For the past few weeks, fuel prices have been hovering around and above the €2 mark. This has led citizens to reconsider their use of cars in daily situations.

“The car occupancy rate is only 1.16 for residents and 1.22 for cross-border commuters, which is equivalent to 250,000 free car seats entering the Luxembourg City conglomeration each morning," the transport ministry points out.

Aside from clearing up the streets, some alternatives could also contribute to the environment in a positive way. While allowing citizens to save some of their income.

1. Mixing means of transport

Although the car cannot be completely abandoned in rural areas--which applies to the situation of many cross-border commuters--its exclusive use for work-related commutes is being called into question in view of the free public transport available in Luxembourg as well as the growing number of multimodal transport hubs. There are now around 60 park-and-rides in and around the country, many of which are free of charge. The large car park at Esch-Belval station, for instance, is very convenient for border workers.

The rates and real-time information on the availability of the P+R can be consulted on the website of the Luxembourg City commune. The mobiliteit.lu website also lists the existing P+Rs.

As a sign of the success of the formula, new P+Rs will be created as part of the 2035 national mobility plan.

Several cross-border routes also make it possible to get to the office without the stress of driving during rush hour. Passengers still need a ticket to take the bus and train beyond the borders of the grand duchy. This excludes the Roussy-le-Village P+R, which passengers can reach for free as part of a six-month pilot project for free travel across the border.

For cross-border motorists who might be tempted by the railways, the stations of Athus, Audun-le-Tiche and Volmerange-les-Mines are integrated into the CFL network, meaning that the seats in 2nd class are free.

2. Sharing the car

Although difficult to set up for certain workplaces with variable working hours, carpooling is still accessible to a large number of workers who can use the carpool lane on the Belgian side of the E411. The prerequisites are that there are at least three people in the vehicle and that the speed is limited to 50km/h until the border, where the lane stops.

Various platforms offer to put drivers who are willing to share their car in touch with each other, but few are popular. Apart from the French company BlaBlaCar, which allows carpooling to be monetised, the Klaxit application operates more like a matchmaking platform.

BlaBlaCar and the Walloon geoportal also offer a map of car parks designated as meeting points for carpooling, in France and Wallonia respectively.

And for those who no longer feel the need to use a car on a daily basis or who want to switch to this route, the local carsharing offers of Flex (CFL) and Carloh (City of Luxembourg) should meet their expectations.

3. Integrating two-wheelers and walking

With 600km of cycle paths and incentives to encourage its purchase, the bicycle is in vogue among those who favour soft mobility. The 2035 national mobility plan even aims for it to become the country’s second independent transportation mode.

In this case too, the combination with the train is possible since bicycles can be taken on board all CFL trains. These have 4 to 18 dedicated places depending on the type of train.

Another alternative is to walk to the nearest station. “Outside the city of Luxembourg, 60% of residents live less than 10 minutes by bicycle from a CFL station, and therefore have direct access to the city and other important destinations,” states the .

4. Learning about eco-driving

Several companies have published basic principles on eco-driving which can help drivers reduce fuel consumption.

. Here is a summary:

- Check your tyre pressure regularly;

- Load your car wisely;

- Don't overuse the air conditioning;

- Turn off your engine if your car is stationary for more than 20 seconds;

- reduce your speed slightly;

- shift up to a higher gear around 2,500 rpm for a petrol vehicle and around 2,000 rpm for a diesel vehicle;

- give priority to deceleration phases;

- anticipate the traffic and the reactions of other users.

Post Luxembourg has done the same in a video:

5. Switching to electric or hybrid vehicles

With financial incentives in place until 31 March 2024, public authorities in Luxembourg continue to encourage the transition to electric vehicles. This measure aims to contribute to the 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (all sectors combined) by 2030 and the objective of carbon neutrality for 2050 the grand duchy has set as a target.

Electric vehicles had a market share of 20.5% of new registrations in 2021. The environment ministry indicated last March that more than 17,000 electric cars were in circulation in Luxembourg.

Although the network of electric charging stations still needs to be expanded to meet the needs of most motorists, Chargy's offer and the installation of charging stations by various companies, institutions and infrastructures already provide a significant base.

Incentives are available for the installation of private charging stations.

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.