LU Sustainable Travel Stories

Exploring Europe on the way to Croatia

Written by:
Cecilia Lundström

When I got the confirmation that I had been accepted to speak at a conference in Zagreb, Croatia, flying there was immediately out of the question. The climate change related issues we are facing are too grave and serious for anyone not to avoid flying as much as possible. And besides, I prefer trains!

I work as a research assistant at the Department of History and for this conference, I talked about comic books as historical sources. I was in Croatia from April 15^th-17^th and spent in total a little over 60 hours on travelling back and forth (about 29 hours there and 32 hours back).

Now, this may sound excruciatingly painful. I realise that a two-hour flight sounds preferrable in all regards. But hear me out: despite setbacks and some issues along the way, I would not choose the plane over this even if we didn’t have a looming climate crisis over us. It was a great adventure in and of itself to go by train!

Why I prefer trains over flying:

Trains are quiet and come with a great view. And trust me, my view was fantastic.
You can move around more freely on a train.
You can bring as many water bottles as you like 😉
The most common argument I hear for flying is that it’s quicker, but here I could really spend all my time working, reading or doing other things instead of standing in queues at the airport.
If something goes wrong, it’s usually easier to fix if you’re on the ground. If a train gets cancelled the next train will likely be maximum an hour or two away, whereas a cancelled plane could have you waiting for days.
You get to explore so much more than just the country you are visiting! On my journey to Croatia, I got to see Germany and Slovenia as well (all right, Slovenia only from the train window).
I got off the train, and I was already in the middle of it all – 5 minutes of walk from the hostel, 15 minutes of walk from the conference venue! No airport in the world would have you landing so central.

Here is how I travelled from Eslöv to Zagreb:

6:00 – 14:00: Eslöv to Hamburg, through Copenhagen

I start my journey from Eslöv (where I live) to Copenhagen at 6 in the morning. Tired and a bit nervous – I have never gone all the way to Croatia by train before!

After arriving in Copenhagen at 7:15 and having breakfast, I board the train to Hamburg and started the journey “for real”.

At 14:00, I arrive in Hamburg. In Hamburg, I throw myself at the nearest food stall and buy a sandwich, which I munch standing and looking around for my next train. Hamburg Main Station was huge, but surprisingly easy to navigate even for a chronically lost person like me.

15:00 – 21:00: Hamburg to Munich

A farm landscape in Germany. Photo. — Going through Germany.

The German countryside is amazing! Incredibly pretty landscapes running past my window all afternoon. By the time I arrive in Munich, it’s already past 21:00. Here, I have quite a lot of time, so I took a small walk around the neighbourhood before boarding the subway to get to Munich East station.

At Munich East, I have to wait for quite a while (the night train arrives at midnight). I’m already exhausted from travelling all day and just want the night train to be here. But I get a good look at the Umadum ferris wheel from the platform, glowing in neon colours.

After some confusion about which track the train leaves from, I find (what I believe is) the right track. And sure enough, after a few minutes the train to Zagreb arrives. I’m greeted by a nice German conductor who explains everything to me and asks for my ticket. I seem to be alone in my compartment and almost alone in the entire wagon.

Exhausted from a long day of travelling, I fall asleep quite quickly.

00:00-11:30 Munich East to Zagreb Main Station

Meadow in Slovenia. Photo. — Slovenia in the morning.

I wake up to an absolutely breathtaking view. I roll around a bit in bed before I peek through the blinders and see Slovenia for the first time in my life. It’s foggy outside and incredibly pretty mountains going past me. I still have a few hours left until I arrive. I get out of bed, get dressed, brush my teeth and drink the gross protein shake I bought in Munich the night before. Then I just sit in the cabin, or stand in the aisle, and stare at the mountains. It’s fantastically soothing. Of all the trains on my journey, this was my favorite.

At around 11:30 I see Zagreb for the first time. I made it!

Main station in Zagreb. Photo. — Main station in Zagreb.

And the conference starts at 12. So as soon as I finish my 29 hour train ride, I walk straight over to the conference venue, get registered and am the third person to present. Not at all nervous, since I’m just exhausted from travelling (and happy that I made it).

Of course, I went back by train as well three days later, an equally fun but surreal experience. I think one of my most memorable moments was when I sat on the replacement bus on the way back from Copenhagen and realised I was back in Sweden again. It was unreal – I had really travelled that whole way all on my own, and it wasn’t nearly as hard as I thought it would be.

My ambition is to be a nonflying researcher. As I am still junior in my career, I recognise that it may be difficult since I might find myself in a position where I cannot say no to things. And I will have to book flights for other researchers in my job. But as I’ve already said many times in this post – I would never pick flying over the adventure I had with the trains.

A white and grey cat. Photo. — Little guy I found outside Zagreb University.

25 June 2026

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Hamburg in focus for ClimBEco Graduate Research School

Group photo of all participants of the ClimBEco annual meeting. Photo. — Group photo of all participants of the ClimBEco annual meeting. Photo: SICSS

Written by:
Camilla King and Cheryl Sjöström, ClimBEco graduate research school.

Each autumn, the graduate research school ClimBEco hosts an annual meeting for its approximately 40 PhD students from Lund University, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers. These meetings are usually kept local to Skåne or Gothenburg, but this year we decided to place the meeting in Hamburg as a way to expand the academic networks of our participants and to further develop an ongoing cooperation with the graduate school SICSS at Universität Hamburg, UHH.

