Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation – Eco Travel

Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation

The environmental benefits of public transportation are many and include the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and decongestion of traffic.Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation

Nature has given birth to life. It is nature that nourishes and sustains life. Nature has weaved the cocoon of an environment that fosters life. Air, food, water, whatever is needed for existence is provided by nature. However, in a sad travesty Man has embarked on a path of destruction of this very nature by a callous disregard for it. It is the need of the hour to arrest the deterioration of the environment, and this is not a task to be left to governments and other organizations, but it is a movement that calls for the efforts of every individual. As travellers, we have always believed in eco-tourism and done whatever we can in our own small way to reduce our carbon footprints. One important way one can contribute to sustainability is by opting for public transport wherever possible. The environmental benefits of public transportation are of course manifold. So how does public transport help in reducing carbon footprints? How does the traffic of a city affect its environment? Why is sustainable transport important? Read on to know more about these and other allied environmental benefits of public transportation.

Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation – Eco Travel & Sustainability

Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation

The way you travel or the means of transport that you use has a direct bearing on the carbon footprints you leave behind you. The advantages of public transport are many and it offers many benefits that contribute to environmental sustainability, some of the environmental benefits of public transportation are listed below.

Reducing air pollution and thereby improving air quality

Look at the busy traffic junctions of cities congested with traffic. The vehicles spew venomous gases that pollute the area and put the people breathing in the air at risk. If more and more people were to leave their cars and bikes at home and commute by public transport, it would mean that many fewer vehicles on the road, less congestion, lesser emissions, and better quality of air.

So the next time you start your bike or car to head to the office, think again, would it not be better to take the bus or the metro?

Reduction of Greenhouse Gas emission

It is established that one of the major constituents of greenhouse gas emission is traffic. The impact of traffic in a city like Bengaluru which has the dubious distinction of being the most traffic-congested city in the world is tremendous. In such a scenario, the need of the hour is to ensure the de-congestion of traffic. If more people use public transport, the number of public vehicles on the road will come down resulting in lesser congestion and reduced emissions. One of the riders here is, of course, the importance of improving the efficiency and accessibility of public transport.

Say goodbye to traffic snarls, hop on to public transport.

Energy Saving

Public transport by its very nature fosters energy savings. The transit system which is essentially ride-sharing, be it on a bus, train, tram, or metro rail, ensures the saving of fuel. Lesser congestion arising out of more people using public transport also means lesser fuel consumption by vehicles on the road as well as lesser emissions owing to a smoother and faster flow of the traffic.

Save fuel. Save money. Save the environment.

Our Experiences With Public Transport

Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation

During our travels across the world, we have experienced public transportation systems in different cities. In fact, we always make it a point to use public transport whenever possible as it is not only a sustainable practice but also gives us an opportunity to see the life of locals in an immersive manner. So from the Tuk-tuks of Bangkok to the Paris Metro, from the Vaporetto in Venice to the trams in Zurich, we have experienced quite a bit of public transportation systems around the world. Here is a glimpse of our thoughts about public transport systems in some of the cities.

Mumbai

Mumbai Local Train

Mumbai is a city with a very strong network of public transport. Mumbai public transport consists of suburban trains, city buses, taxis, and autorickshaws. The suburban railway with its iconic local trains is the lifeline of Mumbai. We love the efficient and speedy manner in which one can travel from one corner of Mumbai to the other by these local trains. Of course, the crowds can be a dampening factor, especially during the peak hours, but if you know the system, travelling can be a breeze. The local trains are supported by a good public bus service too which act as a feeder service to the different suburban rail stations. Having spent a lot of time in Mumbai, we feel that it has one of the best public transport systems in India.

Zurich

Zurich Tram

Zurich in Switzerland is one of our favourite cities. It also happens to have a very efficient and reliable public transport system that is easily accessible. It is really convenient to get around Zurich by its local public transportation that consists of trams, buses, trains, and boats. What we really loved was the fact that there is a bus or tram stop almost every 300 meters in Zurich. For the convenience of passengers, they also have ticket machines, zone maps, and timetables at each stop. The trams, buses, and trains run with typical Swiss precision and are the best and most economical way to move around the city. One can buy the Zurich Pass which enables one to use any of the modes of public transport without the hassles of buying a ticket every time. Most of the locals, as well as visitors, prefer the use of the public transport system. We really loved our experience riding the trams and experiencing the buses, trains, and boats in Zurich.

