Did you know? On average, you generate about 95% less greenhouse gas when you take a train instead of driving alone. And freight emits about 90% less pollution when rail replaces road.

In our continuing quest to boost energy-efficiency, we’ve focused primarily on our rolling stock, developing hybrid TER regional trains, installing energy meters, and deploying Opti-Conduite, an eco-friendly driving interface.

 We’re also working to improve our carbon performance by: 

• running our mobility solutions on electricity and biofuels
• operating hybrid trains starting in 2020
• deploying hydrogen-powered trains starting in 2022
• eliminating diesel power in 2035 

And we’ve signed electricity purchase agreements with renewable energy suppliers and developed solar energy programmes.

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New stations

New SNCF stations are certified High Environmental Quality (HEQ): they’re better insulated and can generate their own energy.

Green driving practices

Aboard our TGV INOUIs, the driver support system reduces consumption by up to 12% by optimizing braking and the engine’s automatic stop/start system.

Putting recovered energy to work

By 2020, we plan to capture braking energy from our trains and use it to power stations and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Diversifying our energy sources

By 2025, renewable energy sources—wind, hydraulic, solar and more—will be our first choice for powering trains.

The transport industry is responsible for 30% of energy consumption in France—but trains account for only 0.6%, even though they carry 10% of all passengers and freight. That makes rail an energy-efficient solution for moving people and goods. Yet there’s still room for progress in scaling up rail transport, choosing how we power our rolling stock and more.

Rail is a low-carbon transport option, but we’re making it even better by: 

• continuing to improve our rolling stock 
• boosting occupancy rates 
• becoming more energy-efficient 

For further information, we invite you to consult SNCF general methodology on greenhouse gases information for transport services (article L1431.3 of the french Transport Code). In this document, you will find the carbon intensity values in force for our passenger rail activities in France (TGV, Transilien, Intercités, TER) and the values for other modes of transport for journey comparison.

Current version published in 10 August 2022

Download methodology

Keolis : climate innovation

Developing a sustainable public transport network is a challenge: to succeed, a system must strike a balance between profitability, affordable fares, environmental protection and long-term infrastructure needs.

Our Keolis subsidiary is working hard to raise air quality and reduce noise pollution through a range of green transport solutions. These include natural gas-powered buses in Tours (France), electric vehicles in Orléans (also in France) and 100% electric school buses in Canada

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Thalys : slashing our CO₂ emissions

Our Thalys subsidiary took action long before the climate emergency was declared. Over a period of 10 years, it cut CO₂ emissions by 50%. That’s 25,000 tonnes, or 56% less CO₂ emitted per passenger.

Thalys met this challenge by implementing a comprehensive plan of action spanning every aspect of its operations—from powering trains more sustainably to adopting green driving practices to serving organic, locally sourced food on board.

Other keys to its success include:

• using 100% wind-generated energy in the Netherlands since 2017. Thalys achieved this goal by purchasing Guarantees of Origin—documents ensuring that all energy consumed is matched and supplied to the electrical grid by renewable energy producers.
• using 100% locally produced green energy for all Thalys trains running in France, Belgium and Germany since 1 January 2020, through Guarantees of Origin from solar and wind producers in these 3 core Thalys markets.
• replacing single-use plastic with sustainable alternatives, resulting in 2700 kg less plastic each year
• reducing consumption of lighting, heating and air conditioning
• moving to digital ticketing
• optimizing its offer to maximize train occupancy

Photovoltaic solar and other renewable energies offer a real opportunity to make profitability go hand in hand with sustainability.

Over the next few years, we plan to rely increasingly on renewable energies, with a particular focus on generating our own power—a strategy that could reduce purchasing costs and safeguard our energy supply over the long term. 

And as France’s second-largest property owner, we’re in a strong position to work with industry and local government to put our considerable ground and rooftop real estate to good use.

In line with our ambitious sustainability policy, we’re actively searching for ways to repurpose disused SNCF facilities, working with local partners to launch projects that serve the public interest. In just one example, we’ve transformed our 25-ha property at Surdon, in North-western France, into a ground-mounted solar power plant.

