As someone who loves aviation and space ships and the like: I sincerely have no idea why the rail isn’t more commonly used for intercontinental intracontinental travel. Yes all the hippie reasons it’s great, but also when you take into account all the costs that go into car travel from destination A to destination B on a trip that goes across states; it’s cheaper, faster, and more reliable. And arguably less stressful and more comfortable.
I would choose a rail option over flight even if it’s 50% longer. But even in West-Europe where Highspeed rail is well developed, it’s quite hard to find international rail options :(
They’re building Rail Baltica to connect the Baltics to the rest of Europe via rail, but riding it will cost more than a plane trip and take longer. Aviation needs to be more expensive for rail to even be competitive.
I can’t speak to Europe’s rail system but in the US it’s horrifically underdeveloped. There are a few passenger lines still in operation, but for the most part it’s all freight.
Because of the costs of integrating an entire railway system into the continent that’s better or just as good as public transportation. You’re starting at a huge loss in hopes of an income.
Trains are the crabs of transportation. If you optimise something enough, eventually you get a train.
As someone who loves aviation and space ships and the like: I sincerely have no idea why the rail isn’t more commonly used for
intercontinentalintracontinental travel. Yes all the hippie reasons it’s great, but also when you take into account all the costs that go into car travel from destination A to destination B on a trip that goes across states; it’s cheaper, faster, and more reliable. And arguably less stressful and more comfortable.I would choose a rail option over flight even if it’s 50% longer. But even in West-Europe where Highspeed rail is well developed, it’s quite hard to find international rail options :(
They’re building Rail Baltica to connect the Baltics to the rest of Europe via rail, but riding it will cost more than a plane trip and take longer. Aviation needs to be more expensive for rail to even be competitive.
I can’t speak to Europe’s rail system but in the US it’s horrifically underdeveloped. There are a few passenger lines still in operation, but for the most part it’s all freight.
You mean intracontinental?
I can think of several reasons trains aren’t used for most intercontinal trips.
Yes, I did. Autocorrect thinks I didn’t know what I was talking about.
Because of the costs of integrating an entire railway system into the continent that’s better or just as good as public transportation. You’re starting at a huge loss in hopes of an income.
Not to mention they were flying at sight-seeing speeds.