Active Train Stations

To achieve a more sustainable, healthy approach to travel, we need to reframe our understanding of active mobility – connecting public and active modes of transport to cut down on the emissions of mid- and long-distance journeys and integrating walking and cycling into a greater number of trips.  

The transition to planning for active mobility has been accelerated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which saw customer levels on railways dramatically drop and cycling significantly increase. Meanwhile, the worsening climate crisis continues to prompt travelers to seek lower carbon alternatives to private car journeys. The transport sector must work collaboratively with local authorities and active travel agencies to integrate active modes of travel if they are to make every door-to-door journey more sustainable and achieve ambitious climate targets. 

This timely report examines four components of a potential mid- to long-distance sustainable journey - rail, station, active network, and neighbourhood - and sets out 20 actions to encourage more active train travel. The report looks at countries and regions where active-train trips are more prevalent and makes recommendations for interventions that could boost active travel to train stations.