In an era where the sustainability is at the center of mobility decisions, for 80% of Italians train it is the greenest means of transport. An investigation di SWG, commissioned by Trenitalia (FS Group), revealed that, in addition to being environmentally friendly, the train offers tangible benefits to the community.
Stephen Cuzzilla, president of Trenitalia, underlined how the train represents a conscious and green choice. “In the last year, over 650 million passengers have chosen intermodality and traveled with the FS Group Passenger Hub. Of these, around 470 million chose Trenitalia to travel. The numbers are positive and underline the growing attention towards green, integrated and intermodal mobility".
Train travel: environmental savings and business benefits
Using the train does not only involve environmental benefits: the 45 million passengers who have chosen to travel with the Frecce – underlines Trenitalia in a note – have contributed to saving around 1 billion euros in costs related to healthcare, environmental damage, agriculture, real estate and biodiversity. Traveling by train instead of plane can reduce CO2 emissions up to 9 tons per year, while choosing the train instead of the car means saving 4 tons of CO2.
Sustainability also translates into corporate benefits. According to a Bloomberg analysis by McKinsey, train travel improves companies' ESG ratings, with savings of up to 1% on the cost of capital. In 2023, the 47 thousand companies that chose Trenitalia avoided the emission of 100 thousand tons of CO2 compared to cars.
FS Group: investments in sustainability for a greener future
The Passenger Hub of the FS Group, committed to a constant path towards sustainability, has launched various initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the rail transport. With an investment of over 1 billion euros, the purchase of 40 new Frecciarossa 1000 trains demonstrates the commitment towards more modern fleet and efficient. Intercity ferrying between Calabria and Sicily, using battery-powered locomotives, represents a significant step towards sustainability in regional mobility.
Furthermore, annual investments of 1 billion euros in regional transport they allowed the arrival of 248 new low environmental impact convoys, contributing to the renewal of the overall fleet. The continuous search for alternative traction solutions, LED lighting, and interventions energy efficiency testify to the commitment to improving environmental performance.
In addition to continuous investment in eco-friendly trains, the company promotes cycling mobility, encourages daily sustainability with the "Every gesture makes the difference" campaign and aims to produce clean energy through photovoltaic systems on the workshops, with the prospect of expanding them from 10 to 24 by 2032, indicates the desire to produce clean energy and reduce the carbon footprint. Pilot projects, such as the use of industrial water for washing trains and the promotion of sustainable behavior among employees, reflect an integrated vision of sustainability that goes beyond railway operations alone.
