The BEST Sustainable Travel Apps for Eco-Conscious Travellers

As eco-conscious travellers, we’re always looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact while exploring the world. Thankfully, sustainable travel apps make it easier than ever to plan eco-friendly adventures. Whether it’s booking green accommodations, planning a low-carbon journey, or offsetting travel emissions, these tools provide practical solutions to help us minimize our carbon footprint.

Sustainability in travel begins with thoughtful planning. Apps designed for sustainable tourism empower us to choose accommodations, restaurants, and activities that align with eco-friendly principles. They also enable us to responsibly explore local flavours and cultures, ensuring our travels benefit both the environment and local communities. After scouring the internet, I’ve rounded up the best travel apps for sustainability to help us make smarter, greener choices and enjoy meaningful journeys.

What is a Sustainable Travel App and How is it Unique?

Sustainable travel apps, often referred to as green apps, are mobile tools designed to provide guidance on exploring the world responsibly and minimizing environmental harm. These apps stand out by leveraging innovative technology to empower travellers with insights and choices that positively contribute to the destinations they visit. By promoting eco-conscious decisions, these apps help ensure that your adventures leave a meaningful and lasting impact on the environment and local communities.

Top Travel Apps for Eco-Friendly Journeys 

Eco Trip: Track and Reduce Your Travel Emissions

Eco Trip is a mobile application designed to help users understand and take control of the carbon emissions generated by their travel activities. With its user-friendly interface, this travel app for sustainability provides valuable insights into the environmental impact of different transportation modes, enabling you to make more informed and sustainable choices.

One of Eco Trip’s standout features is its Carbon Emissions Calculation tool. This feature allows users to estimate CO? emissions for various travel methods, including driving, flying, and public transit, offering a clear understanding of how their choices affect the environment.

Additionally, the app highlights Alternative Transit Options, such as bus and train routes, encouraging you to adopt greener transportation methods whenever possible.

To ensure accuracy, Eco Trip also includes a Personalized Vehicle Data feature. Users can input their car’s make and model to calculate fuel efficiency specific to their vehicle, helping them identify opportunities to travel more sustainably.

By integrating these features, Eco Trip becomes a valuable sustainable travel app; a resourceful tool for anyone looking to travel responsibly and contribute to a healthier planet by reducing your carbon footprint effectively.

Eco Trip is available for download on the App Store or visit the official website here.

Green Travel: A Sustainable Companion for Eco-Conscious Travellers

Green Travel is one of the most innovative sustainable travel apps available today, designed to empower users with the knowledge they need to make environmentally conscious travel decisions.

Similar to Eco Trip, Green Travel calculates the carbon emissions generated from various transportation methods. The app offers actionable insights and recommendations for reducing your environmental footprint.

One of the app’s standout features is its Carbon Emissions Calculator, which evaluates the CO? impact of your travel activities, from driving and flying to public transportation. This feature not only highlights the environmental costs of your chosen travel methods but also encourages reflection on how to minimize these emissions. For travellers, this means better awareness of how their choices contribute to global sustainability efforts.

In addition to its emissions tracking capabilities, Green Travel provides practical tips and suggestions for opting for greener travel alternatives. Whether it’s suggesting fuel-efficient vehicles, promoting the use of public transit, or highlighting the benefits of carpooling, the app offers a personalized roadmap to eco-friendly journeys.

The app also goes a step further by helping users make informed travel decisions. It considers the environmental impact of your trips and guides you toward options that align with sustainable tourism practices. This unique approach ensures you can explore the world while leaving a minimal ecological footprint.

Designed with global travellers in mind, Green Travel combines user-friendly functionality with a commitment to environmental education, making it one of the leading travel apps for sustainability.

Green Travel vs Eco Trip

Both Green Travel and Eco Trip are mobile applications designed to assist users in understanding and reducing the carbon emissions associated with their travel activities. They provide insights into the environmental impact of various transportation modes, empowering travellers to make informed decisions that align with sustainable travel practices.

While both apps share the common goal of promoting sustainable travel by helping users monitor and reduce their carbon footprints, they may differ in specific features and methodologies. For instance, Eco Trip offers country-specific calculations for electric car emissions, which might provide more tailored insights for users in different regions.

For those striving to align their adventures with sustainability goals, both Green Travel and Eco Trip stands out as a must-have tool for responsible travel planning, and for seamless travel journeys.

Climeworks: Innovative Carbon Capture 

Climeworks is a Swiss company specializing in direct air capture (DAC) technology, which extracts carbon dioxide (CO?) directly from the atmosphere. This process involves drawing ambient air into specialized collectors where CO? is captured on a filter. Once the filter is saturated, the CO? is isolated and can be stored underground, effectively removing it from the atmosphere.

A notable example of Climeworks’ technology in action is their Orca plant in Iceland, launched in September 2021. Orca is the world’s largest direct air capture and storage facility, capable of capturing up to 4,000 tons of CO? annually. The captured CO? is mineralized and stored underground in basaltic rock formations, ensuring permanent removal.

