Green Travel Guide

Green Travel

• Why take the train?

  Next to of course being one of the most sustainable travel options, you can now travel (nearly) for free when going by train to your exchange destination (see Green Travel Grants below). This means travelling by train does not have to be expensive anymore. 

  If you are worried about the time that it will take you to reach your destination, it's good to know that there are many European destinations that can be reached by train in under 6 hours from Amsterdam, such as Antwerp, Paris, Lyon, London or Berlin. If your exchange destination is further away, you could think about planning some stops on the way and to start your exchange adventure with the train journey. 

  On the Study Abroad Map, you can find some tips on which cities might be on the way when you choose to travel by train. Are you going to Barcelona for example? Why not stay a few days in Paris and then take a direct train from there to your exchange location? During those travel days, you will even be eligible for up to 4 extra Erasmus+ grant days, see "Erasmus+ Green Travel Top-up" below. 

• Green Travel Grant

  Erasmus+ students

  If you are an Erasmus+ student that is going on exchange to one of our Erasmus+ partner universities in 2025/2026 then you can request a travel grant. The exact amount is depending on the distance to your host university and ranges between 56 EUR and 535 EUR if you are travelling sustainably. For the exact amounts and conditions, please have a look here. In addition to the travel grant, your normal Erasmus+ grant will cover (a few) of your travel days. Don't forget, to check out the Erasmus+ Interrail pass, which will be perfect for your travels. 

• How to find a good connection

  Finding a train ride can be challenging at times, but we have a few tips that will help you find the right connection. On the Study Abroad Map, you can also find more information on the duration and/or stops on the way per partner university. 

  If you’re looking for train tickets and connections in Europe, have a look at the following websites:

  • NS International (Don’t forget to have a look at the night jets that go directly from Amsterdam to Germany, Switzerland and Austria);
  • Deutsche Bahn International (Germany and many other European destinations);
  • ÖBB (for travelling to Austria, can be cheaper than booking via German train providers)
  • sncf.com (France) ;
  • Eurostar.com or thetrainline.com(UK);
  • Renfe (Spain);
  • Flixtrain (Germany, Sweden);
  • VY.no (Norway);
  • SJ (Sweden) Tip: You can book train rides with local providers in the SJ app. However, you can often save money if you book the ticket directly at that local provider (e.g. Skånetrafiken);
  • For Finland, travel by train to Stockholm and then take the ferry to Turku (Viking Line, Tallink). Ferries going to Helsinki directly are less environmental-friendly due to the longer distance travelled. There are direct train connections from Turku harbour to Helsinki and Tampere, from where you can go further. For travelling within Finland by train, you can book your ticket at VR. 
  • thetrainline.com (compare different options and prices in all countries)

  Most train companies in Europe offer a reduced price when you’re under a certain age.

  If you’d like to make some stops along the way, make sure to have a look at Interrail passes. Here, you will also get a discount if you’re 27 years old or younger.  

  If your destination cannot easily be reached by train, you can also have a look at long distance buses, like flixbus.

• Our best tips when going by train

  • Book (inter)national train rides in advance to save some money, prices for regional trains usually stay the same.
  • Train time-tables usually change mid-June and mid-December, so do not worry if you cannot book your train for September in May, you can use the old timetable as an orientation as they usually don’t change drastically.
  • In some countries (e.g. Germany) it’s best to book a seat reservation, so make sure to check this option when booking.
  • If you are an Erasmus+ student, have a look at this special Interrail Pass for Erasmus+ students

  For more tips on train rides, make sure to have a look at the Erasmus by train website

• What about an exchange outside of Europe?

  Are you going on exchange outside of Europe or is flying your only option? There are still some things that you can do to make your exchange more sustainable:

  • Travel to the (intercontinental) airport by train, and take a direct flight without layovers (e.g. Paris, Frankfurt, London, Munich are easily reached by train). You can for example save 1 ton of CO2 (equals approx. 6 months of average food consumption in the Netherlands) by booking a direct flight to Beijing from Paris, rather than having lay-overs.
  • Avoid winter night flights to reduce the impact of contrails
  • Check if you can compensate the CO2 of your flight by for example donating money to plant trees
  • Choose an airline that is committed to reducing their CO2 emissions
  • Some websites like Google Flights show you the carbon impact of flights in regards to other flights, so you can pick the one with the least impact
  • Pack lightly
  • If you’re travelling during your exchange, always try to choose the train or bus over flying
  • Try to live sustainably at your exchange location, by buying local foods, using public transport and buying second hand utensils for your apartment.