The goal with our trip was therefore to introduce our research environments and young researchers to each other, creating more surface area for potential collaborations and, more generally, making the distance between Lund and Hamburg feel less big. Just one train connection in Copenhagen and a few hours later you’ve arrived in the heart of this European hub city.

ClimBEco participants covering from the rain. Photo. — On the way to the ferry, caught in the rain. ClimBEco participants from LU, UGOT and Chalmers. Photo: Valentina Schüller

To support the additional costs of placing the meeting internationally, most of our participants applied for Erasmus + staff training. With the guidance of colleagues in Hamburg we booked rooms at a jazzy hotel/hostel in the Sternschanze area of the city. Despite a few bouts of intense rain, (‘Welcome to Hamburg!’ was a common retort to the weather) we had an amazing 2-day programme of socializing, sharing PhD research topics through presentations and LEGO® Serious Play®, study visits to research facilities, high-profile lectures and get-to-know each other activities. We experienced cultural sites including walking up the Feldstraßenbunker, seeing the city by ferry on the Elbe, and the water light show at Planten un Blomen as the finale on the last evening.

A chest filled with lego, in the background people are standing and sitting by tables. Photo. — Material in the toolbox is used to communicate your research using the LEGO® Serious Play® method.
Photo: Cheryl Sjöström

To people standing in the sun on a ferry looking in to the camera and smiling. Photo. — Material in the toolbox is used to communicate your research using the LEGO® Serious Play® method.
Photo: Cheryl Sjöström

Tips for travelling with a group of colleagues to and from Hamburg:

Pack food and drinks for the Hamburg-Copenhagen trips, as there is not always a bistro available.
Make a Whatsapp or other group for communicating before, during and after
Make time in the schedule for the unknowns. For example, your breakfast place only having one coffee machine making cappuccinos for 30 people, one at a time…
Having good local collaborators is amazingly helpful.
Remind all participants that yes, you will likely need to show your passport on the train even though it’s within Schengen.
Make a travel-safety checklist that is relevant for your participants. LU has a great page that you can tailor to your needs. Travel safety checklist, Lund University
You can purchase group tickets for local travel in the city one week in advance, very easy and worth avoiding the hassle on-site.
Getting invoices from restaurants was a bit of additional work, but it worked out in the end.
If you apply for Erasmus funding, dedicate someone in the group to liaise with the Erasmus office in Lund to follow up applications and final reporting.

29 October 2025

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Encouraging International Students to Local Travel, Using Sustainable Transport

Written by:
Llewellyne Delelis, Lund University Global Engagement

Doing a mobility to another country is an opportunity to travel and discover new places, and as a part of our sustainable commitment, we wanted to help and encourage newcomer students to find a sustainable way to travel from Lund. That’s why we, the LU Global Engagement department, launched the project: “Local Sustainable Travel – Share your story”.

As we wanted to encourage Lund University students to do local travels, it seemed important to give them some good recommendations from other students. We all know how difficult it is to find a good place to go and to plan a trip. What often makes people hesitant about local travel is the lack of information regarding the good places to visit or the transport, so we wanted to help the newcomer students by collecting some tips and advice for them.

For this, we made a call in the International Newsletter, asking students to:

Do a brief introduction of themselves.
Write a short account (around 300 words) of their favorite local travel experience in the Skåne region, which includes the name of the place, and the means of transport used with as many details as possible.
Optional but recommended, include a photo that captures their travel experience to be used alongside the story.

The three “best writers” were asked to participate to a podcast on Sustainable Local Travel, for Lund University International Podcast, which will be published during next fall semester. The different stories were then published in the International Newsletter and posted on the university’s social media during June-July.

Here are extracts from our winning stories:

Bosjökloster

“After unpacking my suitcase in my new student accommodation in Lund, visiting Bosjökloster was one of the first excursions I had. A direct bus ride and a little walk away, you find this old monastery; originally, I was slightly skeptical, as I have seen many beautiful old buildings in my life. I came to find that Bosjökloster, however, imbues the spirit of Skåne.”
Anna Charlotte, from Denmark, master’s degree student in Tourism, Development and Culture under Service Management in Helsingborg.

Österlen

“I’ve hiked plenty throughout Skåne but my favourite place is Österlen. I’ve always heard that it was special, and last summer I set out to find out why. How? By walking Österlenleden (SL4)! The official start and endpoint is in Ystad, about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Lund by train. The 160km trail loops around the entirety of Österlen, so, last summer, I set out to walk the entire thing. I managed to do so in five days, camping along the way. Walking Österlenleden was one of the best experiences of my entire life.”
Isak Hasselberg, from Stockholm, bachelor’s degree student in English, studying self-contained courses in practical philosophy and the history of ideas.

Kullaberg

“One of my favorite local travel destinations in Skåne is Kullaberg, a stunning coastal nature reserve located in the northwestern corner of the region. Just a 1.5-hour trip from Helsingborg by public transport – and easily accessible from Lund via train and bus – Kullaberg is the perfect spot for a day trip filled with nature and tranquility. What makes Kullaberg special is the combination of wild nature and peaceful charm: lush forests, dramatic coastal cliffs, a cozy café perched above the sea, and even a seaside golf course. Nearby, the small town of Mölle adds to the charm with its calm atmosphere and picturesque harbor.”
Xin Sui, from China, master’s degree student in Sustainable Service Management.

