Train, bus or carpool? The eco-friendly choice for your Erasmus
Planning the journey for Erasmus exchange is one of the first steps that students have to consider. How to get to your destination country? What type of transport should you choose that is comfortable, affordable, and sustainable?
If at all possible, it is worth considering eco-friendly transport – train, bus, or carpooling. Not only is it relatively easy to travel around Europe by these means, but you can also get a higher travel grant under the Erasmus+ programme thanks to eco-friendly transport.
What does it mean to travel sustainably (within the Erasmus+ program)
The following modes of transport are environmentally friendly:
- Train
- Bus
- Carpooling – if several students are going to the same place / from the same place by car together
The increased grant is allocated automatically based on the submitted documents.
Why consider eco-friendly travel
The points mentioned below can help you decide whether to choose sustainable travel option for your exchange. This type of travel can have several advantages:
- Financial bonus – increased travel grant thanks to Green Erasmus.
- Convenience and simplicity – trains and buses run regularly across Europe, often directly.
- Lower carbon footprint – the differences between train/bus and plane are significant. If you want to see the specific difference between choosing a train, bus, car or plane, use the EcoPassenger tool.
How to easily plan your journey
Europe has a dense network of trains and buses, making it easy to get to many popular destinations, often directly. Planning a trip is now very easy thanks to online tools, such as:
- Rome2Rio – train/bus/carpool combinations including times and transfers.
- Omio – searches and directly sells train and bus tickets throughout Europe.
- Deutsche Bahn train search engine – reliable European train timetables.
Tip: If there are more of you going to the same country, try to plan a joint trip by carpooling!
Examples of easy and common routes from Prague
- Vienna – train approx. 4 hours, runs frequently and without transfers
- Krakow – direct train approx. 6 hours, night bus/train options
- Paris – combination of trains + TGV ~10–12 hours; buses ~14–16 hours
- Milan – train via Austria ~11–12 hours; bus ~12–14 hours
- Copenhagen – train via Berlin and Hamburg ~11–12 hours
- Amsterdam – train via Germany ~10–11 hours
- Utrecht – direct bus approx. 15 hours
