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    The 20 Best Cities for Sustainable Travel

    Jacob Anderson-Minshall
    | 06/22/20

    The 20 Best Cities for Sustainable Travel

    Where are the best cities for a sustainable getaway?

    Shenzhen China Opener

    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)

    Berlin, Germany

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 6.67
    Public Transport: 7.36
    Car Free: 6.04

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 8.38
    Tourist Capacity: 1.69
    Clean Air: 8.66

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 4.48
    Recycling: 10.00

    TOTAL: 53.28

    Vienna, Austria

    Sustainable Travel

    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

    Munich, Germany

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 8.33
    Public Transport: 3.75
    Car Free: 5.33

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 10.00
    Tourist Capacity: 0.89
    Clean Air: 10.00

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 4.48
    Recycling: 10.00

    TOTAL: 50.84

    London, United Kingdom

    Sustainable Travel

    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

    Prague, Czechia

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 9.17
    Public Transport: 4.47
    Car Free: 4.01

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 9.59
    Tourist Capacity: 0.27
    Clean Air: 7.14

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 3.24
    Recycling: 3.59

    TOTAL: 41.48

    Rotterdam, Netherlands

    Sustainable Travel

    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

    Shenzhen, China

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 0.83
    Public Transport: 8.64
    Car Free: 9.82

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 7.48
    Tourist Capacity: 2.91
    Clean Air: 3.91

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 2.26
    Recycling: 5.31

    TOTAL: 41.25

    8. Hamburg, Germany

    Sustainable Travel

    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

    Zürich, Switzerland

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 5.83
    Public Transport: 1.57
    Car Free: 4.03

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 6.76
    Tourist Capacity: 0.36
    Clean Air: 7.80

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 5.88
    Recycling: 7.81

    TOTAL: 40.04

    10. Budapest, Hungary

    Sustainable Travel

    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

    11. Oslo, Norway

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 0.83
    Public Transport: 4.66
    Car Free: 4.50

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 3.17
    Tourist Capacity: 0.24
    Clean Air: 8.54

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 9.71
    Recycling: 5.94

    TOTAL: 37.59

    12. Gothenburg, Sweden

    Sustainable Travel

    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

    13. Brussels, Belgium

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 3.33
    Public Transport: 3.85
    Car Free: 7.46

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 6.05
    Tourist Capacity: 0.74
    Clean Air: 5.08

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 1.45
    Recycling: 8.44

    TOTAL: 37.30

    14. Nairobi, Kenya

    Sustainable Travel

    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

    15. Rio de Janiero, Brazil

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 0.00
    Public Transport: 0.60
    Car Free: 7.29

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 8.72
    Tourist Capacity: 8.04
    Clean Air: 3.24

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 7.99
    Recycling: 0.00

    TOTAL: 35.88

    16. New York City

    Sustainable Travel

    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

    17. Zagreb, Croatia

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 6.67
    Public Transport: 1.17
    Car Free: 5.47

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 3.17
    Tourist Capacity: 1.66
    Clean Air: 7.44

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 6.43
    Recycling: 3.13

    TOTAL: 35.14

    18. Portland, Oregon

    Sustainable Travel

    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

    18. Lisbon, Portugal

    Sustainable Travel

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

    Train Accessibility: 0.83
    Public Transport: 1.99
    Car Free: 4.74

    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

    Green Space: 7.48
    Tourist Capacity: 0.24
    Clean Air: 10.00

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

    Renewable Energy: 5.23
    Recycling: 3.91

    TOTAL: 34.42

    20. Mexico City

    Sustainable Travel

    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

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