The NS is introducing a new tool that allows travelers to compare how much CO2 emissions a journey has, how much it costs and how long it takes. The intention is to make it easier for travelers to choose which ride suits them best.
Parking costs and expected traffic jams are also mapped out.
“We want to give travelers more insight into CO2 emissions and be transparent about the price. Depending on your trip, sometimes the car is cheaper and the other time the train. For a return trip from Utrecht center to Eindhoven center, for example, you see that the train is 4.50 euros cheaper and faster and causes much less CO2 emissions than the car,” says Ivo Steffens, director of commerce at NS. “But if you look at a return from Utrecht center to Lisse, you see that the CO2 emissions for the train are the lowest, but that the car is 4 euros cheaper and slightly faster.”
The Travel Comparator, which can be found on the NS website, uses information from NS, Nibud and Milieu Centraal, among others, that have supplied the CO2 emission figures. “What many people do not yet know is that the CO2 profit is very large if you take the train instead of the car,” emphasizes Mariken Stolk, Sustainable Mobility expert at Milieu Centraal. “The Travel Comparator provides insight into this climate gain. It is a great tool to raise awareness among travelers about the climate impact of a trip.”
Costs for the car
Nibud has made the costs for car use available. Fixed costs such as insurance are not included. Average maintenance costs and depreciation are. In terms of petrol price, the NS is currently sticking to the January average: 1.82 euros per litre. For a bicycle ride, 0.08 euros per kilometer is charged as fixed depreciation.
Gabriella Bettonville, strategic advisor at Nibud: ,,Nobody wants to pay too much for a purchase and people often spend hours searching for the cheapest product. It is good that there is now also a tool for travel that allows people to get a better idea of the price of the journey, so that they can take these costs into account when choosing which mode of transport is most suitable for them.”
How much does a vehicle emit per kilometre, according to Milieucentraal?
Cycling or walking does not cost any CO2 at all, unless someone has an electric bicycle. It consumes 3 grams of CO2 per kilometre. An electric train consumes 2 grams of CO2 per kilometer, an electric car 54 grams, a diesel car 131 grams and a petrol car 149. Although a bus, tram or metro is more economical than a car, it emits 96 grams of CO2 per kilometer, according to Milieucentraal.
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