High-speed rail

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[[File:Talgo_350_SRO.jpg|thumbnail|An AVE Class 102 (Talgo 350) high-speed train serving the Haramain line in Saudi Arabia. Observe the duck beak-shaped nose that gave the train its nickname, ''Pato'', which means "duck" in Spanish.]]
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{{cquote|We must find ways to move more people, to move these people faster, and to move them with greater comfort and with more safety.|||Lyndon B. Johnson<ref name="HSR-America">[https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/article/72347/america-high-speed/ High-speed rail in America: Tracks to the future]. Global Rail Review. August 20, 2018. Accessed January 27, 2019. </ref>}}

'''High-speed rail''' (HSR) is a platform on which some modern trains run on at speeds faster than traditional rail traffic. While some of these trains use wheels, others employ magnetic levitation, thereby reducing friction and the number of moving parts. All such trains are aerodynamically shaped in order to reduce air drag. Some share the same tracks as freight and low-speed trains; others operate on dedicated tracks. As of 2023, high-speed trains are serving passengers in Europe, North America, North Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Under some circumstances, they provide a viable alternative to air travel, driving, or taking a bus. In general, high-speed rail is viable in regions with high population-density and wealth.

==Definitions of high-speed rail==
There is no single authoritative definition of high-speed rail. The European Union defines high-speed trains to be those with <u>sustained</u> speeds above 200 km/h on upgraded legacy lines and in excess of 250 km/h on purpose built grade-separated tracks.<ref>http://www.uic.org/highspeed#General-definitions-of-highspeed</ref><ref name="BBC-lag">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6978427.stm UK 'lagging behind speedy Europe']. BBC News. September 4, 2007. </ref> In the United States, the Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Association (USDOT FRA) put forth the following definitions:<ref>[http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42584.pdf The Development of High Speed Rail in the United States: Issues and Recent Events] (PDF). Federation of American Scientists (FAS) December 20, 2014.</ref>
* Express high-speed rail: at least 150 mph (240 km/h) on grade separated tracks dedicated to passenger service
* Regional high-speed rail: 110 - 150 mph (176 km/h to 240 km/h) on grade-separated tracks
* Emerging high-speed rail: top speeds of 90 - 110 mph (144 km/h to 176 km/h)

High-speed rail must be adapted to the unique needs and challenges of each country interested in building it. There are of course more to high-speed rail than the train and its top speed. When creating a high-speed rail service, one also needs to consider signaling, infrastructure, operations and maintenance.<ref name="UIC-HSR"/>

<!-- One thing to keep an eye on is whether lines touted as HSR only briefly achieves their stated ''top'' speed, but generally run at much lower speeds (as is the case in many upgraded legacy lines), or whether, as seen in dedicated HSR systems (e.g. the Shinkansen or TGV), they ''generally'' operate at speeds well beyond 200 km/h. To achieve the latter, it's typically necessary for (dedicated) HSR to have relatively widely spaced stops (compared with more traditional rail systems) as the time needed to reach and brake from high speeds mandates long, straight, dedicated rail systems with distant stations (or a few clusters of stations followed by a long, uninterrupted journey). -->