Recommendations from other students

Hanö Island (not in Skåne but still easily reachable in sustainable transport)
Lomma beach
Kullaberg
Mölle
Torekov
Stenshuvud
Söderåsen
Ystad
Ale’s stones
Torups Slott
Bokskogen
Skåneleden
Österlenden
Bosjökloster Slott

24 June 2025

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Through a Rainy Europe…

Written by:
Katarina Mårtensson, Professor, Division for Higher Education Development and Department of Educational Sciences

In my head, I hear Tomas Ledin’s old song from the ’90s, “Genom ett regnigt Europa” [Through a Rainy Europe], as I leave home. I’m sitting on the bus to Lund Central Station, from where I’ll catch the train to Copenhagen Central Station (also known as H). I’m meeting my daughter, who lives in Copenhagen, for a nice lunch nearby (the place is aptly named ‘Mother’ and comes highly recommended). The rain is drizzling. My daughter doesn’t know of Tomas Ledin. The next part of my journey is the DSB train between H and Hamburg, which will take me to Zürich in Switzerland, where I work for a couple of days every year. I have treated myself to a first-class ticket, which is only a few hundred kronor more expensive than a second-class ticket (and my Swiss colleagues are reimbursing my travel expenses, and they have of course approved the costs in advance). I have travelled this route several times before and know that I will have a good opportunity to sit with my laptop and work. Coffee and free Wi-Fi are included, and there are power sockets so that I can charge my computer (having recently read up on Lund University’s information security regulations, I am of course using LU’s VPN 😊). There is usually plenty of space, and it is fairly quiet. Today, however, I find myself in an old train car with six-person compartments. Note to self: next time, book a window seat so that I have access to a table for my laptop. The landscape is beautiful, reminiscent of southern Sweden, and raindrops are flowing down the window. I can feel myself relaxing and going with the flow. I’m working through one thing at a time on my computer and I can also look out of the window and let my thoughts wander. I’m reminded of the old SJ [Swedish Statens Järnvägar] advertisement from the 1980s that compared a pleasant train journey to the chaotic situation on a plane when everyone has to get up and retrieve their bags from the overhead compartments at the same time. ‘SJ – a civilised way to travel’ (look it up on YouTube if you haven’t seen it – it’s brilliant!). So true.

For several years, I have been actively trying to reduce my flying. Having travelled extensively in my role as chair of a large international academic network, as a keynote speaker at conferences and to meetings for collaborative projects, the pandemic and my concern for the environment and climate have led me to mainly choose digital meetings, workshops and conference presentations wherever possible, and to limit my travel to places I can reach by train. I don’t always succeed, but I try. If possible, I much prefer to travel by train rather than by plane – the extra time is ideal for work as I can easily take my computer with me. I plan my trips so that I can complete certain tasks that are particularly well suited to travelling, such as reading, writing and creating PowerPoint presentations.

Person at train station in front of a train. Photo.

When I arrive at Hamburg station, the German hub, I am, as always, impressed by the grand building, which is teeming with people, sounds, smells and, of course, trains. I have a couple of hours to spare now, and there is a wide range of food and drink available inside the station and in nearby restaurants. The next – and perhaps the best – part of my journey south is the NightJet night train. I sleep well on trains and find it cosy to crawl into my sleeping compartment. Inside, I find a bed, some water, a pair of slippers, earplugs and a note detailing the breakfast options. I sleep soundly to the thumping and rocking of the train and wake up to find the train staff bringing me my chosen breakfast. Looking out of the window, I can see the green Swiss landscape bathed in bright sunshine.

The night train arrives in Zürich, slightly delayed, and I stroll the short distance from the train station to the hotel, well rested and in good time for my first meeting with colleagues from ETH and the University of Zürich. I could probably have flown earlier in the day for less money, but this feels so much better. I got some work done along the way, which I often find more difficult when flying, I was kinder to the environment and enjoyed my travel experience much more.

Last autumn, I convinced my entire work group of eight people to take the train to Utrecht in the Netherlands for a collegial exchange. That trip turned into an adventure that didn’t quite go according to plan, but that’s another story…

From sunny Europe in June 2025,
Katarina Mårtensson

Computer screen with text document. Photo.

17 June 2025

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A proposal for a more pleasurable 2025

Written by:
Karin Winter, Postdoctoral fellow, Ph.D in Planning and Decision Analysis, LTH

The season of New Year’s resolutions is upon us and if you are anything like me you are likely to take on something demanding strict discipline. Come March and I will once again have to face my shortcomings. But no rule without exceptions: there is a vow I actually am sticking to without any difficulties. Could it have something to do with how it equally manages to make my life easier and doesn’t make me feel so bad about myself?

If you are guessing that I’m talking about more sustainable travelling, you’re almost right. Included in this bundle is definitely a connecting train departing from Hamburg. Possibly after that yummy meal you’ve just had not far from the central station (Ginza Japanese Kitchen in Lilienstraße 32 is just one of several great options) or perhaps a stroll with an ice cream depending on the season. There is also the possibility of relaxing onboard a train and of finally getting time for that uninterrupted discussion with that colleague of yours. Or, of losing yourself in a creative trail of thoughts mesmerized by the changing scenery you stare at but no longer see.

A large glass roof with many windows. Photo. — The characteristic ceiling in the central station in Hamburg.

