Instructions for use of the Eco Comparator, Lyria’s Eco-travel Comparator
Goals of the Lyria Eco Comparator
The Lyria Eco Comparator is a calculator that allows you to compare the C02 emissions of different means of transport available for destinations served by TGV Lyria in France and Switzerland.
The Lyria Eco Comparator is an awareness-raising and decision support tool that aims to respond to passenger requests for information on C02 emissions associated with their journey.
The user should give details of the journey they wish to calculate-compare by providing the following information:
- the journey : the user must state whether his/her trip is one-way or return
- the route : the user should specify the town of departure and arrival, choosing from a list of TGV Lyria connections - the number of passengers : a drop-down menu allows the user to specify the number of people making the journey in question - means of transport to be compared : by choosing between car or plane, the user can compare the C02 emissions of his/her choice compared with TGV Lyria : By car : the user needs to state whether the car uses diesel, petrol, ethanol/flex fuel, LPG or is a hybrid, as well as its horsepower (for tax purposes) (from 3 to 11). By plane : the user just needs to state whether the trip will take place in business or economy class (the difference being that a business class seat occupies more space and has a greater volume of emissions per passenger than an economy class seat).
Note : different means of transport (train, car and plane) are suggested depending on the distance you input (calculated from departure and arrival stations). Depending on the region, some means of transport may not exist.
Calculation Method
ADEME identifies for each means of transport an emission factor (EF) that provides details of the amount of equivalent C02 (in grams or kilograms) consumed per km and per passenger. In the example below, we give a non-exhaustive list.
The “C02” result corresponds to the assessment, in kilograms, of carbon dioxide emissions linked to fossil fuel consumption and electricity production.
Bearing in mind the kind of trip (single or return), the length of the trip (in km), the number of passengers as well as the specific means of transport used, the Lyria Eco Comparator goes by the original ADEME EF to obtain the C02 footprint per passenger on the journey in question.
There are other comparators, such as those available at voyages-sncf.com or on the website of airline companies. Both have had their calculation methodologies approved by ADEME. Despite this, there are significant differences in the assessment of C02 emissions for the same journey depending on which calculator you use.
Although ADEME does not wish to validate every eco-journey comparator (following the Summit on the Environment, an Environmental Energy Watchdog must be created with the aim of suggesting a reference framework for these tools), Lyria nonetheless wanted to undertake this step in order to make its customers aware of the impact of their choice of transport systems. Also, the Eco Comparator calculator methodology is the same as the Bilan Carbone™ developed by ADEME. That is to say, it takes into consideration the C02 emission factor of every kind of transport.
Results
The Lyria Eco Comparator calculates C02 emissions linked to this consumption. Only this information is given to the user. The result calculated is the C02 footprint – in equivalent C02 kg per passenger. Presented as a graph, passengers can compare the C02 emissions of different means of transport available on a requested journey.
The “C02” result corresponds to the assessment in kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas. It only takes into account emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels and the production of electricity.
Compare the different transport modes and their environmental impact
Goals of the Lyria Eco Comparator 