<!-- ===Why does HSR need a new set of tracks?===
[[File:Transrapid-emsland.jpg|thumb|300px|This lovely caterpillar, the Transrapid 09 magnetically levitated monorail train, needs its specially designed tracks to run on.]]
Counterintuitive as it may seem, high-speed rail is often cheaper to build on entirely new alignment and exclusively for high-speed passenger operation (i.e. separated from freight and regional/commuter rail). This has several reasons. First of all the requirements of HSR and freight are almost exactly opposite. While trains going at 300 km/h have to have tracks as straight as possible (with curve radii in the range of 7 ''kilometers'' and more), slow freight trains can take a curvy route at the same slow speed as a straight one. On the other hand high-speed trains can climb rather steep slopes, as they by definition combine powerful engines and a low overall mass. The newest-generation German ICE for example is able to climb a 4% incline at full 300km/h which is quite some feat, considering rail traditionally measures steepness in parts per thousand. A freight train which is - almost by definition - rather heavy, and pulled only by one or two locomotives for several tens or even hundreds of cars, cannot even begin to climb steep slopes and the solutions that have been found for this problem (more locomotives, external engines pushing or pulling) all cost either time or money - two things transportation can ill afford to lose. Thus when going over a mountain or through a valley there are only three possibilities: Take the curvy route (which means trains can't run at high speeds), take the steep route (which means freight trains can't take it), or build a ton of bridges and tunnels (which can get ''expensive'' really fast). Most new HSR lines are built with that in mind and thus exclude freight already in the planning stage.{{fact}} A further reason why freight and HSR rarely share tracks is that it greatly lowers capacity. <ref group="note">Just imagine sitting behind a truck going 50 km/h an hour on the interstate - with no possibility to overtake for miles on end - to illustrate the point.</ref> Lower capacity of course means fewer trains, and fewer trains means less money for the company running the trains which in turn either makes tickets more expensive or threatens the financial viability of the whole project. Thus low-speed and high-speed operations have to be separated either geographically (through new sets of tracks) or temporarily (through freight running at night or in off-peak hours and high-speed trains running in the remaining parts of the day). Finally in most countries where HSR was built, the existing tracks were already congested and could not handle the (projected) increases in rail traffic. Thus building on a entirely new alignment with mostly greenfield/brownfield development was a rather easy conclusion. In a sense this is even true for the US as the freight railroads run most of their lines at capacity and are loath to share tracks with [[Amtrak]] already. This is unlikely to change if passenger trains start running at 200 mph instead of 79 mph.

Furthermore, some high-speed trains, such as the Transrapid magnetically levitated monorail train, are of peculiar designs and as such require specially designed tracks in order to function. -->

==Countries with operational high-speed railways==
===Africa===
[[File:Railways_Morocco.png|thumb|300px|Morocco's high-speed railway.]]
'''Morocco.''' Morocco inaugurated Africa's first high-speed railway in November 2018, connecting Tangier to Kénitra, in the northern part of the country facing the Atlantic. The Moroccan national operator (ONCF) is upgrading service further south to Rabat and Casablanca, on the Atlantic coast, for greater speed (220 km/h) and capacity. When completed, the time taken to travel from Tangier to Casablanca will be more than halved, down to just two hours and ten minutes. Further upgrades are being planned, and, when completed, will cut travel time from Tangier to Casablanca down to just an hour and a half.<ref>[https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/news/africa/single-view/view/africas-first-high-speed-line-inaugurated.html Africa’s first high speed line inaugurated]. Railway Gazette. November 16, 2018. </ref> The Tangier-Kénitra line features the ''Avelia Euroduplex'' articulated bilevel train with one section dedicated to those with reduced mobility.<ref>[https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/75198/high-speed-rail-africa/ For the first time, high-speed rail arrives in Africa]. Global Railway Review. November 16, 2018. </ref>