The vow I’m hinting at is the decision not to bother with research conferences that you cannot comfortably attend without flying. You might be surprised at how much time this decision might free up: now you do not even have to look at conferences on other continents. Much less trying to plan for all that time away and fretting over simultaneously joggling responsibilities at home. Instead, you can now focus on those much fewer conferences that are reasonably close or online. Not only does this take some worries off your plate, but it will also allow you to once in a while set aside enough hours for slower travelling. You might be gone more rarely but when you do you can allocate time to ensure a more enjoyable and less stressful experience.

Like, instead of worrying about making it from Gare de l’Est to Gare de Lyon, buy a ticket that lets you stroll through Paris. Do pick something up at L’As du Fallafel to enjoy in Jardin des Rosiers Joseph Migneret and let this unexpected garden work its magic.

A garden with tall trees and bushes in front of a building. Photo. — Jardin des Rosiers Joseph Migneret in Paris is well worth a visit.

But if you doubt that you’ll have the time to travel reasonably sustainably, do not book the conference. Don’t look at the tracks. Don’t bother writing an abstract. Simple as that. Skip the whole ordeal of going back and forth on flying or not. Either allocate enough time or stay put and be there for your family and students instead.

In addition to making life a bit easier for yourself, you get to feel good about helping to shift away from the fossil fuel-based norms of current academic life. You do not need me to tell you about the absurdity of continuing to embrace practices that literary contribute to destruction. As scholars it is our job to know, and with access to the IPCC reports we have no substantial excuse to ignore what we know. Most of us have already had well above our share of air-travelling in contrast to the majority of people.

Now, it is often argued that a couple of trips more or less make no difference. But, as long as that argument holds sway there will be less incentives to develop other more thoughtful ways of collaborating internationally. I have already been to too many conferences where too many researchers primarily focus on their own contributions and mostly spend time with their colleagues from home. So why not reinvent research conferences as part of a broader movement for more sustainable research? That could certainly make a difference in more than one way, and ultimately upper the legitimacy of research.

Not that old habits are easily eradicated, which is why I fail at most of my other new year’s resolutions. Especially tricky are habits that are connected to social hierarchies and worn as a batch of honor: to be at the important conferences is to be important. But what about challenging this sentiment in the year 2025 by taking a stand for what really is important? What about a joint vow in your research group? Let’s work together to build a more sustainable research culture and get a more enjoyable work year at the same time.

11 December 2024

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Saxophones and Sustainability: Embracing Green Mobility in Music Exchanges

Two men in front of a contemporary architectural building. Photo. — Per and Pär at Ciutat De Les Arts in Les Ciéncies.

Written by:
Pär Moberg, Senior lecturer in Folk and World music, Malmö Academy of Music

In November 2023, I visited the Conservatorio Superior de Música Joaquín Rodrigo in Valencia, a Spanish city on the Mediterranean coast. As well as being the home of the renowned architect Calatrava (known in Malmö for the Turning Torso), the city turned out to be the centre of a region with a very strong brass band tradition. Every municipality worth its salt has one, often two, brass bands. That means there are a lot of talented brass students. Good for me as a saxophonist!

The international coordinator in Valencia is a Swedish-speaking Spaniard who has lived in Sweden for several years and who has also translated Strindberg into Spanish. He is very enthusiastic about exchanges with Sweden, so there is now a lot of interaction between our institutions. Our professor of organ, Hans Hellsten, was there in 2022, one of their students is currently on exchange with us, and this time we were actually two teachers from Malmö who came to Valencia at the same time: myself and Lena Ekman Frisk, a lecturer in choral singing.

The Erasmus system we were travelling with encourages ‘green mobility’ and for me it was an obvious choice to take the train. Lena and her husband Per, who also came along, were not late to join. When the journey takes two days with an overnight stay in Paris, it is nice to have travelling companions.

Three persons looking into the camera. Photo. — Pär Moberg, our Spanish contact Maria Angeles and Lena Ekman Frisk.

Spectacular Experiences

The strongest impression of Valencia will probably be the spectacular modernist architecture of the Ciutat De Les Arts in Les Ciéncies, where most of the buildings were designed by Calatrava. The buildings were located in the long park that we passed every day on our way to the Conservatorio Superior de Música Joaquín Rodrigo. They are really fascinating to see, although the locals had their opinions that they were an expensive political theatre.

Spectacular in another way was the long park that winds through much of the city centre. It was originally the site of a river, but when it caused severe flooding in the 1950s, it was decided to move it out of the city centre. Today, the riverbed is a park, and a very beautiful and popular one, both for tourists and locals. One might have reservations about such a violent intervention in the landscape, but the park clearly fulfils an important function in the city as a green breathing space.

The Impact of International Exchanges

Exchanges have been a common thread in both my own studies and teaching. The Nordic and Baltic conservatoires that offer programmes in folk and world music have a common network within Nordplus called Nordtrad, where we get together with teachers and students for an intensive week every year. Through Nordtrad I have built up an extensive network of colleagues in the genre throughout the region. In recent years we have also started a smaller ‘Öresund Folk Music Network’, which includes the Malmö Academy of Music together with the Esbjerg Academy of Music and two folk high schools in Sweden and Denmark. We also meet once a year.

International exchanges give me great job satisfaction and new experiences and perspectives that I can use in my teaching. Besides, it is not very difficult, especially with Nordplus. Erasmus exchanges require a bit more paperwork, but the school staff will help you.

