The practical guide to travelling sustainably — lower-carbon transport, carbon neutral hotels, and the choices that actually make a difference.
Browse Carbon Neutral HotelsEvery booking removes 1 ton of CO₂ — the single biggest per-trip impact you can have on your accommodation carbon footprint.
Train travel produces 80–90% less CO₂ per passenger than flying. London to Paris by Eurostar: 4 kg CO₂. By plane: 90 kg.
Fewer trips with longer stays dramatically reduces transport emissions. 5 nights in one city beats 5 separate weekend trips.
Independent hotels and B&Bs keep revenue in the local economy and typically have 40–50% lower carbon footprints than chain hotels.
Choosing city-centre hotels near public transport eliminates hire cars and airport taxis — often the dirtiest part of a trip.
| Transport | CO₂ per 100 km (per person) | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Walking / cycling | 0 kg | 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿 |
| Electric train | ~1–3 kg | 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿 |
| Coach / long-distance bus | ~4–7 kg | 🌿🌿🌿🌿 |
| Diesel train | ~5–10 kg | 🌿🌿🌿🌿 |
| Electric car (shared) | ~8–12 kg | 🌿🌿🌿 |
| Petrol car (solo) | ~17–21 kg | 🌿🌿 |
| Short-haul flight (economy) | ~25–35 kg | 🌿 |
| Long-haul flight (economy) | ~15–25 kg | 🌿 |
| Cruise ship | ~115–250 kg | ❌ |
Evaluating every hotel's sustainability credentials is time-consuming and easy to get wrong. IMPT removes the complexity: every booking across 1.7 million hotels worldwide triggers the removal of 1 ton of CO₂ through UN-verified carbon removal credits.
You don't need to check certifications. You don't pay a premium. The carbon removal is independent of the hotel's own practices — it happens on every booking, verified by independent auditors under the United Nations framework.
How IMPT's carbon removal works →Some destinations make sustainable travel easier. Cities with excellent rail links, dense walkable centres, and strong local food cultures naturally have lower travel footprints.