Train: ADEME 🇫🇷
Calculate train travel emissions with the ADEME methodology, which reflects train type, traction (electricity or diesel), grid mix and infrastructure allocation across the full lifecycle.
About the methodology
ADEME (the French Agency for Ecological Transition) provides a comprehensive methodology to assess the environmental impact of train travel.
- Coverage spans the full lifecycle: vehicle and infrastructure production, operations, maintenance and end of life.
- Key drivers include train type (high-speed, mainline, local/express), traction or fuel (electricity or diesel), grid mix and infrastructure allocation.
- It's intended for railway operators, policymakers, aggregators and product teams who need transparent, audit-ready train CO₂e estimates.
Sample requests
Send a quote before booking, then repeat the call with audit set to true once the booking is final. The body is otherwise identical.
{
"expand": ["items"],
"items": [{
"audit": false,
"type": "train",
"external_reference": "test_2",
"origin": "BER",
"destination": "FRA",
"number_of_travelers": 3,
"train_type": "mainline",
"fuel_type": "diesel",
"methodology": "ADEME"
}]
}audit_for is optional
Pass the ID of an auditable entity when you calculate on behalf of that entity. Otherwise, leave it out.
Defaults
| Field | Default | Applies when |
|---|---|---|
fuel_type | diesel | No fuel_type is sent |
train_type | local_express | No train_type is sent |
number_of_travelers | 1 | No number_of_travelers is sent |
Request fields
typestringrequiredtrain
methodologystringrequiredADEME
external_referencestringA unique identifier that links results to the requested item. Up to 128 characters.
number_of_travelersintegerMinimum 1. Defaults to 1.
originstringOrigin location. See Origin and destination formats.
destinationstringDestination location. Same formats as origin.
distance_in_kmnumberTakes priority over origin and destination. If you send both, SQUAKE uses distance_in_km.
train_typeenumOne of high_speed, mainline, local_express. Defaults to local_express.
fuel_typeenumOne of diesel, electricity. Defaults to diesel.
auditbooleanSet to true to create immutable audit records for finalised calculations. Must be enabled for your account.
POST /v2/calculations in the API referenceOrigin and destination formats
SQUAKE tries to resolve origin and destination whatever their format. Ideally, use:
- Addresses: the Post standard.
- Airports: an IATA/ICAO code (regex
^[A-Z]{3,4}$, for example"MUC"). - Ports and trade locations: a UN/LOCODE (regex
^[A-Z]{2}\W?[A-Z2-9]{3}$, for example"DEHAM"). - Coordinates: latitude and longitude (regex
^[-+]?\d{1,3}\.\d{1,10}\s?,\s?[-+]?\d{1,3}\.\d{1,10}$, for example"+40.712,-74.006").
UIC and provider codes
A UIC code is also a valid format for trains. If the value isn't valid, the system falls back to general, non-journey-specific emission data.
To use a UIC or provider code, send <provider>:<uic_code>, for example sncf:FRAAA. Possible provider prefixes: uic, uic8_sncf, sncf, sncf_tvs, entur, db, busbud, distribusion, flixbus, cff, leoexpress, obb, trenitalia, trenitalia_rtvt, trenord, ntv_rtiv, ntv, hkx, renfe, atoc, benerail, westbahn.
{
"type": "train",
"methodology": "ADEME",
"origin": "db:8011160", // Berlin Hbf (example code structure)
"destination": "db:8000105", // Frankfurt (Main) Hbf (example code structure)
"number_of_travelers": 2
}Distance and fallback
- If you send both
origin/destinationanddistance_in_km, SQUAKE usesdistance_in_kmfor emissions. - Invalid, unsupported or unresolvable location codes trigger a fallback to generic (non-journey-specific) factors consistent with ADEME.
Sample response
{
"carbon_quantity": 6669,
"carbon_unit": "gram",
"items": [{
"carbon_quantity": 6669,
"carbon_unit": "gram",
"external_reference": "test_2",
"type": "train",
"methodology": "ADEME",
"distance": 435.0,
"distance_unit": "kilometer"
}]
}Bibliography
GHG information for transport services (June 2019). Ministère de la Transition Écologique et Solidaire. Read the PDF.