You don’t need to have an established contact before you go, although it will make things easier, but if you are interested in visiting a particular university, I recommend that you contact their international coordinator and register your interest. A good first step might be to contact a school that you know your home faculty already works with, for example on exchange students, then there will already be established channels. But be sure to take the train! Flying emits an outrageous amount of greenhouse gases, and travelling by train is a fun part of the experience!

Selfie of Pär Moberg together with students. Photo: Pär Moberg. — Selfie with the students.

12 June 2024

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A more civilised way of business travel

Written by:
Ebba Malmqvist, Associate professor, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

In recent years, I have travelled a lot by train across Europe for work. I almost always avoid flying. In the post-pandemic era, we know that many on-site meetings are unnecessary and presentations can just as easily be listened to at home, but sometimes you have to meet and I try to choose the train.

A couple of times a year I have to go to Geneva to attend meetings on the UN Air Convention. A normal train journey starts with an afternoon train to Copenhagen with a thermos of tea and fruit, maybe some bread and cheese. It used to be possible to eat on the ferry between Copenhagen and Hamburg, but now it is a detour around Denmark while the tunnel is being built. So I am prepared for about 5 hours on the train to Hamburg. The wonderful thing is that you only have to arrive 15 minutes before departure, 30 minutes if you are worried and want some margins. But no long queues to get your bags scanned and no waiting at expensive airports. You just get on when the train arrives.

Danish trains are comfortable and it’s easy to work on them, I usually have a few articles printed out if I get tired of the screen. But I usually manage to write a lot in five hours, uninterrupted writing time is a luxury when you are used to having many commitments. Trains are not cramped sardine cans, there is plenty of room for computers and legs. There are also quiet compartments where you can work in peace and quiet.

Satisfied with all the texts, I arrive in Hamburg around eight o’clock, with plenty of time for dinner and a walk, my bag safely locked away at the station. As bedtime approaches, I board the Hamburg-Basel night train and fall asleep to the shaking of the carriages. In the morning, breakfast is served by the train host, and you can catch a glimpse of the beautiful Alps, still a little white on the peaks. Once you’ve had your breakfast, it’s time to get off and change trains for Geneva. Swiss trains have restaurant cars where you can enjoy a good cappuccino in a porcelain cup while taking in the views of the Alps and valleys. Because it’s so easy to get caught up in the scenery, I only have time to check the morning’s mailbox and the day’s meeting agenda before arriving in the middle of the city. No transfer buses, long corridors, baggage carousels or queues to get into the city, but you arrive in the middle of the city, ready for the day’s meetings.

23 May 2024

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Slow Science and Work-Life Balance

View of houses in Trondheim, Norway. Photo. — Trondheim sightseeing.

Written by:
Tullia Jack, Docent, Department of Service Studies

In 2015 I travelled to Trondheim for the first time. As a PhD student on a tight budget, my journey was defined by the cheapest bus and train tickets, uncomfortable seats, and navigating the city’s steep hills on foot rather than opting for taxis. Fast forward a decade later, and I found myself travelling back to Trondheim by train, this time not alone but with my family in tow – my husband, his mum, a baby, and three-year-old twins. While I was attending a workshop, my family explored the city and visited a water park. We all met back at the hostel in the evening, me academically exhausted and the family physically exhausted.

It was a fun opportunity to combine work and family travel; my husband is on parental leave and the children don’t have to be in school yet so getting away for a week is still possible. The whole family enjoyed the adventure, the train travel was particularly memorable for the under 3s and all of us got to play in the snow since we spent a night in Storlien between trains.

I hope my experience can raise awareness that some of us researchers may want to bring their families along to workshops and conferences and allocate both time and resources to accommodate this need. For example, we added a few extra days on each side of the workshop so that the kids had time to land before travelling again. We also had a whole train compartment to ourselves and a family room at the hostel which was more expensive. This summer we are planning to go to The European Sociological Conference in Portugal and are happy to see that they offer (paid) childcare. The alternative to accommodating family travel for conference attendance might be that parents and others with caring responsibilities don’t get to go to conferences or are forced to fly.

Navigating the relationship between my personal and professional spheres emphasized the importance of cultivating a culture that promotes sustainable travel practices within academia. The workshop I participated in, focusing on strong sustainability, embodied this philosophy by not only welcoming my family but also covering their expenses. It’s about creating an inclusive environment where slow travel is not only accepted but encouraged—it’s about slow science. While train travel may take longer in the short term, I think it can create an effective work-life balance in the long run.

Rainbow over mountains. Photo. — From my first trip to Trondheim as a PhD. I felt very lucky to be catching the train, especially when I saw a rainbow from the window.

Family in snowy landscape. Photo. — We stayed over night at Storlien which was a chance to see some snow.

Two kids and a man on the platform next to a train. Photo. — Feeling perky after a good night’s sleep on the train.

Two kids and a troll statue. Photo. — Getting close and personal with the locals.

Role models and sustainable structures

I haven’t experienced any negative effects on my career as a result of choosing not to fly in academia. But when I think about it, it has shaped my career in some ways. Soon after my PhD, I was invited to join an interesting project with a group of international researchers. As a young researcher, it’s easy to feel that you have to say yes to everything. But when we got the money and the group started planning a kick-off in Panama, I had second thoughts. I pulled out of the project, not only because of the air travel, but it did feel good to send everyone an email saying I would not be flying to Panama!

