative focuses on transforming stations into vibrant urban centres that serve both commuters and tourists. By integrating sustainable transport options like cycling and promoting regional tourism, the project aims to make rail stations key players in developing eco-friendly cities.
UIC is also leading various research projects, such as Modus and MultiModX, which model the future of European transport by integrating air and rail travel. These projects aim to create seamless multimodal mobility systems that allow passengers to travel door-to-door with minimal environmental impact.
Moreover, UIC’s collaboration with air transport stakeholders through projects like Air+Rail seeks to create new business models and standards for multimodal tickets, making it easier for travellers to combine flights with rail journeys, thus reducing the environmental impact of long-distance travel.
Tools to facilitate sustainable travel
Beyond serving as a platform for best practices and research, UIC offers various digital tools that directly or indirectly impact leisure travel. As part of its advocacy, UIC is working to raise awareness among transport users about the environmental consequences of their travel choices, while providing tools to help them make sustainable choices.
The TopRail website and social networks actively promote sustainable and extraordinary tourism experiences by train, but UIC also provides a registry and an atlas of high-speed connections, and a night train connection map will soon be added. In addition, UIC has developed other remarkable tools that help travellers explore Europe by train in a direct or indirect way, such as EcoPassenger (to compare the carbon emissions of different journeys), PRM ABT (to support special assistance during international travel), or MERITS, OSDM and eTCD (to facilitate international train ticket planning and purchase).
UIC is making significant strides in promoting sustainable tourism by fostering collaboration between the railway and tourism industries, enhancing the passenger experience, and developing innovative multimodal transport solutions. Through its TopRail initiative and various customer-focused projects, UIC is transforming rail travel into a cornerstone of sustainable tourism. As more travellers become aware of the environmental impact of their journeys, UIC’s initiatives offer practical and enjoyable ways to explore the world while minimising their carbon footprint.