Venice

Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation

Venice has a unique public transportation system because of its unique topography. The main public transportation in Venice is boats or water buses known as Vaporettos. These take you across the crisscrossing waterways formed by the Grand Canal. There are buses, but they are allowed only up to a certain point beyond which one can either walk or take the Vaporetto.

Bengaluru

bangalore

Bengaluru (Bangalore) in India, which happens to be our home city has grown phenomenally over the years, driven by the IT industry boom. It has metamorphosed from a pensioner’s paradise to a megapolis bursting at the seams. The infrastructure growth has not been able to keep pace with the needs of an evergrowing population of people and vehicles.

Reaping The Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation

Public transport should be safe and accessible for all. Hence the improvement of public transport is of utmost importance. The only way to decongest traffic and get #BengaluruMoving is by improving the Bengaluru public transport system so that more and more people leave their vehicles and use local transport in Bengaluru. There are many options in which an individual can help the city reap the benefits of using public transport.

  • Carpooling
  • Use of Shared Cab Services
  • Use of Bicycles
  • Use of Public Buses
  • Use of Metro Rail

On our part, we have been using an electric car for short distances for many years now and also wherever possible we make use of the available public transport. When it comes to deciding between our car vs public transport, most of the time we prefer public transport.

The way forward for Bengaluru is addressing multiple issues by all stakeholders including the Government, voluntary organizations, and individuals. Some of the issues that need to be addressed with respect to Bangalore transport are:

  • More efficient, fast, and accessible public transport systems
  • Improved infrastructure in the form of better roads, dedicated lanes, and better traffic planning will contribute to improving public transport
  • Education and awareness about the benefits of using public transport
  • Safety and hygiene in public transport networks assume greater significance in the current circumstances

The environmental benefits of public transportation are many, but it is important to note that a good and reliable public transport is also the backbone of the economy of a city. It is a catalyst to the development and prosperity of the city and hence an integral part of city planning that demands attention. What are the means of public transport that you have used and prefer?

PinitEnvironmental Benefits of Public Transportation - Eco Travel

Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation - Eco Travel

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35 thoughts on “Environmental Benefits of Public Transportation – Eco Travel”

  1. I totally agree with you on the environmental benefits when it comes to using Public Transport. Even in London, most people use Tube trains and that saves journey time as well as reduces traffic on roads. The government has kept parking charges in London high so the tourists, as well as regular people who come to London for work every day, use public transport more than their own car.

  2. Great post. We live in the city where the American automobile was invented- so the city was purposefully designed without public transit to force people to buy cars. I do wish we had public transit because it is so much better for the environment!

  3. In many big cities, public transportation and walking is the best way to do sightseeing.
    Unfortunately, public transportation is often unavailable in rural areas and in 3rd world countries where leisure travel is not that wide spread.

  4. Such an important issue you discuss here. Governments should in my opinion invest more in public transport and make it available and easy to use for everyone. In Sweden buses don’t use gasoline, but rather have a biogas (I think it is called) fuel made from the recycled food of each city.

  5. I so agree with you here! I too often use public transport whilst travelling. Subways and trains are usually very easy to use, but I find local buses too daunting so don’t take those that much abroad, especially in a country where I don’t speak the language and time tables aren’t that reliable. I’m not that adventurous ha ha!

  6. Eco-travel is the call of the hour. Public transport must be the preferred way of travelling. But I feel though the onus is on the people at large to make use of public transport and environment-friendly modes of transportation more and more, the Government also should have a clear cut policy and a strong intention to show a direction for a better tomorrow.

  7. I know the first time you get on public transportation in a foreign country it can be a little nerve racking. I mean between the different language, how to pay for your ticket, and where the heck is your stop, it can definitely be a bit much. But after you do it a few times, it becomes a great alternative that can take you to some great locations, save you a ton of money (cabs are expensive), and just be a fun adventure while helping lower your carbon footprint!

  8. This is some great information! I have heard a lot about eco-friendly travel and have implemented many of the tips into my own lifestyle and when traveling. I have never heard this take on public transportation and the benefits to the environment. I tend to want to drive my own car because of the freedom and flexibility, but I will definitely have to look into using public transportation more often.

  9. I’m a huge proponent of public transportation when travelling. It’s so important to be environmentally friendly nowadays but some places just aren’t walkable. It’s also so much cheaper than cars!

  10. I am totally with you on this. I like using public transport for a few reasons…it is cheaper, it is better for the environment aaaand I think it gets you closer to the culture of the city you are travelling to. Hopefully Bengaluru will improve with this in the future to catch up with the growth of the population.

