London, UK – Eurostar, the European train service that operates the Channel Tunnel line between England and France, unveiled a new eco-friendly initiative that includes reducing total emissions by 25 percent in the next five years and making its operations 100 percent carbon neutral later this year.

Eurostar’s Tread Lightly initiative incorporates a 10-point program to reduce emissions, in part by lowering the amount of waste produced, sourcing environmentally responsible products and recycling wherever possible.

The move comes on the heels of recent announcements by airlines to offset the carbon emissions caused by air travel, and Eurostar Chief Executive Richard Brown pointed out that this move makes train travel even more eco-friendly.

“We do know that a high-speed rail journey is 10 times greener than flying,” Brown told the Scotsman. “The low-cost airlines phenomenon has come up over the last 10 years. We’re looking to attract more passengers to travel with us.”

In addition to reducing emissions, Brown said Eurostar trains currently generate around 50,000 tons of CO2 a year, which it would soon begin offsetting when it launches a new high-speed rail service to Europe from London.

Furthermore, Brown said Eurostar’s program is significantly more appealing to travelers because offsetting emissions won’t make train tickets any more expensive to travelers.

“We will bear the cost of making every journey carbon neutral, we will not charge a penny extra,” Brown told newspapers. “We think it’s the company’s responsibility to do this – not passing the responsibility onto passengers.”