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===Asia===
[[File:Eastern_Asia_HSR2018.svg|thumb|right|300px|Map of high-speed railways in East Asia.]]
[[File:Series_L0.JPG|thumb|right|300px|The L0 Series from Japan holds the current record of the world's fastest train.]]
'''[[China]].''' While China had virtually no high-speed railways at the beginning of the 21<sup>st</sup> century, construction has been taking place at a feverish pace. Several Chinese airlines have consequently seen their revenues plummeting and hardly any airline offers flights directly competing with HSR.<ref>http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/imqq/bizchina/2011-04/02/content_12267556.htm</ref> A high-speed railway linking Hong Kong to the rest of mainland China opened in 2018,<ref>[https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/2166612/hong-kong-leader-optimistic-about-future-high-speed-rail Hong Kong leader optimistic about future of high-speed rail link with mainland China, as record 78,000 catch trains on National Day]. ''South China Morning Post''. October 2, 2018. </ref> albeit with controversy over the political independence of the special administrative region. In any case, China currently has the world's largest high-speed rail network, 25,000 km and increasing.<ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/china-bullet-train-hong-kong-shenzhen-guangzhou-express-rail-link-completion-2018-4/#the-trains-named-the-vibrant-express-can-go-up-to-217-mph-they-are-equipped-with-power-outlets-and-wi-fi-2 China's 'bullet train' network is the largest in the world — and it's about to get even bigger]. ''Business Insider''. April 11, 2018. </ref> China's high-speed rail is a combination of imported and indigenous technologies. China intends to complement its high-speed rail network with maglev trains capable of a top operational speed of 550 km/h (344 mph).<ref>[https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/2166479/china-set-roll-out-maglev-trains-600km/h-top-speed-after Chinese maglev train capable of traveling at 600km/h on track for 2020 test run as design completed]. ''South China Morning Post''. October 2, 2018. </ref>

'''[[Japan]].''' The East Asian power had the first system and in fact had to build an entirely separate system as legacy trains ran on a different gauge. All Japanese HSR lines are now privatized and operate at a huge profit. The world's first bullet train entered service in Japan in 1964; the world's fastest train is the  L0 series SCMaglev (superconducting magnetically levitated) train, demonstrated to be capable of reaching  603 km/h (375 mph).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpRqlehZ0X8 Japan: World's fastest train 603km/h]. BBC News. April 21<sup>st</sup>, 2015. </ref> In terms of costs per kilometer, coverage, and operating speeds, Japan's high-speed rail network is one of the best in the world.<ref name="GoEuro"/>

'''[[Saudi Arabia]].''' The kingdom opened its first high-speed railway connecting Medina to Mecca, via Jeddah, bordering the Red Sea, in 2018. The Haramain Express line is expected to carry up to 60 million passengers a year and ease traffic congestion for Muslim pilgrims, who can now travel between Medina and Mecca in just two hours instead of the usual six by bus.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-45639285 Saudi Arabia opens high-speed railway linking holy cities]. BBC. September 25, 2018. </ref> Uniquely, there are designated camel crossings.<ref>[https://www.midwesthsr.org/saudi-arabia-unveils-new-high-speed-line Saudi Arabia unveils new high-speed line]. Midwest High Speed Rail Association. October 2, 2018. </ref>

'''[[South Korea]].''' The Seoul-Busan is now one of the most popular HSR routes in the world.<ref>{{cite journal |Lee= |Kwang-Sub= |Eom= |Jin Ki=  |date=2013 |title=The Preliminary Analysis of Introducing 500 km/h High-Speed Rail in Korea |url=https://www.dbpia.co.kr/Journal/articleDetail?nodeId=NODE02130506 |journal=International Journal of Railway |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=26-31 |doi=10.7782/ijr.2013.6.1.026  |access-date=2024-2-12}}</ref> Korea achieves the greatest population coverage at almost 45%.<ref name="GoEuro">[https://www.goeuro.co.uk/trains/high-speed Ranking of High-Speed Trains]. Go Euro.</ref>

'''[[Taiwan]].''' The Taiwan High-speed Rail (THSR, or ''Gāotiě'') opened in 2007 and connects the various cities along the nation's West Coast, from Taipei in the north to Kaohsiung in the south. The railway is 345 kilometers (216 miles) long and has twelve stations.<ref>[https://guidetotaipei.com/article/taiwan-high-speed-rail-%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E9%AB%98%E9%90%B5-thsr Taiwan High-speed Rail]. Guide to Taipei. Accessed December 2, 2018. </ref> Ridership was initially disappointing, leading to deficits, but steadily increased from 2012 onward. Free WiFi was introduced in 2017 but connectivity is rather poor at the moment due to the many tunnels that the train must go through. The THSR is one of the world's largest privately funded railways.<ref>[https://www.smartrailworld.com/taiwans-high-speed-rail-ten-years-on Taiwan's high-speed rail ten years on]. Smart Rail World. February 6, 2017. </ref> New trains were ordered from Japan in 2019.<ref>[https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/76771/taiwan-railways-electric-multiple-units/ Hitachi to supply Taiwan Railways Administration with 600 EMUs]. Global Rail Review. January 16, 2019. Accessed January 27, 2019. </ref>

