As Europe is trying to get people off planes and into trains out of environmental concerns, Dr. Klaus Radermacher stands out as a contrarian voice.

We are calculating it wrong!…says this engineer and consultant, who, in the last few years has taken a keen interest in the topic of sustainable mobility.

Is the train really a better alternative to the plane? Which mode of transportation is most efficient over short, medium and long distances? Should we keep building more high speed rail infrastructure to get people to fly less? These are some of the questions that Dr. Radermacher addresses in an episode of the podcast rich in facts and data.

The conclusions Dr. Radermacher reached after applying his analytical framework to this consequential debate may not please everyone. They provide, however, a valuable viewpoint that should be taken into account if we wish to make the best possible use of the available resources to tackle one of the most pressing issues we face as a society.

This was a long, but fascinating conversation, to the point that we have already agreed on retaking it where we left it some day soon, because there are so many segues and derivations of this line of thought that they could not all fit in a standard episode.

In the meantime, tune in for what is possibly one of the most thought-provoking episodes to date of this podcast!

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Things we talk about in this episode

Dr. Radermacher’s professional background as an engineer, management consultant and business excellence expert
Why, when it comes to evaluating the environmental impact of different modes of transportation, we are calculating it wrong
Why we may be underestimating the environmental impact of land transportation vs. that of flying
The hidden costs of building land transportation infrastructure
How does plane vs train travel compare in terms of efficiency
What should we take into account when formulating transportation policies