As an expert rail tour operator Ffestiniog Travel will always advocate train travel as the best way to see more of a country at ground level within the timeframe of a typical holiday. If you factor in the environmental impact of travelling anywhere then the train trumps flying and road travel for being the most eco-friendly. As more and more people become mindful of their carbon footprint, how they reach their holiday destination or tour a country is fast becoming a major influence on where they go and how they holiday.

So how can Ffestiniog Travel help you be more environmentally aware when taking a holiday? The company runs both escorted and Tailored Rail holidays so you have the option of travelling within a guided group or discovering new places as an independent train traveller.

Escorted Rail Tours

The majority of Ffestiniog Travel’s European rail tours are 'no-fly' holidays that involve travel by scheduled services (with some private bus transfers for special excursions). Your carbon footprint is automatically reduced by taking the train, travelling as a group and using scheduled rail services to reach destinations across Europe. Escorted holidays entirely by scheduled rail services include tours to Switzerland, Germany and Italy. Take a look at the company’s Escorted European Holidays to see the interesting places you can explore while being mindful of the impact on the environment.

Plane & Train Escorted Tours

If you plan to take just one long-haul flight holiday per year to more exotic destinations then consider touring the country by train. Make the most of the lesser eco-friendly flight by using the train to see as much of the country as possible during your stay. Ffestiniog Travel uses rail travel wherever possible to reach various destinations within a country. See more of far-flung places in North America, India, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand and South America with Ffestiniog Travel’s Worldwide Escorted Rail Tours.

Small & Traditional Tours

Where possible Ffestiniog Travel uses the train in more remote parts of the world as part of its Small & Traditional escorted holidays. What make these tours appealing are their sustainable tourism elements. Visit Romania and stay in locally owned homestay and family run accommodation in villages away from the mass tourist trail and enjoy home cooked meals from locally grown produce. Money spent on these holidays goes directly into Romania’s local economy – accommodation, restaurants, transport and so on, not forgetting local guides who rely on visitors for their livelihood. A new tour to Kyrgyzstan offers an opportunity to immerse in the day to day life and culture of a country whose rural population is still nomadic. See the Small & Traditional range here.

Tailored Rail Holidays

The train offers the most efficient, wide reaching and scenic way of touring a country or Continent independently! If you enjoy travelling but want to reduce your journey’s environmental impact then Ffestiniog Travel can help you plan your rail route to anywhere – no matter how complicated. You can reach any city by fast InterCity style services and for more remote locations, Ffestiniog Travel can advise on local rail branch line rail networks in countries across Europe and beyond. Their Tailored Rail services will also arrange accommodation and sightseeing en route.

So to reduce your holiday carbon footprint, consider taking the train.