===Europe===
[[File:High_Speed_Railroad_Map_of_Europe.svg|thumb|300px||Map of high-speed railways in Europe.]]
[[File:AVE Serie 103 Velaro (Barcelona - Figueres) - Llinars del Vallès (11685467295).jpg|thumbnail|A Spanish AVE class 103 (Velaro E) on the Barcelona-Figueres High speed line.]]
'''[[Belgium]].''' Belgium is served by four different rail operators, TGV, ICE, Eurostar and Thalys, each offering connections to neighboring countries. Eurostar trains in particular connect Brussels to London,<ref name="Atlas"/> and has seen significant increases in passenger traffic for years in a row.<ref>[https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/76940/revenue-traffic-getlink-increase/ Getlink’s momentum continues with ninth year of revenue growth]. Global Rail Review. January 23, 2019. Accessed January 27, 2019. </ref>

'''[[France]].''' The first high-speed railway in France opened in 1983, connecting Paris and Lyon. More lines have been added ever since, mostly connecting the capital with other parts of of the country, and beyond, to Spain, Belgium and the U.K. Funding for the construction of new ones have been approved, and not all of them go to Paris. Prices, however, are high, making the service out of reach for many people and subsidies necessary. The French national railway company, SNCF, has been offering a low-cost high-speed rail service called Ouigo. But it has yet to make a profit.<ref>[https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2018/09/france-tgv-expansion/569992/ France’s High-Speed Rail Expansion Takes a New Direction]. CityLab. September 12, 2018. </ref> In 2018, the SNCF ordered the brand new Avelia Horizon trains, featuring greater passenger capacity, improved energy efficiency, and less required maintenance. These trains also cost less than their predecessors.<ref>[https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/71832/sncf-high-speed-train-alstom/ SNCF orders 100 next-generation very high-speed trains from Alstom]. ''Global Railway Review''. July 27, 2018. </ref> The French high-speed rail network offers direct connections to neighboring countries, namely, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy.<ref name="Atlas"/>

'''[[Germany]].''' Intercity Express (ICE) trains entered service starting in 1991, connecting Hamburg to Munich<ref>https://www.zeit.de/1991/23/im-zug-der-zeit/komplettansicht</ref>, and was soon extended to all the way to Belgium and Switzerland. Germany's network is well-integrated with existing mass transit systems and legacy railways.<ref name="Atlas"/> Germany's next generation of high-speed trains, ICE 4, will come equipped with the European Train Control System (ETCS), allowing for cross-border service, into neighboring Switzerland and Austria.<ref>[https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/74844/operation-ice-4-etcs-germany/ Operation of ICE 4 equipped with ETCS is approved in Germany]. Global Railway Review. November 5, 2018. </ref>
<!-- The ICE (Inter City Express, originally Inter City Experimental) had its first trial runs in the late 1980s and started revenue service in the 1990s. After a line opened connecting Frankfurt and Cologne all flights between the two airports ceased. The first train to run faster than 200 km/h (albeit barely) in trial runs on an electrified line ran in Germany in '''1903'''<ref>see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Prussian_Military_Railway#High-speed_tests here] for a bit more detail</ref>. -->
 
