Rolling down the track: Germany debuts the first hydrogen-powered passenger train service
Traveling by train is great. Traveling on an eco-friendly rail line? Even better.
There are plenty of reason to choose train travel. Comfort, affordability, lots of scenery right out the window, and the absence of long security checkpoint lines, to name just a few.
But sustainability is a reason too.
Rail travel and freight emit 1% of global transport emissions, while air travel emits some 2.5%.
The air transport industry has pledged to be carbon-neutral by 2050. Many railway companies around the world have joined the United Nations Race to Zero campaign and many transport companies are creating partnerships to make big changes now.
While many train lines continue to run on diesel, others are electrified with efforts underway around the world, in Australia, India, the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere, to generate the electricity to run the rail lines with renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power.
Germany is chugging ahead too, with the first fully hydrogen-powered passenger trains, which began running this week on a regional train line in Bremervörde, Lower Saxony.
The Coradia iLint hydrogen trains are built by French multinational company Alstom and are powered by hydrogen fuel cells that generate electrical energy propulsion.
Related: 8 sustainable travel tips from expert green travelers
The recipient of a 2022 Germain Sustainability Design Award, the Coradia iLint is emission-free. Alstom says the trains emit only water vapor (steam) and condensed water. And any heat generated is used for air conditioning.
On this regional German route, 14 hydrogen-powered Alstom trains will gradually replace 15 diesel-trains over the course of a year. Five trains began running this week.
The project is a partnership between train builder, Alstom, the companies that own and operate the railway and its trains, and gas and engineering company Linde.
"Emission-free mobility is one of the most important goals for ensuring a sustainable future," Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Alstom CEO and Chairman of the Board said in a statement. "The world's first hydrogen train, the Coradia iLint, demonstrates our clear commitment to green mobility combined with state-of-the-art technology.
The trains have a 1000-kilometer (621 mile) range and can run on the network all day with just one tank of hydrogen. (A kilogram of hydrogen replaces about 4.5 liters of diesel fuel). Refueling will take place daily at a Linde hydrogen filling station built along the route.
Related: How train travel can be good for the environment
And these won't be slow-poke rides. While the hydrogen-powered trains are able to zip along at close to 90 miles per hour, on this route they will operate at speeds of between 50 and 75 mph.
Soon, more hydrogen-powered trains will be coming down the tracks.
Alstom has a second German contract for 27 Coradia iLint trains in the Frankfurt area. The company is also building six hydrogen trains to be used in the Lombardy region of Italy and a dozen hydrogen trains to be shared across four different French regions.
Interested in more train news?
Related: NYC's hottest new bar? Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounge
Related: First look at Acela's spiffy new trains
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month