I’m in a lucky position right now, at a point in my career where it’s time to be experimental. I currently have more research funding than time, the freedom to travel as I please, and minimal teaching commitments. It’s crucial that researchers with permanent positions act as role models. We can’t put more pressure on PhD students to risk their careers, it’s the more senior researchers who can set the example. But we also need to support new researchers in a way that’s sustainable, that makes slow travel a natural part of an academic career. We need bigger travel budgets, and more time making it easy to take a comfortable train and be able to afford a hotel room near the train station. Inspiration is more likely to strike when we aren’t stressed, so slow travel might even synergize creative research. We need to have both role models and a structure in place to help us make sustainable choices and set the scene for abundant academic internationalization without flying.

Article: Jack, T., & Glover, A. (2021). Online conferencing in the midst of COVID-19: an “already existing experiment” in academic internationalization without air travel. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 17(1), 292–304

Woman and baby. Photo. — My first workshop with bubba – notice the name tag!

Baby looking out of train window. Photo. — Bubba enjoyed looking out the window.

Photographers: Tullia Jack, Marion Cooper and Nico Cooper

6 May 2024

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A train journey fueled by coffee: reflections from Lund to Vienna

View of lake and forest from train window. Photo. — There are nice views with forest in areas close to the border Austria–Germany.

Written by:
Alfredo Mendoza, Senior lecturer, Engineering Geology, LTH

It was short after five in the morning when I went to the tram station and started my trip from Lund to Vienna. Going early morning to take a train brought me memories from my childhood with my mother, waking up early in the morning to go to the village station. The train would horn one hour ahead of departure so that travellers could make it in time to the station. Then the old train would slowly move among mountains, volcanoes, and by a lake shore to finally reach Nicaragua’s capital seven hours later, only 140 km away! For a child, that railway – built to speed up agricultural industrialisation during one of the most dramatic dictatorial periods in the national history – was filled with chances to eat traditional snacks and get my favourite drink at the time, “café con leche”.

Now, I was going to take the train to Vienna to present some work on groundwater at the European Geosciences Union assembly (EGU). My motivation for taking the train was simple; if I am introducing environmental issues in my Engineering Geology teaching, telling students that there are not infinite amounts of natural sand for construction, and when I am witnessing increasing stress on groundwater resources, then I should choose means of transport that have less impact on the environment. Yes, it is indeed more expensive to travel by train, but we shouldn’t wait for it to become cheap, as the alternatives to train bear higher costs for the future. As a migrant and an academic aware of the sustainability challenges, I want to reserve my flight’s ‘quota’ for the intercontinental trips to visit relatives. And I aim to live as I teach!

Working and talking to strangers

My outbound trip included changes in Copenhagen, Hamburg and Würzburg, and took almost 17 hours, trip that I made on a Sunday. It didn’t go without troubles; the train from Hamburg was changed without notice, and if I didn’t have contacted the German train services, I would have missed my presentation that was scheduled next morning. Stressing! Here I learned that having the DB-Navigator app was the best way to track the train schedules. This meant that the final change was not done in Würzburg but instead in Nürnberg. From there, I could breathe calmly as then I was sure to arrive in time for the conference.

What did I do during the travelling time? Well…what about working a bit? I was equipped with a laptop, a book, and articles. Note that the Copenhagen-Hamburg train did not have el-sockets, at least not in my carriage. It is also a good idea to talk to other travellers. On the outbound trip I met a senior travelling from Norway to England to visit his son, and on the inbound trip I talked to an Austrian music student going back to the school in Berlin. What about food? My solution was to bring knäckebröd, fruits and a thermos with light-roasted brewed coffee. The closest to real coffee one can get at these latitudes. But there is a bistro in most long-range trains, and plenty of restaurants around the train stations, if one cannot bring own food.

Laptop and book. Photo. — Some work and some reading help to spend the travel time.

View over village and grey sky. Photo. — The railway is quite high at Rendsburg, in north Germany.

Following Freud for a coffee

Vienna was a nice vigorous city with smooth and efficient public transport. Getting there by train had the additional advantage of arriving right in the city centre, avoiding all the traffic complications. Planning well in advance made it possible to fix accommodation at a relatively low cost, although Vienna was not the cheapest place I have visited, in my experience only beaten by Oslo. Despite the tight conference schedule, I could scape a couple of times, take a coffee (8 am) at Café Central, the coffee-house where the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and politician Leon Trotsky used to meet their friends, and the Arts History Museum with its impressive painting collections, ancient Egyptian collections and more. I choose not to visit the most recommended one, the Natural History Museum because of lack of time but also because I was already overloaded with natural sciences at the conference 😊 I happened to listen to voices saying that Vienna was going to be warmer than Lund, and did not bring enough warm clothes, wrong!

The conference was huge, around 18000 participants on site. Spanning all imaginable avenues and corners of the geosciences, including geoeducation, and of course applied and theoretical research. It offered a unique opportunity to exchange ideas with people across continents, researching in similar or other disciplines. The only complication is that choosing among 1000 sessions required serious planning. No way to choose based on discipline as there was not only one session dealing with “groundwater”, “hydrogeology” or “geophysics”. I am also interested in higher education and engineering geology in a broad sense, making it trickier to select. A priority list was necessary.