For travellers seeking to offset their carbon footprint, Climeworks offers a subscription-based service that allows individuals to fund the removal of a specified amount of CO? from the air. By subscribing, travellers can neutralize the emissions generated from their journeys, contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts.

Incorporating Climeworks’ services into travel plans enables eco-conscious individuals to actively participate in reducing atmospheric CO? levels, thereby supporting innovative solutions to combat climate change.

While Climeworks doesn’t currently have a standalone app, their website is mobile-friendly, allowing users to manage their subscriptions and explore their carbon capture initiatives on the go. For more information, you can visit their official website.

FairTrip: Sustainable Travel Apps to Discover Authentic and Impactful Places 

FairTrip is a collaborative travel guide designed to help users uncover authentic and impactful destinations around the world. The app highlights local accommodations, restaurants, and activities that contribute positively to the communities they serve. With over 3,000 curated locations worldwide, FairTrip promotes sustainable tourism by showcasing places chosen for their authenticity and social and economic benefits.

One of the standout features of FairTrip is its Curated Listings, which include accommodations, eateries, and experiences that align with sustainable tourism principles. These listings support local economies while offering travellers unique and meaningful experiences.

Additionally, FairTrip encourages User Contributions, allowing travellers to add and validate new destinations. This feature transforms every user into a potential guide, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

Another practical feature is the app’s Offline Access, which enables users to download maps and listings for use without an internet connection. This is particularly helpful for those venturing off the beaten path or travelling in areas with limited connectivity. 

FairTrip is available for free on both iOS and Android, making it a convenient tool for eco-conscious travellers looking to explore responsibly and sustainably.

TripIt: Your Eco-Friendly Travel Organiser

TripIt, primarily known as a comprehensive travel organizer with features like Master Itinerary creation and Real-Time Alerts, also offers tools to support sustainable travel practices.

By providing tools to track and manage your travel plans, TripIt enables eco-conscious travellers to make informed decisions that align with their environmental values.

One of TripIt’s key features in supporting sustainable travel is its Carbon Footprint Tracking. TripIt automatically calculates the carbon emissions for your flights, providing a clear understanding of your air travel’s environmental impact. This feature aggregates your flight emissions post-booking, offering a holistic view of your travel footprint.

Additionally, it provides practical suggestions to reduce or offset emissions, such as choosing direct flights or exploring alternative modes of transportation.

Furthermore, TripIt’s Navigator feature helps you identify available transit options at your destination, including public transportation, biking, and walking routes. By highlighting these eco-friendly alternatives, the app encourages travellers to choose sustainable modes of transport, thereby reducing their carbon footprint.

TripIt also offers Paperless Itineraries where you consolidate all travel details into a single digital itinerary, TripIt minimizes the need for printed documents. This reduction in paper usage contributes to more sustainable travel practices.

TripIt is available for download on both iOS and Android platforms: You can also access the app through the TripIt website.

HappyCow: Your Guide to Vegan and Vegetarian Dining 

HappyCow is a must-have app for eco-conscious travellers seeking plant-based dining options while exploring the world. With over 220,000 listings across 180+ countries, this comprehensive directory connects users to vegan, vegetarian, and veg-friendly restaurants, cafés, and stores.

Beyond its convenience, HappyCow supports sustainable and ethical food practices by promoting plant-based meals that are better for the environment and local communities.

One of HappyCow’s standout features is its Extensive Listings, which make it easy for travellers to discover vegan and vegetarian eateries worldwide. Whether you’re in a bustling city or a remote destination, the app helps you locate dining options that align with your dietary preferences and sustainability goals.

The app also offers Community Reviews, enabling users to access ratings, photos, and insights from fellow travellers. This feature helps travellers make informed choices, ensuring their dining experiences are enjoyable and meet their expectations.

Additionally, HappyCow includes Advanced Filters that allow users to search by location, cuisine type, and specific dietary preferences, simplifying the process of finding suitable options.

HappyCow empowers travellers to support sustainable food systems while enjoying delicious plant-based meals. Available on both iOS and Android.

Too Good To Go — Reducing Food Waste While Travelling

Too Good To Go is an innovative app designed to help travellers and locals reduce food waste while enjoying delicious meals at discounted prices. By connecting users with nearby restaurants, cafés, and bakeries that have surplus food, the app ensures that unsold items are rescued rather than discarded.

This unique approach allows users to savour local delicacies affordably while actively contributing to environmental sustainability.

The app’s standout feature is its “Surprise Bags,” which are filled with unsold food items from local vendors. These bags are available at significantly reduced rates, often at half the original price or less, making it an economical choice for eco-conscious food lovers. By rescuing these surplus meals, users directly contribute to reducing food waste and its harmful impact on the environment.

Additionally, Too Good To Go helps users discover and support eco-friendly restaurants and eateries in their area. This feature not only enhances the travel experience with authentic local flavours but also promotes sustainable practices within the food industry.

Available in multiple countries across Europe and North America, this sustainable travel app is accessible on both iOS and Android platforms, making it a convenient tool for those looking to make a positive impact during their journeys.

