After cycling and walking, rail is the greenest way to travel.

Moreover, we’ve introduced a fleet of new trains that are much better for the environment than our old ones.

In Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, all our regional trains are now “bi-mode” trains, which means that they can switch between diesel and electric power, reducing diesel use. The diesel engines also meet the latest, tighter standards for emissions and are also quieter than previous ones.

When the bi-mode trains are running underneath an electric line, they can switch to electric mode and take advantage of electrical energy rather than diesel. In addition, dynamic power changeover technology means that bi-mode trains can transition between diesel and electric modes while in motion.

As with other modern electric trains, energy created when braking under an electric line is put back into the overhead wires to be used by other trains to move and accelerate – further helping to save energy.

Even in diesel mode, the trains can brake electrically by using a “brake resistor”, which means less brake dust is produced and released into the environment.

When running in diesel mode, the engines generate electricity for the motors enabling the train to accelerate more powerfully and smoothly.

The design of the bi-mode trains is also future-proof, allowing possible upgrades to full electric operation or battery storage.

All new, greener trains

We’ve replaced all our legacy electric trains too with brand new modern electric trains.

On our Norwich to London Liverpool Street and Stansted Express routes, we now run new electric trains made by the Swiss manufacturer, Stadler.

The aerodynamic front and special lightweight construction improve efficiency when the train is travelling at 100mph. The trains do not need to run at full power to keep to the timetable, due to highly efficient and powerful motorisation – a great energy saving feature.

The rest of our electric trains – which run on lines in Essex and Hertfordshire into London Liverpool Street - have also been replaced with new trains – made in the UK at Derby by manufacturer Alstom (ex-Bombardier). They also feature regenerative braking, a system that delivers energy back into the electrical supply network rather than waste the energy through heat, as conventional brake systems do.

Energy consumption compared to cars

Intercity

One full new Intercity train can remove 454 cars off the roads per journey. Hence by completing an average of 9,780 kilometres in total a day, the intercity trains provide capacity equivalent to 6,890,000 passenger kilometres and 4,440,000 car kilometres each day*.

As the daily average carbon emissions of the Intercity fleet are 23,500 kgCO2e based on energy consumption, the carbon emissions per passenger kilometre assuming average occupancy is 18.9 gCO2e. This means a London to Norwich train journey prevents 16.4 kgCO2e being released into the atmosphere compared to a car journey**.

Stansted Express

One full new Stansted Express train can remove 466 cars off the roads per journey. Hence by completing an average of 6,590 kilometres in total a day, the Stansted Express trains provide capacity equivalent to 4,760,000 passenger kilometres and 3,070,000 car kilometres each day*.

As the daily average carbon emissions of the Stansted Express fleet are 13,600 kgCO2e based on energy consumption, the carbon emissions per passenger kilometre (assuming average occupancy) is 15.8 gCO2e. This means a London to Stansted train journey prevents 5.4 kgCO2e being released into the atmosphere compared to a car journey**.

Commuter trains in Essex and Hertfordshire into London Liverpool Street

One of our new five carriage Class 720 commuter trains can remove 316 cars off the roads per journey. Together these trains do 53,300 kilometres per day, these commuter trains provide capacity equivalent to 26,100,000 passenger kilometres and 16,900,000 car kilometres each day*.

As the daily average carbon emissions of the commuter train fleet are 71,000 kgCO2e based on energy consumption, the carbon emissions per passenger kilometre assuming average occupancy is 15.2 gCO2e. This means a London to Clacton train journey prevents 10.4 kgCO2e being released into the atmosphere compared to a car journey**.

Regional services in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire

One of our new four carriage bi-mode trains can remove 148 cars off the roads per journey and one of our three carriage bi-mode trains removes 108. Hence by completing an average of 20,100 kilometres in total a day, the bi-mode regional trains provide capacity equivalent to 17,300,000 passenger kilometres and 11,20,000 car kilometres each day*.

