THE growth in lowfare air carriers flying in Europe coincides with a growing awareness of the environmental effects of air travel.
The amount of carbon dioxide (which many scientists link to global warming) generated per passenger on short-haul flights is about four times that generated by a train trip, according to the Carbon Neutral Co. The company, based in Britain, helps businesses and individuals mitigate their contribution to global warming.
So a train may be better for the environment, but navigating the rails in Europe can be a daunting experience. You have to figure out destinations, costs and schedules.
Fortunately, there is a website that provides help.
The Man in Seat 61 (www.seat61.com) is for travelers who don't like to fly, those who are worried about the environmental effects of flying and those who are simply up for adventure. Mark Smith, a train aficionado, founded it six years ago as a hobby.
It's named for Smith's favorite first-class seat on the Eurostar train from London to Paris. "It's one of a pair of individual seats with table that actually lines up with the window," Smith says on his website.
His work earned him recognition in the 2006 Responsible Tourism Awards as the person who made the greatest contribution to responsible tourism. The awards are sponsored by the Times of London, World Travel Market, Geographical magazine and www.responsibletravel.com, a British-based travel agency that promotes environmentally friendly travel.
Smith lives in Buckinghamshire, England, and commutes (by train, of course) to London, which is when he finds the time to keep his website current. He has a government job dealing with British train fares and regulations and in the past worked for British Rail.
No trip seems too far and no destination too exotic to escape his notice. He has had train adventures in Morocco, Tunisia, Italy, Albania, Malta, Turkey, Russia, Siberia and Japan.
"Why experience a plane?" Smith asks. "If you travel by train, you experience travel the way Europeans travel."
Many Americans mistakenly assume that flying is the fastest way to get around. In some cases, such as for longer distances, it can be. But for shorter hops, it can be quicker to travel by train, Smith says.