Download ‘Too Good To Go’ on the App Store here or visit the official website here.

BlaBlaCar: Carpooling for Sustainable Travel

BlaBlaCar is a leading app that promotes carpooling as a sustainable alternative to traditional transportation. This is an option to look into if you’re Travelling on a budget.

The App connects drivers with empty seats to passengers travelling the same route, hence, facilitating shared journeys that help reduce the number of vehicles on the road. This not only lowers carbon emissions but also makes travel more affordable and fosters a social travel experience, making it ideal for eco-conscious travellers looking to align their transportation choices with sustainability goals.

BlaBlaCar’s Ride Sharing capability, which allows users to find or offer rides to destinations across Europe, Latin America, and Asia. It also supports Cost Sharing, enabling passengers and drivers to split travel expenses, making journeys more economical.

To ensure a safe and reliable experience, BlaBlaCar incorporates Community Ratings, allowing users to view profiles and read reviews before choosing their carpooling partners. This feature is particularly valuable for solo travellers or those new to the platform.

So far, figures show that BlaBlaCar operates in 22 countries, including European nations such as France, Germany, Italy, and Spain; Latin American countries like Brazil and Mexico; and India in Asia.

Travellers can download BlaBlaCar on both iOS and Android, making it accessible for users worldwide.

Other Travel Apps and Mobile-Friendly Sites for Sustainable Travel

In addition to popular apps, here are a few other tools and mobile-friendly sites that support sustainable travel, helping you make environmentally conscious choices throughout your journey: 

Olio: A food-sharing app that connects neighbours and local businesses to redistribute surplus food, reducing food waste while fostering community connections.

Ecosia: A search engine that uses its ad revenue to plant trees worldwide. By switching to Ecosia, travellers can reduce their carbon footprint with every search.

Rome2Rio: A travel planning tool that shows multiple transport options for any journey, including eco-friendly choices like trains and buses, helping users plan greener trips.

Glooby: A mobile-friendly site for comparing sustainable flights and accommodations. Glooby highlights eco-labelled options, helping travellers prioritize environmental impact.

Useful Links

• The Sustainable Food Movement focuses on environmentally-friendly, socially equitable, and economically viable food practices. It aims to reduce food waste, promote local and organic foods, and encourage plant-based diets to combat climate change and preserve resources.
• UN’s Best Tourism Villages Initiative: This program identifies rural destinations worldwide that excel in cultural and natural assets, promoting local values and sustainability. The initiative has created a database of 254 villages across 52 countries, serving as a tool for travellers to discover under-the-radar, sustainable destinations.  
• UK Government’s Active Travel Toolkit: The UK Department for Transport provides a comprehensive toolkit to encourage active travel, such as walking and cycling. This resource offers guidance on promoting sustainable travel behaviours, which can be beneficial for travellers looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
• Scottish Government’s Sustainable Travel Initiatives: Scotland’s National Transport Strategy emphasizes walking, cycling, public transport, and ride-sharing over single-occupancy car use. The government is investing in a fully sustainable transport network, encouraging people to consider their travel choices and supporting the development of quality place-making for communities.

Further Reading You May Also Like

Top 10 Green Cities in the World for Sustainable Travel & Rich Culture: Discover the world’s most eco-friendly cities that blend sustainable living with vibrant cultural experiences.

The BEST Sustainable Travel Apps for Eco-Conscious Travellers: Explore sustainable travel apps designed for eco-conscious travellers, helping you reduce your carbon footprint and travel responsibly while supporting the planet.

Practical Sustainable Travel Tips for Heritage and Culture Explorers: Learn practical ways to travel responsibly while exploring heritage and cultural destinations sustainably.

Leave No Trace Tips for Heritage Travel: How to Protect Cultural Sites: Unlock responsible heritage travel with Leave No Trace principles. Learn practical tips to protect cultural sites and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

The 9 BEST UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London and Nearby for Heritage Seekers: Explore London’s iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites and nearby gems with insights for heritage enthusiasts and sustainable travelers.

Who Needs an ETA for the UK: A Complete Guide: A comprehensive overview of the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) requirements which comes into effect as of January 2025, including eligibility, application process, and essential tips for travellers.

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Beyond the UK, explore our travel stories in Europe and Japan.

…as a deliberate escapist and mindful wanderer…

Travel Smarter, Travel Greener

Sustainable travel apps empower us to make eco-conscious decisions, from reducing carbon emissions to supporting local communities and ethical food practices. By incorporating these tools into our journeys, we can explore the world responsibly, minimize our environmental impact, and contribute to a more sustainable future for travel. Let’s travel smarter and greener—one app at a time, taking timeless steps toward a sustainable future.

Happy and Safe Travels Always, Wherever Travel Takes You, xx

All images are captured by the author, Georgina, of Timeless Travel Steps and are © Georgina Daniel unless otherwise specified. In cases where original photography was not utilized, visuals have been obtained from licensed stock photo services, including Deposit Photos, Pixabay, and Canva Pro.