As the daily average carbon emissions of the bi-mode fleet are 91,000 kgCO2e based on energy and diesel consumption, the carbon emissions per passenger kilometre assuming average occupancy is 29.2 gCO2e. This means a Norwich to Cambridge train journey prevents 8.6 kgCO2e being released into the atmosphere compared to a car journey**.

Other benefits of rail travel

What’s more, heading into a town or city by train helps reduce congestion and harmful exhaust pollution - and means you won’t be gridlocked in traffic or waste time queuing for a car park.

If you’re heading out into East Anglia’s countryside or coast, leaving the car at home helps to protect our vulnerable habitats and ecosystems from harmful pollution and contaminants.

What else is Greater Anglia doing for the planet?

We’re going further to do our bit to help tackle the climate crisis.

We recycle everything we can and we offer water refill points at many stations which have prevented hundreds of thousands of single use plastic bottles ending up in landfill or the sea over the last two years.

Many of our rail stations are becoming wildlife havens through the establishment of wildflower gardens. A recent report by BugLife found that railways are vital corridors that help support insect and small invertebrate populations.

Stations and depots have been upgraded with more energy-efficient lighting, electric heating and materials to ensure that precious energy and resources aren’t wasted unnecessarily. More stations and depots will, in the future, be upgraded to electric heating.

For anyone thinking of making some small changes to their lifestyle to help tackle the climate crisis, making the switch from car to rail is a small step with a big impact.

Notes on calculations:

  • An Intercity Class 745 train has 704 seats. A Stansted Express Class 745 train has 722 seats. A regional Class 755/4 four carriage bi-mode train has 229 seats, and a regional Class 755/3 three carriage bi-mode train has 167 seats. The assumption is made that, considering the number of each of these trains in the Greater Anglia fleet, there is an average seating occupancy of 206 seats to 3 significant figures. A 5-coach Class 720 commuter train has 490 seats. Maximum passenger miles are calculated using these occupancies.
  • 745 Calculations – A 2024/25 financial year total is calculated for energy consumption and vehicle miles where the unit is a 745. Train miles are calculated as the vehicle miles divided by the number of coaches, 12. Empty train movements are not included in the totals. The proportion of these totals for trains with ‘1P’ or ‘9P’ headcodes derives the intercity figures. The proportion of these totals for trains with 1B’, ‘2B’ or ‘9B’ headcodes derives the Stansted Express figures.
  • 720 Calculations – A 2024/25 financial year total is calculated for energy consumption and vehicle miles where the unit is a 720. Train miles are calculated as the vehicle miles divided by the number of coaches, 5. Empty train movements are not included in the totals.
  • 755 Calculations - A 2024/25 financial year total is calculated for energy consumption and vehicle miles where the unit is a 745. Train miles are calculated as the vehicle miles divided by the average number of coaches (including the power pack) for the entire fleet, 4.63. Empty train movements are not included in the totals, but ‘1P’ and ‘9P’ headcodes are included as some 755 units complete intercity routes.
  • The average car occupancy for any purpose of journey is 1.55 people to 3 significant figures, according to DfT National Travel Survey statistics 2024*. This factor is used to convert passenger kilometres into equivalent car kilometres and to convert average car emissions per kilometre into average car emissions per passenger kilometre.
  • An average car of any fuel/energy type emits 0.16691kgCO2e per kilometre*.
  • To calculate carbon emissions of Greater Anglia trains by train type and energy used, the electricity carbon factors are 0.20705 kgCO2e/kWh** and 0.0183 kgCO2e/kWh** for consumption and transmission/distribution respectively, while the gasoil (red diesel) carbon factor is 2.755 kgCO2e/litre**.
  • The average occupancy of any Greater Anglia train has been calculated as 18.01% to four significant figures, using overall passenger mileage data and comparing to total occupancy.
  • The assumption is made that an equivalent car journey covers equal distance as each train journey for comparison.
  • London to Stansted covers 59 kilometres
  • Cambridge to Norwich covers 110 kilometres
  • London to Clacton-on-Sea covers 112 kilometres
  • London to Norwich covers 185 kilometres

Sources: