The 20 Best Cities for Sustainable Travel

From Melbourne to Medellín, cities around the world are becoming increasingly eco-conscious in their public policy and travelers are responding. Whether reaching their destination by train, or opting for cities outside of the typical tourist circuit, more travelers than ever are choosing to spend their vacations in an environmentally friendly way. Sustainability is changing the way people travel. 

As a carbon neutral travel company, that offsets the carbon emissions of our travelers and our team, we’re passionate about sustainable travel. To help travelers identify the best cities for an eco-friendly getaway, we’ve analyzed hundreds of cities around the globe to highlight the top 50 most eco-friendly destinations. We looked at accessibility by train, public transportation, car ownership, green space, the ratio of tourists to locals, air quality, green energy, and recycling levels in order to produce a final shortlist. We’re excited to reveal the top 20 below! (Pictured: Shenzhen, China)

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 10.00
Public Transport: 5.61
Car Free: 5.33

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 7.57
Tourist Capacity: 0.71
Clean Air: 7.44

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 7.36
Recycling: 8.91

TOTAL: 52.93

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 2.50
Public Transport: 10.00
Car Free: 6.49

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 6.76
Tourist Capacity: 1.22
Clean Air: 5.49

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 3.13
Recycling: 6.59

TOTAL: 42.15

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 2.50
Public Transport: 3.78
Car Free: 6.43

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 4.07
Tourist Capacity: 6.26
Clean Air: 9.63

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 0.98
Recycling: 7.66

TOTAL: 41.31

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 4.17
Public Transport: 2.29
Car Free: 4.19

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 2.40
Tourist Capacity: 3.56
Clean Air: 9.27

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 4.48
Recycling: 10.00

TOTAL: 40.36

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 5.83
Public Transport: 4.24
Car Free: 6.21

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 8.92
Tourist Capacity: 1.19
Clean Air: 7.07

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 0.78
Recycling: 3.91

TOTAL: 38.15

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 1.67
Public Transport: 3.45
Car Free: 4.46

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 6.05
Tourist Capacity: 0.39
Clean Air: 8.17

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 5.60
Recycling: 7.66

TOTAL: 37.45

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 0.00
Public Transport: 0.00
Car Free: 9.75

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 4.79
Tourist Capacity: 8.69
Clean Air: 1.78

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 9.05
Recycling: 2.19

TOTAL: 36.25

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 0.83
Public Transport: 9.16
Car Free: 6.51

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 3.53
Tourist Capacity: 1.66
Clean Air: 6.95

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 1.25
Recycling: 5.31

TOTAL: 35.20

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 0.83
Public Transport: 2.32
Car Free: 7.97

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 6.05
Tourist Capacity: 2.17
Clean Air: 8.54

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 1.25
Recycling: 5.31

TOTAL: 34.44

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

Train Accessibility: 0.00
Public Transport: 4.61
Car Free: 9.36

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Green Space: 4.61
Tourist Capacity: 10.00
Clean Air: 2.56

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Renewable Energy: 2.41
Recycling: 0.63

TOTAL: 34.18