There are many ways to go from here to there.
And the mode of transportation we choose can have a big impact. It can affect time, comfort, cost, and other factors. But how we travel can also have a big impact on the planet.
In the U.S., the transportation sector is responsible for about 28 percent of total greenhouse gases, according to the EPA. That's the largest contributor, just edging out the energy sector.
And although cleaner alternatives are coming on board, such as electric cars and biofuels, over 90 percent of the fuel used for transportation in the U.S. remains derived from petroleum.
In this graphic, we break down the most efficient ways to travel on a typical trip:
When it comes to choosing the best mode of transportation for a trip, we typically weigh speed, cost, and comfort. What if fuel efficiency was factored in too? See the results of a case study for the journey from Toronto to New York City.
—Kelsey Nowakowski
A Traveler's
Footprint
To get from Toronto to New York, it’s a toss-up. While flying is fastest, the day-long drive means that a traveler might also reasonably choose to go by car, bus, or train.
CANADA
Toronto
NEW YORK
472 miles
352
544
UNITED STATES
New York
1,000 mi
1,000 km
Time
Fastest route selected
1h 35m
(352 miles)
Train
12h 30m
(544)
Bus
10h 30m
(472)
Car
8h 15m
(472)
Ranking Energy
Efficiency
The fuel economies across transit modes can be compared with a metric known as passenger miles per gallon (The Efficiency Equation, below). The results? Aside from electric cars, which are not yet widespread, the bus is the most energy-efficient way to travel between Toronto and New York.
Car
Electric
Bus
Greyhound
Train
Amtrak
Car
SUV
Plane
40
52
59
180
239
Passenger
miles
per gallon
11.0 kg
24.0
84.3
80.7
75.3
total CO2 per passenger
Car
SUV
Plane
Car
Electric
Bus
Greyhound
Train
Amtrak
The Efficiency
Equation
PASSENGERS
TRANSPORTED
ENERGY
INTENSITY
X
The energy required for a travel mode is calculated by convert-
ing fuel types to gasoline equivalents.
Passenger capacity varies by mode. The average passenger load was used to calculate occupancy.
DETERMINE EFFICIENCY
Each mode can be compared by calculating how far a passenger can be moved with a gallon of fuel.
Crunching
the Numbers
Fuel efficiency and carbon emissions are impacted by journey length—efficiency rises with distance traveled— occupancy, and vehicle design. A mode could fare better under different circumstances.
PLANE
The short flight and small aircraft size (fewer fliers), compounded by the intense fuel-burn of take-off and landing, reduce efficiency.
It improves on larger- craft flights over 1,000 miles.
AVERAGE
OCCUPANCY
ON THIS ROUTE
TRAIN
While the train from Toronto outperformed the SUV and the plane in fuel efficiency, its emissions were the highest of all modes, due to diesel fuel and a circuitous trip.
CAR
With highway travel, cars operate at their optimum efficiency. On longer road trips, such as this one, a higher occupancy is also assumed. Rank would be lower with one rider.
AVERAGE
PASSENGERS
PER CAR
EFFICIENCY
RISING
Lighter materials, improved aerodynamic design, and more fuel-efficient engines have increased the distance each mode can travel on one gallon of fuel.
2016
Latest data available for each sector
162%
PLANE
Domestic flights
2015
CAR
112%
Market average
of all personal
vehicles
2013
TRAIN
67%
2015
33%
BUS
Percentages are based on mileage per gallon of fuel used by the sector, not on passenger- mile per gallon.
1975
When it comes to choosing the best mode of transportation for a trip, we typically weigh speed, cost, and comfort. What if fuel efficiency was factored in too? See the results of a case study for the journey from Toronto to New York City. —Kelsey Nowakowski
A Traveler's Footprint
To get from Toronto to New York, it’s a toss-up. While flying is fastest, the day-long drive means that a traveler might also reasonably choose to go by car, bus, or train.
CANADA
Toronto
NEW YORK
Lake Ontario
ONTARIO
472 miles
352 miles
544 miles
Lake Erie
UNITED STATES
PENNSYLVANIA
New York
NEW
JERSEY
1,000 mi
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
1,000 km
DISTANCE
Time
Fastest route selected
352 mi
1h 35m
Train
12h 30m
544 mi
Bus
472 mi
10h 30m
Car
8h 15m
Ranking Energy Efficiency
The fuel economies across transit modes can be compared with a metric known as passenger miles per gallon (The Efficiency Equation, below). The results? Aside from electric cars, which are not yet widespread, the bus is the most energy-efficient way to travel between Toronto and New York.
Passenger miles
per gallon
total CO2
per passenger
239
11.0 kg
Car
Electric
180
24.0
Bus
Greyhound
84.3
Train
Amtrak
59
80.7
52
Car
SUV
75.3
40
Plane
A mode's carbon footprint doesn't necessarily rank with its fuel efficiency.