Time flew and it was time to go home. The inbound trip started 6 am on a Saturday, the train went without changes from Vienna to Hamburg, via Berlin. Why didn’t I get this option for the outbound trip? It was much more relaxed and pleasant seating. The ICE 94 operated by the Austrian ÖB was by far the cleanest and most comfortable train. After returning home, I asked myself if I would travel that distance by train again, considering the time it takes, and the answer is of course!

Man by a train window. Photo. — Alfredo Mendoza

30 April 2024

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Combine networking with travel? Yes, please!

Woman outdoor in a snowy park. A statue in the shape of a clothespin. Photo. — Ylva van Meeningen in front of Skin 4, alias ’Klädnypan’ in Umeå, northern Sweden

Written by:
Ylva van Meeningen, Research Coordinator, Lund University Agenda 2030 Graduate School and Sustainability Forum

It was not a conscious decision to stop flying. Not in the beginning. As a PhD student, I flew to conferences, on scientific exchanges or to participate in different courses. But life happens, as it does. I started to have a family and suddenly more than six years have passed without a single flight. And if you haven’t flown for six years, why start again? Besides, I have always liked travelling by train. To see how the landscapes changes in the comfort of a warm cozy seat and (hopefully) not too crowded coach. And the notion that all the passengers on this train are all going somewhere, to visit friends, to work, to get away or to go home. And that this train, for a small period of time, brings us all together.

Combining travel and networking

In the end of February 2024, I went to Umeå in northern Sweden to participate in a symposium on sustainable development teaching in higher education. It suited me well as I work with the Agenda 2030 Graduate School at Lund University to meet colleagues from all over Europe to discuss and exchange ideas. Travelling by train was a perfect fit for me. By taking the night train, I could work a full day and help putting my kids to bed before embarking on this exciting journey of mine.

But did I go all the way in one sweep? No. I wanted to take full advantage of travelling by train instead of taking a plane. Because one good advantage is that you have the possibility to network along the way. It both creates a bit of space to handle potential train delays and gives the opportunity to meet this person x or organization y that you have always thought you should get in touch with. So this is what I did. I made a stop in Uppsala of approximately 6 hours to do some networking with the people who happened to be free that particular day. There is something that happens when you meet someone face to face and I got some great new insights and ideas for future projects from the people I met on this planned stop.

The rest of the trip went well. I enjoyed stunning views of the Nordic landscape, met new colleagues who were as passionate about teaching sustainability as I am, and will for sure have new collaborations for future activities.

Hands, table, paper and cups. Photo. — Networking in Uppsala on the way to Umeå.

What to keep in mind when travelling in Sweden

If you are going to travel by train within Sweden, here is some friendly advice from someone who grew up in this country and takes the customs we have here for granted and something that is completely normal (even though you might think otherwise).

Nr. 1: Even though you travel first class, do not expect any special treatment. On my night trains up and down from Umeå, I did have my own room and my own small bathroom. But that is basically it. You do not necessarily get any food (neither dinner nor breakfast), you do not get any wake up calls and you will not find special goodies hidden beneath your bed. 1^st class in many ways can be much more affordable than in other countries, but that comes with a price. I was myself annoyed that it was written on my ticket that you get breakfast after 06:30, but my train arrived at 05:50. What was the point with that?

Nr 2: Be aware of changing timetables. The Swedish railroad can be fickle sometimes. There might be train delays due to the weather, due to delayed maintenance of some of the coaches, due to a shortage of staff etc. And sometimes it might look like you are going to be staying at the station for a while, with constantly changing times. But do not let that fool you. It is fine to go into the waiting hall if you are cold, but try to stay close by. Sometimes the trains just happen to be arriving earlier than expected and you do not want to get stranded in the middle of nowhere (unless you are up for an adventure of course).

Nr 3: Rather ask for help than expect people to help you. In Umeå, there are two stations which the train stopped at. One called Umeå Ö and Umeå C. A couple of americans were travelling to Umeå and they almost jumped off the wrong station. They asked to themselves ‘Is this the end station?’, but did not ask the other passengers. I thought to myself ‘no it is not’ and I assume many other passengers did too. In Sweden, most of us do not bother one another more than what is necessary. We would rather than tell you directly if you have been walking around with a clothes hanger stuck to your back, let you be embarrassed in the comfort of your own home. But if you are ever uncertain if it is the right station or not, just ask the person sitting next to you. Most of us are good English speakers and will be polite enough to tell you whether you should go off or not.

Nr 4: Enjoy the scenery! It is a great way to travel and experience the scenery of Sweden (in my humble opinion). So sit back, relax, do not just stare blindly into a screen but rather soak in the landscape that swishes by.

A snow-covered landscape from a train window. Photo. — A train window view of a beautiful sunset in northern Sweden.

Woman outdoor in a snowy landscape. Photo. — Towards Umeå University on a snow-covered road.

28 February 2024

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À Paris en train. Bien sûr!

Train at train station. Photo Amanda Elgh. — Early morning at Offenburg trainstation.

Written by:
Amanda Elgh, Student Coordinator, LUCSUS

In this post, I will tell you about how I became a guinea pig for our new travel agency that helps you book train tickets to anywhere in Europe (and maybe elsewhere, I’m not sure! If possible, I would love to take the train all the way to the south of Africa or Japan as well, what an adventure it would be!). I will also share some of my personal tips on how to make the most of your train journey.

