The future begins with choices. And every journey is one of them.
When we choose the train, we are choosing more than simply a way to get from one place to another. We are choosing a mode of travel that connects people and places while being kinder to the environment. But sustainability is not only about how we move. It is also about the kind of environment we leave behind.
That is why Slovenian Railways created Sowing a Sunny Tomorrow as a project that goes beyond the railway itself. Together with local communities, children, beekeepers, athletes and other partners, we sowed sunflowers alongside railway lines and at stations across Slovenia. From those small seeds, thousands of yellow flowers emerged over the summer, carrying a simple message: a better future does not happen on its own. We create it through the choices we make every day – and we create it together.
Every journey is also a choice
Every year, European Mobility Week draws attention to a question that is becoming increasingly important: how will we travel tomorrow? Transport has a significant impact on the environment, air quality, the use of space and our everyday quality of life, which makes our choice of transport an important step towards a more sustainable society.
Rail has a particularly important role to play. Thanks to its energy efficiency, low emissions and ability to connect with other forms of mobility, it is one of the key pillars of a sustainable transport system.
The figures also show that rail is becoming an increasingly important choice. In 2025, Slovenian Railways carried a record 20.9 million passengers and more than 17 million tonnes of freight. Behind those figures are people, their everyday journeys and a growing number of decisions to travel differently.
Sustainability is not only about lower emissions. It is also about stronger connections.
A sustainable future is not built through infrastructure and technology alone. It is also built between people. When a municipality works with a school, when children meet beekeepers, when athletes join local communities and when different generations come together around the same idea, something is created that cannot be measured simply in kilometres or tonnes of emissions.
This is what makes Sowing a Sunny Tomorrow special. For the second year in a row, Slovenian Railways carried out the project together with municipalities, local communities, schools, kindergartens and beekeepers.
This year, some of Slovenia’s leading athletes also joined us, including Maruša Mišmaš Zrimšek, Laura Unuk, Mitja Petkovšek, Ana Drev, the young football players of NK Celje, the young handball players of RK Sevnica, Maruša Štangar, Matevž Skok and the players of HK Olimpija Ljubljana.
By taking part in the sowing events, they not only supported the project but also helped spread its message: caring for the environment is a shared responsibility, and sustainability begins with action.
This year, sunflowers bloomed in fourteen locations across Slovenia
In 2026, sunflowers were sown alongside railway lines and at stations in fourteen locations across Slovenia: Domžale, Grosuplje, Ivančna Gorica, Laško, Sevnica, Divača, Šmartno ob Paki, Celje, Kočevje, Ljubljana, Medvode, Dravograd, Velenje and Osluševci near Ormož.
By summer, thousands of yellow flowers were blooming across these locations. The seeds for all of them were provided by SAATBAU eGen.
A sunflower that looks to the future
A sunflower is more than a flower that catches the eye alongside a railway line. It is a symbol of hope, perseverance and looking towards the future. Turning towards the sun, it represents optimism and a desire for change.
As a nectar-rich plant, it also contributes to biodiversity and provides food for bees and other pollinators at a time of year when fewer other nectar-producing plants are available.
This is why Sowing a Sunny Tomorrow connects symbolism with action. It does not simply talk about a greener future – it actually does something to help create one.
From a seed to a movement
The best stories often begin to grow quietly. With one idea, one action and a few people who believe in it. Then others join in.
Children from kindergartens, primary and secondary school students, representatives of municipalities and beekeeping associations, athletes and members of local communities all take part in the sunflower sowing events. Each location is different, but the message remains the same: sustainability is not the responsibility of one individual. It is something we can create together.
That is the strength of Sowing a Sunny Tomorrow. A simple idea has grown into a story that connects generations and places, taking on new forms with each passing year.
More than transport. More than a project.
At first glance, railways and Sowing a Sunny Tomorrow may seem like two very different stories. A train travels along the tracks, while a sunflower grows from the soil. Yet both tell the same story – one of connection and the future.
Railways connect cities, regions and people while providing a more environmentally friendly way to travel. Sunflowers connect communities and generations, bringing people closer to nature. Both are built on cooperation, long-term thinking and responsibility towards future generations.
That is why Sowing a Sunny Tomorrow is more than a Slovenian Railways project. It is part of a broader story about how we want to live, travel and coexist in the future.
Today, Slovenian Railways is not only a railway operator but also an important driver of sustainable development. By investing in sustainable mobility, reducing emissions, encouraging rail travel and developing projects such as Sowing a Sunny Tomorrow, we are helping to create a greener, better connected and more inclusive Slovenia.
Municipality of Medvode
Every journey counts
When we choose the train, we choose more than transport. We choose the opportunity to use our travel time for ourselves – to work, read, rest or have a conversation. We choose an efficient and more environmentally friendly form of mobility. And we choose a way of travelling that connects people and places.
A sustainable future is therefore not something distant. It begins with the decisions we make today – including one as simple as deciding how we will make our next journey.
Every train journey is a vote for a more sustainable Slovenia, just as every sunflower sown is a contribution to a greener future. European Mobility Week reminds us that sustainability is not created by one big decision, but by thousands of everyday choices. Choosing the train is one of them.
We are not waiting for the future. We are creating it today.
