Asim Chaudhry Wants Brits to 'Get their Bums on Board' with Trainline

Transport is the single biggest opportunity we have to reduce our nation’s carbon emissions. And since travelling by train is a massive 67% less polluting than travelling by car*, rail is key to cracking net zero. If everyone swaps one car journey to rail each year, we’ll stay on track for our net zero goals. 

But how do we inspire a nation stuck in traffic and get more people to take the train? To shake up the dialogue around sustainable travel, Trainline’s I came by train movement unveils its bold new campaign, "Bums on Board", live today across the U.K.  

This campaign aims to make rail known as the sustainable choice, one bum at a time. I came by train was developed in 2022 by Trainline to inspire and foster pride in rail and ultimately empower greener travel choices. This award-winning movement whose activations span from a national campaign featuring a song from Craig David to key partnerships with Glastonbury and Premier League clubs, has already contributed to over 30,000 people pledging to switch a journey from car to train. 

As sustainability messaging saturates the landscape, capturing people's attention has never been more critical. "Bums on Board," flips the script with a cheeky appeal to the collective British backside. Voiced by UK icon Asim Chaudhry, who urges the public to use their "glorious round things" to save the planet, this campaign marries humour with a serious message about sustainability, challenging everyone to make a difference by quite literally sitting down. 

Created by DEPT & directed by Glenn Kitson, the campaign draws inspiration from the unapologetically vibrant punk era, a quintessential part of British pop culture known for its rebellious spirit, pulling on its unique qualities along with that of independent fanzines. With bright, contrasting colours, wonky typesetting, torn imagery, ripped textures, and a look that parodies conventional sustainability graphics, I came by train aims to break through the clutter of scare-mongering sustainability campaigns. And to add levity and approachability to the message, actor and comedian Asim Chaudhry gives voice to the manifesto. 

“It’s not often an individual feels they have the power to make a real difference. So when something as tangible as switching one journey for rail can have an enormous impact, it feels like the right time to challenge the idea that we can’t achieve much by sitting on our bums. Bottoms up climate heroes.” says Bel Moretti, creative director at DEPT. 

“At Trainline, it's our job (and one we love doing) to help make green, sustainable choices easy for our customers. Carbon doesn't have to be complicated, and small positive changes can be just that. Small, and positive. Swapping just one journey really can have a massive impact. So, we wanted to celebrate a message that was cheeky and engaging. By putting our 'glorious round things' to good use, we can all contribute to a greener future, one bum at a time”, says Emily Webb, brand lead at Trainline. 

"Get your Bums on Board” is rolling out across paid and owned on social, owned and earned channels, and the icamebytrain website from today. The environmental platform is also enlisting creators to become ambASSadors of this message and encourage more people to join the movement for sustainable travel. 

*Calculations are based on CO2 / passenger km, comparing an average petrol car, using statistics and conversion factors published in the government’s greenhouse gas reporting conversion factors published on 7 June 2023 and revised on 28 June 2023.