'''[[Italy]].''' Italy invented the ''{{wpl|Pendolino}}'' tilting train.<ref group="note">A tilting train can go into curves faster - just like a motorcyclist who leans into a curve. This brings obvious benefits on curvy legacy tracks - though "train sickness" due to the movement of the train is one obvious downside</ref> The North-South Corridor was completed and entered service in late 2009. Most journeys should take no longer than three hours. During peak periods, trains of the Milan-Rome line operate at 15-minute intervals.<ref>[https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/990/more-news/ Italian north-south high speed line completed]. Global Rail Review. December 9, 2009. Accessed January 27, 2019. </ref> High-speed railways branch out from Milan to Turin, Venice, Bologna, Rome, Naples, and Salerno and there are connections to Switzerland.<ref>[https://www.midwesthsr.org/wrapping-our-trip Wrapping Up Our Trip]. Blog. Midwest High-speed Rail Association. November 12, 2018. </ref> A rail line connecting Turin with Lyon, France, is being planned and is well supported by the residents of Turin, but it faces opposition from certain political and environmental groups.<ref>[https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/thousands-rally-to-back-italy-france-high-speed-train-project-10917058 Thousands rally to back Italy-France high-speed train project]. Channel NewsAsia. November 11, 2018. </ref>

'''The [[Netherlands]].''' Rotterdam and Amsterdam have been part of the cross-channel Eurostar service since April 2018, which has proven to be quite popular.<ref name="Eurostar-success">[https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/74925/q3-2018-record-sales-eurostar/ Q3 2018 highlights record sales revenues for Eurostar]. November 7, 2018. </ref>

'''[[Russia]].''' Unlike all other countries on this list Russia's HSR runs on Russian broad gauge instead of standard gauge and the currently only line connects St. Petersburg and Moscow along an almost perfectly straight line.

'''[[Spain]].''' The AVE (Alta Velocidad Española, meaning Spanish High-speed) only started running in 1992 and didn't gain steam until quite recently. Since the Barcelona-Madrid route opened for business, air travel has declined steadily along that route. Even longer routes like Sevilla-Madrid or Sevilla-Barcelona have seen rising train ridership and falling passenger numbers on the airlines<ref>http://www.diariodesevilla.es/article/economia/1779459/ave/andaluz/abre/una/brecha/con/avion/cinco/millones/viajeros.html</ref> By August 2017, Spain has the largest high-speed rail network in Europe and the second largest in the world, at 3,100 km. AVE trains use standard gauge tracks, allowing for direct connection with neighboring countries, namely France and Portugal.<ref name="Atlas">[https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-most-high-speed-rail.html Countries With the Most High Speed Rail]. World Atlas. Updated April 19, 2018. </ref>

'''[[Sweden]].''' Västtrafik, the agency responsible for public transportation in the Västra Götaland region, western Sweden,<ref>[https://www.vasttrafik.se/en/about-vasttrafik/vasttrafik-ab/ About Västtrafik (in English)]. Accessed November 28, 2018. </ref> reports that train ridership has increased significantly in recent years. In response, the agency is ordering new Bombardier Zefiro trains that could reach 200 km/h. These new trains offer WiFi and accommodations for wheelchairs, pushchairs, and bicycles.<ref>[https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/75427/vasttrafik-new-trains/ Västtrafik orders additional new high-speed trains]. Global Rail Review. November 28, 2018. </ref>

