Dear Europe Interrail,
I’ve heard so much about you, and am still yet to meet you in person.
As I prepare for my study abroad in the UK, I find myself daydreaming about the pondering reflections on your long interrail rides, cities slowly fading to mountains, and the tightly-packed buses that confront me with the everyday realities of strangers. I promise myself to be a traveller, not a tourist, an ethos inspired by Anthony Bourdain that grounds me to the commitment of sustainable travel. SDG 13, Climate Action, reminds me that travel is a privilege and a responsibility, and I dedicate myself to lowering my carbon footprint through you.
Here, SDG 13 aims for a 45% drop in carbon emission by 2030. Aviation and private road transport accounts for over a quarter of GHG in the UK (Our World in Data, 2020), and reducing my footprint is my key focus to promoting eco-friendly travel. It is important to be active and accountable about this and I cannot ignore the inevitable 25 hour air travel from Sydney to London, but I can strategically plan my travel itinerary through sustainable transport.
This is where you come in. Railways emit up to 80% less carbon emissions than cars and ease congestion equivalent to 600 private vehicles on the road (Our World in Data, 2023). Despite the compelling environmental arguments, trains offer something more meaningful: time. The concept of ‘slow travel’ prioritises the journey over the destination through genuine immersion with local culture, perfectly pairing with going to lesser-known areas that minimise negative overtourism effects and opting for ‘slower’ methods of transport. These practices align with SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production, by reducing congestion, pollution, and pressure on urban infrastructure. So choosing you, Europe Interrail, is a conscious decision to travel slow, lightly, and consciously.
During my stay, I also intend to embed sustainability into everyday life. I will prioritise trains, buses, trams, over private vehicles using apps like ‘Citymapper’ and ‘Trainline’ to efficiently plan routes, and take advantage of the walkability of Birmingham. I will pack light, buy locally, and buy second-hand. Why buy souvenirs when everything you can get is local! I will reduce waste where possible through local supply-chain footprint, energy consumption, and personal wastage. These simple, everyday habits of closing the lights and recycling correctly accumulate to larger impacts and every action counts.
Through my experiences, I hope to inspire others. Study abroad students often become accidental ambassadors of travel behaviours and I’d like to forefront sustainable travel through my actions. It’s not about perfection, but intention and effort. Through meaningful, low-impact choices, you are encouraged to reflect and be intentional. This carries over to travel and life, and I want to entwine the philosophy of slow travelling.
So, Europe Interrail, when we finally meet, I won’t rush. I’ll take the long way, your way, and hope to honour the planet and the privilege of being able to explore it.
Sincerely,
Ashley
