Responsible Travel Days: an initiative that could change everything, but is still underutilized

To optimize vacation travel time and make the most of your days off, many travelers choose to take the plane. But even if this mode of transport is often faster, we also know that it is, by far, the most polluting option. At HomeExchange, we know that changing our travel habits is an issue that concerns us all. So with this in mind, we’ve set up the “Responsible Travel Days” initiative for our employees. Read on to learn all about it!

What are Responsible Travel Days?

Responsible Travel Days (RTDs) is an initiative that offers employees extra days off to enable them to travel in a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly way.

To encourage our employees to take the train rather than the plane for vacations and long weekends, HomeExchange has set up RTDs, which are eco-responsible days off. This innovative approach, implemented by a handful of companies, is still little known. And yet, it enables us to take concrete action on pollution caused by transport.

How does it work?

At HomeExchange, Responsible Travel Days mean that our employees can enjoy two extra days off if they choose low-carbon transport for their vacations (such as the train or the bus), rather than flying. This equates to two additional days off per year, which can be divided into several half-days for greater flexibility.

At HomeExchange, a few conditions must be met to benefit from RTDs:

• Mode of transport: this initiative applies to trains, buses, carpools (with a minimum of 3 people on board) and boats.
• Travel time must be at least 6 hours.
• The journey must be made by sustainable travel options to and from the destination, and no air travel is allowed during the trip.

Why implement Responsible Travel Days?

As actors in the tourism industry, we have a key role to play in raising awareness of the impact of each trip on the planet. Implementing RTDs enables us to reduce our personal footprint and to be in-line with our values and the messages we convey.

“As a committed player in the tourism sector, and one that offers great flexibility to our employees when it comes to commuting, it seemed obvious to me to implement Responsible Travel Days at HomeExchange. I discovered this initiative when Ubiq introduced it in 2023, and I'm surprised that it's still so little known in France, whereas it's quite widespread in the UK (under the name “Climate Perks”). 18 employees have already taken advantage of it since it was set up, and my aim today is to spread the word about Responsible Travel Days to members of our home exchanging community, in France and internationally, so that they can talk about it in their respective companies. Together, we can multiply its impact!”
Elisa Papin, Impact Manager at HomeExchange

Responsible Travel Days are a way of promoting sustainable tourism, which is one of our main challenges as a player in the travel industry, and one of the very principles of HomeExchange. RTDs are also a way of rewarding employees' commitment to more environmentally-friendly travel.

Testimonials from HomeExchange employees

“Responsible Travel Days took me on a train journey through northern Europe, and it was a really good experience. I was able to take advantage of the long train journeys between Oslo and Stockholm (6 hours) or even between Stockholm and Berlin (17 hours!) to do tasks that didn't require a big internet connection (the WiFi network can sometimes be temperamental). This flexibility has enabled me to travel by train without having to take extra days off, where I might otherwise have chosen to fly.”
Vincent

“I took advantage of going to Barcelona by train, which was really great because I was able to work well on the outward journey, also enjoying the scenery and a coffee break in the bar car. On the way back, the WiFi wasn't working so well, so I took the opportunity to write an article and listen to an interesting podcast. I worked in Barcelona in very friendly HomeExchange accommodation, and was then able to enjoy the city and its lesser-known surroundings thanks to the advice of my host and a Spanish colleague :)”
Elisa

“I go to Bordeaux at least 3 times a year and the plane is so much cheaper than the train for this trip. This initiative makes me prefer the train to the plane. Without it, I would definitely take the plane more often.”
Aurore

“I really enjoyed the experience. I took a long train journey for the first time. I went to Barcelona to visit friends and to work remotely. In the end, it was much cheaper than flying, and much more comfortable! I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I was able to work on the train and make progress on files that I hadn't had time to manage before, which was very advantageous for me.”

Getting back into train travel

The Responsible Travel Days initiative was set up to promote low-carbon travel. But behind this initiative, there is also the idea of regaining a taste for train travel, which is full of advantages:

• Time savings: on certain trips, train travel is ultimately faster, because you avoid long journeys to the airport, waiting time at the airport, security checks, customs and so forth..
• Luggage: baggage regulations are much less strict on trains than on planes.
• WiFi: Internet access is free on most trains in France (but admittedly, not always very reliable!) Many train companies in the UK and the USA also offer free WiFi on their trains and in the stations.
• Arrive in the heart of the city: stations are generally located in the heart of cities, making it easy to reach destinations without having to park or use transport services (such as a cab, the metro or buses etc).
• Comfort: train travel is generally more comfortable than air travel (more legroom, ability to move around at any time, electrical outlets etc).
• Savings: while train travel is unfortunately often more expensive than air travel, RTDs enable you to leave mid-week at a time that suits you, which means you can often find very attractive fares.