CSR guide
Eco-friendly seminar: cut transport CO2, choose the format and the venue
Getting participants there is often the largest part of a seminar's carbon footprint. Per person and per kilometre, the train emits 1.7 g of CO2e, against 96 g by petrol or diesel car and 42 g by coach.
Emission factors of the Alfred Meeting carbon comparator, taken from ADEME's Base Carbone, with its default occupancy rates.
- 1.7 g CO₂e per person and per km by train
- 96 g CO₂e per person and per km by petrol or diesel car (2 on board)
- 42 g CO₂e per person and per km by coach (25 on board)
Simulate your group's travel CO2
Choose the departure city, the number of participants and the trip: the simulator compares train, car and coach to a few seminar cities. No data is saved.
Enter a number of participants between 1 and 5,000.
| Destination | Distance | Train | Petrol or diesel car | Electric car | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivry-sur-Seine | 7 km by road | No known trip | 40 kg CO₂e | 4.6 kg CO₂e | 18 kg CO₂e |
| Clichy | 8 km by road8 km by public transport | 0.8 kg CO₂e | 46 kg CO₂e | 5.3 kg CO₂e | 20 kg CO₂e |
| Lille | 226 km by road226 km by public transport | 23 kg CO₂e | 1.3 t CO₂e | 149 kg CO₂e | 570 kg CO₂e |
| Angers | 296 km by road303 km by public transport | 31 kg CO₂e | 1.7 t CO₂e | 195 kg CO₂e | 746 kg CO₂e |
| Nantes | 384 km by road391 km by public transport | 40 kg CO₂e | 2.2 t CO₂e | 253 kg CO₂e | 968 kg CO₂e |
| Lyon | 466 km by road433 km by public transport | 44 kg CO₂e | 2.7 t CO₂e | 308 kg CO₂e | 1.2 t CO₂e |
| Strasbourg | 489 km by road442 km by public transport | 45 kg CO₂e | 2.8 t CO₂e | 323 kg CO₂e | 1.2 t CO₂e |
| Bordeaux | 584 km by road546 km by public transport | 56 kg CO₂e | 3.4 t CO₂e | 385 kg CO₂e | 1.5 t CO₂e |
| Toulouse | 678 km by road806 km by public transport | 82 kg CO₂e | 3.9 t CO₂e | 447 kg CO₂e | 1.7 t CO₂e |
| Montpellier | 753 km by road738 km by public transport | 75 kg CO₂e | 4.3 t CO₂e | 497 kg CO₂e | 1.9 t CO₂e |
| Marseille | 776 km by road750 km by public transport | 76 kg CO₂e | 4.5 t CO₂e | 512 kg CO₂e | 2.0 t CO₂e |
| Nice | 931 km by road970 km by public transport | 99 kg CO₂e | 5.4 t CO₂e | 614 kg CO₂e | 2.3 t CO₂e |
Median distances between the departure city and the seminar venues of each destination, Alfred Meeting data, October 2026. Same occupancy assumptions as the factor table below. To compute from your participants' real starting points, use the carbon comparator.
CO2 by seminar format
The format decides the trips: how many, how long and which transport is possible. The comparator counts transport only; accommodation, meals and the venue's energy come on top.
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Study day close to participants
A venue reachable by public transport from the office keeps the trip to a short return, often without a car. It is the most sober format when the team works in the same city.
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Residential seminar
Going away for one or more nights adds accommodation and meals. A destination served by train and a venue close to the station keep transport low.
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Teams coming from several cities
The most sober venue is the one that reduces everyone's total travel, not necessarily the one closest to head office: the carbon comparator ranks venues on that total.
Transport, the first lever
The same factors as the carbon comparator, per person and per kilometre. Cars and coaches emit per vehicle: the share of each person depends on how many are on board.
| Mode | Emissions per person | Assumption |
|---|---|---|
| Train | 1.7 g CO₂e / km | Per traveller |
| Petrol or diesel car | 96 g CO₂e / km | 192 g CO₂e per km and per vehicle, 2 people on board out of 5 seats |
| Electric car | 11 g CO₂e / km | 22 g CO₂e per km and per vehicle, 2 people on board out of 5 seats |
| Coach | 42 g CO₂e / km | 1,050 g CO₂e per km and per vehicle, 25 people on board out of 50 seats |
| Plane | 30 kg per flight + 150 g CO₂e / km | Fixed share per person for take-off and landing, then per kilometre as the crow flies |
For 500 km one way, per person: 0.8 kg CO₂e by train, 48 kg CO₂e by petrol or diesel car, 105 kg CO₂e by plane.
Venue labels and certifications
A label attests an approach checked by a third party; it does not measure the emissions of your event. Ask the venue for its label, the date it was awarded and its scope.
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Green Key (Clef Verte)
International label for tourist accommodation and restaurants: management of water, energy, waste and purchasing, checked by audit.
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EU Ecolabel
Official label of the European Union, also awarded to tourist accommodation, on energy, water, waste and product criteria.
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ISO 20121
International standard for sustainable event management: it certifies the organisation applying it, venue or organiser, not a given event.
Our eco-friendly venue pages
Limits of the method
- Only participants' transport is counted, as in the comparator: not accommodation, meals or the venue's energy.
- The factors include direct emissions and the production and distribution of fuel and electricity; not the construction of vehicles or infrastructure.
- A public transport trip is counted entirely at the train factor, connections included.
- Occupancy rates are averages: a fuller car or coach emits less per person.
- Distances are medians to the venues of each destination city: a given venue can be closer or further away.
- Last updated: October 2026.
Going further
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Carbon comparator
Compute your event's transport from your participants' real starting points and rank your venues.
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Seminar venues reachable by train
Median train travel times from Paris, Lyon and Lille, city by city.
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How much does a seminar cost
Prices per person and per day, by format and region, with a budget simulator.
Frequently asked questions
What is an eco-friendly seminar?
A seminar designed to limit its impact: a venue reachable without a car, short trips, a format suited to the group, a venue committed to an environmental approach and sober purchasing (meals, gifts, printing).
Which transport mode emits the least for a seminar?
The train, by far: 1.7 g of CO2e per person and per kilometre with the comparator factors, against 96 g by petrol or diesel car with 2 people on board.
Does the simulator count accommodation and meals?
No: like the carbon comparator, it only counts participants' transport, one way or return.
How do I compute my own event's transport CO2?
Create your event and enter your participants' starting points in the carbon comparator: it computes the routes to each venue considered and ranks them by emissions.
How much does Alfred Meeting support cost?
Nothing for your company: searching and comparing quotes is free.
How do I find a venue for an eco-friendly seminar?
Describe your project: dates, number of participants, departure cities and any other criterion that matters to you, such as a venue reachable by train or with a label. A project manager selects suitable venues, checks their availability and sends you their quotes, with no commitment.
Let us find the perfect venue for you - it's free!
- Benefit from a personalized venue search for your professional event. An event expert will guide you from the initial briefing to offer negotiations.
- If you are organizing an event that combines multiple criteria (meeting rooms, team-building activities, accommodations, evening events, etc.), Alfred Meeting conducts a custom venue search for you.