An analysis by the National Association of Railroad Passengers of new energy data from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory shows once again that transit is more energy efficient than driving or flying, with Amtrak as the most efficient.
The data show that domestic airlines on average consume 20% more energy per passenger-mile than Amtrak, while cars consume 27% more than Amtrak.
Oak Ridge reported the following energy efficiency measures, stated in British Thermal Units (BTUs) per passenger mile–the lower the number, the greater the efficiency.
* Amtrak: 2,709
* Commuter rail: 2,743
* Rail transit: 2,784
* Certificated air carriers: 3,264 (excludes international services)
* Cars: 3,445