Sustainable travel

Eco-friendly travelling with railtour

Red train on a bridge Red train on a bridge

As Switzerland's leading tour operator for train travel in Europe, we have been providing our customers with an environmentally friendly mode of transport for over 50 years.

Within our company, we actively promote train travel for commuting and business purposes. “The train: a gesture for the climate” is more than just a slogan for us, it’s a principle we strive to uphold every day. We are committed to sustainability across all areas including product design, communication, our procedures and encourage our employees to follow suit. To actively contribute to the fight against global warming, we have also initiated the re:plant cities! climate project.

Two people shopping in an unpackaged store on Carlsplatz in Düsseldorf. | © Düsseldorf Tourismus - React EU
Sustainable in Düsseldorf

A sustainable experience in Düsseldorf: Arrival, sightseeing and shopping can be organized in an environmentally friendly way. Regional and vegan dishes in selected restaurants as well as accommodation that places value on conserving resources offer a conscious experience. The focus here is on sustainability!

Sustainable in Düsseldorf
Green plant breaks through asphalt

re:plant cities!

railtour takes sustainability to the next level with its active commitment to improving our climate. In October 2023, we launched the climate project re:plant cities! to address these pressing issues.

The climate change is a reality and the travel industry undeniably has its share of responsibility. Rising temperatures and floods disrupt  our daily life and threaten the ecological balance. The overheating of city centers is exacerbated by extensive soil sealing with impermeable materials.

We are tackling this issue head-on with our re:plant cities! project which funds the unsealing of asphalt and concrete surfaces in Swiss cities. By breaking up these hard surfaces and replacing them with natural alternatives, we allow rainwater to permeate the ground creating space for plants to thrive and significantly improve the microclimate.

The project's funding primarily comes from our company with CHF 2 from every booking supporting this initiative. Customers can also choose to contribute further, those interested can contact one of our travel consultants. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the project.

Our goal is to unseal areas in public spaces for the benefit of the community. To achieve its objectives, railtour collaborates with local partners to identify suitable locations. One year after the project’s launch, the first unsealing initiative was completed on October 18th 2024. The area at Schänzlihalde in Bern was unsealed in partnership with the Swiss artist Duscha Padrutt, initiator of the project entsiegeln.art, the Kursaal neighbourhood association and natural gardener Andreas Augsburger.

Key in room lock
engage - Sustainable accommodation

Various hotels around the world are committed to treating the environment and society with care and adhere to internationally defined sustainability standards in order to minimise their negative impact.

In our booking tool, sustainable accommodation is labelled with the engage label. Behind the ‘engage’ label are externally certified sustainable standards that are recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and therefore comply with global standards. We also consider accommodation that is certified with the ‘Swisstainable Level III - Leading’ label and therefore also fulfils the set standards.

Train travelling through green countryside.
Travelling by train for the sake of the environment

Travelling by train is in vogue - and has been for over 50 years at railtour. Those who use the train to travel to city or holiday destinations in Switzerland or abroad do less damage to the environment by producing a significantly smaller amount of CO2. However, travelling by train is much more than just an environmentally friendly means of transport, it is an experience in itself: when unfamiliar landscapes pass by outside the windows and the train travels along spectacular routes through foreign countries, the focus is on being on the move.

One hand holding a green globe
Certifications

We are externally audited so that we can continue to develop and meet the highest quality requirements. On the one hand, we are certified by the international environmental management standard ISO 14001. We also take part in the Swiss sustainability programme Swisstainable and have been awarded Level III - leading.

Woman with suitcase on railway track in front of green train
Sustainable travel

Sustainable travel stands for a conscious choice of destinations, means of transport and accommodation.

Because each and every one of us can help to ensure that holiday destinations are preserved for future generations. Sustainable tourism takes into account the ecological, economic and social impact as well as the interaction between the needs of the local population, guests and the environment.

Fox hides in nature
Animal protection

As part of DERTOUR Suisse AG, we comply with the Group's own animal welfare policy, which was developed in 2019 in consultation with animal welfare experts. Since then, we have supported its implementation and continuous improvement. The criteria and standards are based on those of the British travel association ABTA and were adapted for the entire DERTOUR Suisse AG together with Animondial.

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Sustainability principles

Travel is our passion and we firmly believe that environmentally friendly tourism is achievable. To promote sustainability, we adhere to the following five principles:

  • Encouraging Rail Travel Over Air Travel: We prioritise train journeys to help reduce our carbon footprint
  • Facilitating Responsible Choices: We offer services that empower our customers to make informed decisions
  • Ensuring Transparency: Our ‘engage’ label provides clear information about our sustainability efforts
  • Raising Awareness: We actively inform our customers and staff about sustainable practices
  • Continuous Progress: We develop our services and practices in accordance with our sustainability initiatives
A red train runs alongside the lake.

Concerns regarding risks or violations of human rights and environmental obligations

Our complaints procedure for the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) ensures a reliable and transparent approach to addressing concerns regarding violations of human rights or environmental obligations. Suspected cases such as forced labour, child labour, discrimination or harmful contamination of soil, water and air, as well as excessive noise emissions and excessive water consumption related to DERTOUR Suisse AG, can be reported. Complaints can be submitted digitally by employees and external parties via the DERTOUR Suisse AG complaints channel which is part of the REWE Group and can be made anonymously.

Please note that complaints from customers regarding the quality of products and services offered by DERTOUR Suisse AG are not classified as complaints concerning human rights or environmental risks. For these types of concerns, please contact Customer Service.

We strongly encourage employees and external parties to report any suspected human rights or environmental risks or breaches of duty. Whistleblowers will not face any disadvantages as a result of raising complaints in a professional context. The complaints procedure follows a defined process which is detailed in the rules of procedure. Impartiality is guaranteed at all times, those involved in the process are not subject to external instructions and are required to maintain confidentiality.

Report a human rights or environmental violation