The level of carbon intensity varies by fuel type, since some emit more when burned.
The Efficiency Equation
ENERGY INTENSITY
X
PASSENGERS TRANSPORTED
DETERMINE EFFICIENCY
The energy required for a travel mode is calculated by converting fuel types to gasoline equivalents.
Passenger capacity varies by mode. The average passenger load was used to calculate occupancy.
Each mode can be compared by calculating how far a passenger can be moved with a gallon of fuel.
Crunching the Numbers
Fuel efficiency and carbon emissions are impacted by journey length—efficiency rises with distance traveled—occupancy, and vehicle design. A mode could fare better under different circumstances.
TRAIN
PLANE
CAR
The short flight and small aircraft size (fewer fliers), compounded by the intense fuel-burn of takeoff and landing, reduce efficiency.
It improves on larger-craft flights over 1,000 miles.
With highway travel, cars operate at their optimum efficiency. On longer road trips, such as this one, a higher occupancy is also assumed. Rank would be lower with one rider.
While the train from Toronto outperformed the SUV and the plane in fuel efficiency, its emissions were the highest of all modes, due to diesel fuel and a circuitous trip.
AVERAGE OCCUPANCY
ON THIS ROUTE
AVERAGE PASSENGERS
PER CAR
Efficiency Rising
Lighter materials, improved aerodynamic design, and more fuel-efficient engines have increased the distance each mode can travel on one gallon of fuel.
PLANE
CAR
TRAIN
BUS
Domestic flights
Market average of
all personal vehicles
2016
2015
2013
2015
1975
1975
1975
1975
Latest data available for each sector. Percentages are based on mileage per gallon of fuel used by the sector, not on passenger-mile per gallon.
When it comes to choosing the best mode of transportation for a trip, we typically weigh speed, cost, and comfort. What if fuel efficiency was factored in too? See the results of a case study for the journey from Toronto to New York City. —Kelsey Nowakowski
A Traveler's Footprint
To get from Toronto to New York, it’s a toss-up. While flying is fastest, the day-long drive means that a traveler might also reasonably choose to go by car, bus, or train.
CANADA
Toronto
NEW YORK
Lake Ontario
ONTARIO
472 miles
352 miles
544 miles
Lake Erie
UNITED STATES
PENNSYLVANIA
New York
NEW
JERSEY
100 mi
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
100 km
DISTANCE
Time
Fastest route selected
352 mi
1h 35m
Train
12h 30m
544 mi
Bus
472 mi
10h 30m
Car
8h 15m
Ranking Energy Efficiency
The fuel economies across transit modes can be compared with a metric known as passenger miles per gallon (The Efficiency Equation, below). The results? Aside from electric cars, which are not yet widespread, the bus is the most energy-efficient way to travel between Toronto and New York.
Passenger miles
per gallon
total CO2
per passenger
239
11.0 kg
Car
Electric
180
24.0
Bus
Greyhound
84.3
Train
Amtrak
59
80.7
52
Car
SUV
75.3
40
Plane
A mode's carbon footprint doesn't necessarily rank with its fuel efficiency. The level
of carbon intensity varies by fuel type, since some emit more when burned.
The Efficiency Equation
ENERGY INTENSITY
PASSENGERS TRANSPORTED
DETERMINE EFFICIENCY
X
The energy required for a travel mode is calculated by converting fuel types to gasoline equivalents.
Passenger capacity varies by mode. The average passenger load was used to calculate occupancy.
Each mode can be compared by calculating how far a passenger can be moved with a gallon of fuel.
Crunching the Numbers
Fuel efficiency and carbon emissions are impacted by journey length—efficiency rises with distance traveled—occupancy, and vehicle design. A mode could fare better under different circumstances.
TRAIN
PLANE
CAR
The short flight and small aircraft size (fewer fliers), compounded by the intense fuel-burn of takeoff and landing, reduce efficiency.
It improves on larger-craft flights over 1,000 miles.
With highway travel, cars operate at their optimum efficiency. On longer road trips, such as this one, a higher occupancy is also assumed. Rank would be lower with one rider.
While the train from Toronto outperformed the SUV and the plane in fuel efficiency, its emissions were the highest of all modes, due to diesel fuel and a circuitous trip.
AVERAGE PASSENGERS
PER CAR
AVERAGE OCCUPANCY
ON THIS ROUTE
Efficiency Rising
Lighter materials, improved aerodynamic design, and more fuel-efficient engines have increased the distance each mode can travel on one gallon of fuel.
PLANE
CAR
TRAIN
BUS
Domestic flights
Market average of
all personal vehicles
2016
2015
2013
2015
1975
1975
1975
1975
Latest data available for each sector. Percentages are based on mileage per gallon of fuel used by the sector, not on passenger-mile per gallon.
This article is part of our sponsored Urban Expeditions series.