I was thrilled when I got accepted to the staff week at Université Paris-Saclay in June last year. But I also had a dilemma: how to get there? I love travelling by train, and I am “emotionally convinced” that we have a responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint, so flying was not an option. But still a slight feeling of uneasiness sneaked upon me! I knew that booking train tickets across borders could potentially be a little painful. I had heard some not so nice stories from my colleagues at LUCSUS, who often travel by train for work. They have shared stories with me on how hard it can be to find the right trains, and the most convenient connections, without being robbed and without having to spend hours and hours on debating with the travel agency who often has argued for the supposedly easier/more affordable/quicker option, flying. Some of them have even given up on the regular travel agency and booked their tickets themselves.

But then I heard the good news: the university was looking for volunteers to test a new travel agency for train journeys. I signed up right away!

I have to say, it was a breeze! The travel agency took care of everything for me. All I had to do was to tell them (through an online form) where and when I wanted to go, and they sent me the tickets by mail within a couple of days. Well, I had to pick the tickets up at the post office at the other end of Lund, but that was only because I made a mistake and gave the travel agency our box address instead of the street address. That’s my first tip for you: use a street address for delivery, or better yet, ask for e-tickets. It’s faster and easier.

Street with flower shop in Paris. Photo Amanda Elgh.

Old car on the street. Photo Amanda Elgh. — Wherever you look, Paris is full of flowers, kitties and cute cars. And also a bit of rubbish, but choose to ignore that 😂

The travel itself was also smooth and enjoyable. I and a colleague from the Faculty of Science hopped on the train in Malmö on a Sunday afternoon and arrived in Paris on Monday morning, after a few changes in Copenhagen, Hamburg (where we stretched our legs and had dinner), and Offenburg (where we woke up at 6 AM and had an early breakfast on the platform as the sun rose before we had to jump on the TGV for the last part). The trains were comfortable, clean, and punctual. We had plenty of time to relax, chat, read, and work. And the scenery was beautiful! The experience makes me happy when I think about it.

On the way back, I (I travelled back by myself as I decided to stay for an extra day) had a minor delay, but it was no problem. I used the Rail Planner app to find an alternative route, and all in all I only arrived to Malmö one hour later than planned.

Eiffel Tower from below. Photo Amanda Elgh.

Here are some more tips to make your train journey even more fun:

Travel light! You don’t need a lot of stuff. Rather bring some laundry detergent, or use the hotel services than carry a heavy bag.
Baby wipes are your best friend! They will keep you fresh and clean, especially if you don’t have access to a shower.
Stay hydrated and energised! Drink plenty of water and eat healthy snacks. You will feel happier and sharper.
Download some podcasts or audiobooks that you have always wanted to listen to. Now you have the perfect opportunity!
Download and familiarise yourself with the Rail Planner app. The app makes it easy to find alternatives if a train is delayed.

To sum it up, travelling by train was not only good for the planet, but also good for me. I had a lot of time to unwind and focus. And had a lot of fun! I would not hesitate to do it again. If in doubt, don’t be, just enjoy it for what it is.

Portrait Amanda Elgh. Photo. — Amanda Elgh, LUCSUS

31 January 2024

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COP28 – Reflections from the Desk

Screenshot from online conference, people meditating on stage. Photo. — A meditation session was unexpectedly held during a seminar at COP28, which was followed online from Lund.

Written by:
Alexander Paulsson, Senior lecturer, Lund University School of Economics and Management, LUSEM

Just over a month before the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai commenced, I received the exciting news. In my inbox, there was an email from UNFCCC informing me that I had been accredited for virtual participation at COP28. Almost immediately, I attempted to rearrange my calendar to make room for this. Meetings with few participants are relatively easy to adjust, but teaching is a bit trickier, as are meetings with many participants that have been planned well in advance. Unfortunately, keeping the calendar completely empty of activities was not an option in my case. Despite this, I managed to create room in the calendar to participate in most of the sessions and meetings that I later signed up for. Another thing I began to ponder was the time difference. In my previous professional life, I worked for a company whose clients were mainly located in Saudi Arabia. Dealing with the time difference was challenging, especially when real-time communication was needed. So, how would the three-hour time difference play out during COP28?

As soon as I could log in to the website and the virtual platform where COP28 would be broadcasted, I searched through the program for sessions and meetings related to economic issues and financing. There were quite a few, which did not surprise me, given that many discussions in previous meetings had largely revolved around Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and the disputed market mechanism.

How was it then to follow COP from the desk?

The short answer is: at times very exciting and engaging, and at times quite challenging. Following the discussions and meetings in real-time went well despite the time difference. Thanks to some planning and rearranging, it worked out well. It was occasionally difficult to maintain concentration, however, especially, when the conversations during meetings revolved around how individual sentences should be formulated. At those times, I zoomed out after a while. It was easier, though, when disagreements arose and the conflicts became clearer. Then I was drawn into the conversations in a completely different way.

The oddest – and most surprising – moment was when I tried to log in and follow a discussion on how the climate transition should be financed, but instead, I found myself right in the middle of a presentation by an NGO about climate collapse and inner transformations. The long-haired chairman talked about a NASA-funded report that mapped out how civilizations had collapsed, only to quickly transition into a collective meditation. “We need to start with an inner transformation,” he said. The meditation included people both present in Dubai and online.

The “historic” agreement marking “the beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era, I heard on the radio just before eight o’clock on December 13th, on my way to work. All in all, I learned about the negotiations lot by following COP 28 from the desk, and I would definitely like to do it again if the opportunity arises.