With support from many local stakeholders, this idled industrial site came back to life in the Spring of 2018 and now generates nearly 7,500 MWh of power a year—enough to meet the non-heating energy needs of around 3,000 households.

We’re investing heavily in R&D aimed at improving air quality and limiting the impact of noise pollution from infrastructure, rolling stock, stations, fixed installations, industrial processes such as track works, and more. We’re also working to improve passenger perception and make our trains more comfortable inside. And we’re reducing noise in every area of our operations, to make life more comfortable not only for our customers and employees, but for our neighbours as well.

To make life better for our customers, our employees and our neighbours, we’re limiting and reducing noise from infrastructure, rolling stock, stations, fixed installations, industrial processes such as track works and more. We’re also working to boost comfort levels inside our trains.

In addition to emitting CO₂e and other greenhouse gases, road transport also generates pollutants such as fine particulates, sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides, which pose a major health concern in towns and cities.

Over the past ten years, our Geodis subsidiary has been working to reduce these emissions by replacing diesel with natural gas, electric power and biomethane, which are safer for the environment.

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Booming e-commerce has triggered unprecedented change in the logistics industry. Transport and logistics operators now demand a win-win offer that combines operational excellence with environmental responsibility—and that’s exactly what our rail motorways are designed to deliver.

Learn more about the Calais-Turin rail motorway

Since the end of 2013, we’ve made the circular economy a priority at SNCF. In practice, that means reducing resource consumption, cutting waste and reclaiming end-of-life products. 

Our strategy for creating the circular economy now covers our front-line operations, our real-estate business, and Group-wide services, such as workwear and electronic and electrical equipment.

We aim to reach four goals by 2020: 

• promote ecodesign and incorporate whole-life cost principles 
• adapt our front-line processes to optimize component lifespan and use materials more sustainably 
• expand our partnerships with environmental organizations and with existing and emerging reclamation industries
• create value for our business by selling waste, and for the regions and communities we serve by creating jobs and boosting local economies.

SNCF Réseau has made sustainable design a priority, and we’re applying it to the full range of Group operations, from products and services to infrastructure projects.

With ecodesign, we can: 

• conserve resources and consume fewer non-renewable materials 
• boost energy efficiency 
• limit environmental impacts 
• make our network more resilient 
• shrink our physical footprint

We’re also using ecodesign to address climate change risk and adapt our infrastructure and rolling stock to mitigate its impacts.

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The benefits of ecodesign aren’t limited to our rail network: we’re applying them to every area of our business. That includes transforming our operational assets as we work to become more productive, embrace innovation, spur economic growth, reshape the towns and cities we serve—and make SNCF a better place to work. 

In Romilly-sur-Seine, for example, we’re replacing our old maintenance depot with a brand-new centre of excellence that will deliver better performance, provide a more ergonomic workplace and reduce our impact on the environment. The new facility is set for completion by the end of 2019.

In the Paris region, authorities have pledged to encourage people to use public transport by adding more parking around stations. The task of carrying out studies and building a dozen new carparks was assigned to our AREP subsidiary, which made eco-friendliness a core consideration. Key elements of the project include managing water resources, remediating soil and keeping it permeable by choosing the right materials for each site. 

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With 30,000 km of track, over 3,000 stations and some 50 industrial facilities, we interact directly with a wide range of ecosystems. As a result, our rail facilities play a major role in preserving natural resources and biodiversity.

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We conduct a wide range of “avoid, reduce, offset” (ARO) studies to understand how our facilities affect neighbouring plants and animals, and to ensure that our operations are well integrated into their surroundings. 

We’re also a member of Act4Nature, a biodiversity initiative launched in 2018 by Entreprises pour l’Environnement—a group of environmentally conscious businesses—alongside scientific partners and NGOs. We apply its principles to our existing properties, our plans for new developments, and our partnerships with biodiversity advocates, research programmes and other stakeholders. 

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