    Having said that, here in Canada, I also love being about to cycle. A mix of public transport and cycling is how we live normally.

  11. Hi Sandy, awesome points. Unfortunately, where I live, in Cape Town, South Africa, public transport is complicated – mostly because it is unsafe.

    The Cape Town municipality brought in a MyCiti Bus system which was safer to use than the trains (where you could get accosted or even murdered) or minibus taxis (dangerous drivers) but our taxi drivers are not happy to be losing business, so they burn the buses, the bus stations and trains – so you take in your life in your hands if you use the public transport system. It’s a constant problem costing the country millions.

    Our best bet here to reduce carbon emissions is to use a lift-club system, Uber, cycle or walk but I have to admit, I mostly I just use my own car to get from A to B.

  12. This is a fantastic post Sandy and I totally agree with you that we should all try and take public transport as much as possible. The difficulty we have in South Africa is that public transport is not safe or reliable, so anyone that can afford it will have their own car. In fact many households (ours included) have 2 cars. It is not good at all for the environment but it is necessary to keep my family safe and get around.
    I loved it when I traveled overseas and got to use the public transport. In London in particular I was amazed at how reliable, cheap and convenient public transport was. I love using public transport when traveling.

  13. I loved reading your post, Sandy! I am a firm believer of using public transport not just for the coverage convenience but also its sustainability. It bothers me to see ten different people driving ten cars from the same place to the same destination – just because they can. In fact, we’ve gone the extreme and pledged not to buy a car of our own and instead, use public transport. It is wonderful to read about the arrangement in various parts of the world. I understand Venice is especially environmentally conscious. Thank you!

  14. I agree with your points but in India, many of these practices are not possible because public transport is in such a poor condition. But I have lived in Bangalore and if people stop using personal vehicles, the traffic will reduce to a great extent.

  15. Such a great post to get this message out even more. This has always been required but now all the more, traveling responsibly is the need of the hour. I love taking public transport wherever I travel. 1. It helps the environment 2. Don’t need to drive personally and can just sit back, listen to some music, watch a movie or get work done. 3. It helps the locals too! So a complete win win.

  16. This was a really interesting read. I tend to walk as much as possible when I’m travelling so I can see more of the city. But if things are further away then I tend to take whatever public transportation is available.

  17. This is a great post. When I travel, I use public transportation as much as possible to keep costs down and reduce emissions. Especially this year, I’ve probably only ridden in a car maybe a dozen or so times. I’m hoping that we can all continue to do our best to keep carbon emissions to a minimum.

  18. Shreemayee Chattopadhyay

    A great post indeed. Though I never took public transport when I visited some place. I hope after all these get over when I plan a trip, will try to avail public transport to save our environment.

  19. When we talk about go green and other things, I think we have to actually start practicing too! What a wonderful post to remind us about the benefits of public transport.

  20. Informative post. I have alwasy stuck to the point that we must use public transport as much and as far as possible. Pocket and environment friendly. That said, even your pictures are validating the text so well. Good job!

  21. Agreeing completely with you. If we think about nature then nature will do vice versa. Sometimes we create a harmful impact on nature without thinking its consequences. We will try to update this thing in life.

  22. Noor Anand Chawla

    When traveling abroad, using public transportation makes the most sense for all the reasons you have enumerated above. Good post!

  23. Eco Travel can reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gases and other pollutants. It keeps environment free of pollution and posses healthy living conditions.

  24. No doubt by using public transport we can actually make the environment better. Like that Bangalore is taking good step in encouraging people to take public transportation

  25. Totally agree with you! I try to use public transportation whenever I travel, I find that most European cities at least are better than the US. It’s a great way to get around!

  26. We don’t use public transportation much because the places we have lived don’t have many options. When we lived in China, we tried to use the buses, but failed miserably because we couldn’t communicate. However, in Beijing they had a good, easy to use metro and we took the train when we traveled within China.

  27. You are totally right! However, for me, it’s easy to agree since I’m not driving so that I’m going around by public transport everywhere in the world; yes, even in the US I was travelling by public transport. I think I involuntarily contribute a lot to eco travel – it’s simply a necessity, but the climate doesn’t care which motives I have, so….

  28. Whenever I travel in India or outside India, I make sure to use Public transport only. It is not only an environment friendly way to explore a place but also saves a lot of buck, especially if you are travelling to expensive places like Zurich. And, their public transport card comes loaded with so many benefits like travel in any form of public transport at discounted prices, free entry to 90% museums, discount at restaurants etc. All in all a great deal to use public transport.

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