Rail has proven it can relieve costly air traffic congestion. A dramatic example lies in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, where trains travel between New York and Washington at speeds up to 200 kilometers an hour. Their speed and relatively low cost help explain why Amtrak, the U.S. national passenger rail service, carries more passengers on that route than any airline. Recent studies show that rail can even make expensive new airports unnecessary since many short trips could more easily be served by trains. Europe faces a 74-percent increase in air travel as a result of the new single market, and 30 major European airports will reach full capacity in six years.
Railways also move people and freight in far less space than roads.
Two railroad tracks can carry as many people in an hour as a 16-lane wide highway. The advantages of rail are compelling, and the payback of the global rail revival promises to be huge. But an effective shift toward greater use of rail will come only if governments reduce subsidies that promote driving, and require urban and suburban growth to fit into compact patterns that encourage a transportation mix including trains, buses, walking, and bicycles.