Looking to reduce your carbon footprint while getting around? When traveling domestically, sticking to trains and buses is the more climate-friendly option—a more sustainable choice resulting in far fewer carbon emissions than flying. When commuting (or exploring a new city), public transportation and walking are better choices than driving, when practical. Fortunately, Google Maps is releasing updates to some of its features that will help you find the more sustainable option for getting from point A to point B.
Google Maps already shows options for walking and public transportation when searching routes, but updates to this feature will show these options next to driving routes when the travel times are comparable. The feature update will be available in the coming weeks in 15 cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Montreal, Paris, Rome, and Sydney.
Updates to Google’s Search features now help you find long-distance train routes. Like flight searches, a Google search for a train route (e.g., “Boston to Philadelphia train”) will now show schedules and ticket prices along with links to purchase a ticket. The feature is now available in 38 countries, with long-distance bus routes also available in 15. A Google search will also show train alternatives when you search for flights.
Flight searches in Google already display estimated emissions for nearly every flight, which can be helpful when choosing a more climate-friendly option when flying is the only option. The new feature updates are a step towards more sustainable travel, giving you all the information you need to make the best choice for the least environmental impact.