'''[[United Kingdom]].''' [[England]] is the currently the only part of the UK with a dedicated high-speed railway (with operating speeds well in excess of 200 km/h): High Speed 1 (HS1), a 109-kilometer (68-mile) track connecting London to the U.K. end of the Channel Tunnel.<ref>[https://highspeed1.co.uk/rail Rail]. Accessed February 15, 2019.</ref> Eurostar, the main operator of trains through the Channel Tunnel, is the principal international service provider, although the line is also used for freight and for commuter trains to Kent operated by Southeastern.<ref name="HS1-expands">[https://www.ft.com/content/272feeac-4fc0-11e8-9471-a083af05aea7 https://www.ft.com/content/272feeac-4fc0-11e8-9471-a083af05aea7]. ''Financial Times''. May 13, 2018. </ref><ref>{{wpa|High Speed 1}}</ref> HS1 is working with other rail operators to expand services to Bordeaux, France, Geneva, Switzerland, and Frankfurt, Germany.<ref name="HS1-expands"/> The U.K. government approved the construction of the [[HS2]] network, expected to enter operations by 2029. Phase 1 links Birmingham to London. Although original plans called for it to connect to HS1 in London for services to Folkestone and Europe, these were later dropped.<ref>[https://www.building.co.uk/news/government-decides-to-drop-700m-hs2-to-hs1-link/5067278.article Government decides to drop £700m HS2 to HS1 link, 17 March 2014]</ref> This was largely due to layout and operational difficulties related to way in which HS1 terminates into St Pancras, rather than building proposed new through-platforms behind Kings Cross, which would allow through-services to the rets of the UK. Phase 2 has two proposed branches, one from Birmingham to Manchester and the other from Birmingham to Sheffield and Leeds.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/jan/10/high-speed-rail-hs2 High-speed rail: how do we compare to the rest of the world?]. ''The Guardian''. Data Blog. January 10, 2012.</ref> In November 2021, the government announced the cancellation of the Eastern leg to Leeds and {{wpl|Northern Powerhouse Rail}}, sparking outrage amongst northern city councils.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hs2-northern-powerhouse-rail-betrayal-b1960303.html ‘Betrayal of the north’: Furious leaders demand free Commons vote as Johnson slashes rail plans], 18 November 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/government-confirms-the-great-northern-rail-betrayal/ Government confirms the great Northern rail betrayal], 18 November 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/boris-s-rail-betrayal-is-no-surprise Boris’s rail betrayal is no surprise], 18 November 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/andy-burnham-leads-plan-to-save-full-northern-powerhouse-rail-route-3470050 Andy Burnham leads plan to save full Northern Powerhouse Rail route through landowner taxes], 24 November 2021</ref><ref>[https://bylinetimes.com/2022/06/22/conservative-party-great-rail-betrayal/ The Conservative Party’s Great Rail Betrayal], 22 June 2022</ref> In addition, a number of UK legacy lines have been upgraded to allow maximum speeds of up to 125 mph (200 km/h). However, these peak speeds are often misleading as trains may frequently have to slow for legacy bridges, tunnels and tight bends which cannot safely accommodate the higher speeds.<ref name="BBC-lag"/>

===North America===
[[File:Avelia Liberty.jpg|thumb|250px|A new Avelia Liberty trainset passing through Claymont, Delaware.]]

'''[[United States]].''' As of 2018, the U.S. has two high-speed railways. One is the Northeast Corridor (connecting Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, New Haven, and Boston), served by the Acela Express which can travel at 125 mph (200km/h), and is operated by the National Passenger Railroad Corporation ([[Amtrak]]). The first-generation Acela will be replaced by the faster Avelia Liberty tilting train by the mid 2020s, with more tracks under construction to increase passenger capacity.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/francistapon/2018/09/30/when-are-truly-high-speed-trains-coming-to-amtrak/#5c7d5ca61182 When Are Truly High-Speed Trains Coming To Amtrak?]. Forbes. September 30, 2018. </ref> The other is in {{wpl|All Aboard Florida|Florida}}, which is privately owned. Meanwhile, new high-speed rail lines are being constructed in {{wpl|California High-Speed Rail|California}} (public) and {{wpl|Texas Central Railway|Texas}} (private). The {{wpl|XpressWest}} line (private) connecting Los Angeles to Las Vegas has been approved,<ref>[https://www.apnews.com/974c6061234a4370ba36c3870867a5b2 Southern California-Las Vegas train back on track after sale]. ''Associated Press''. September 19, 2018. </ref> with plans to extend from Las Vegas to Phoenix, Arizona, and to Denver, Colorado, via Salt Lake City, Utah.<ref>[http://www.xpresswest.com/network.html The Southwest Network]. XpressWest.</ref> The {{wpl|Chicago Hub Network}} has been proposed.<ref group="note">To see the massive potential that Chicago has as a transportation hub for the Midwest, see the [https://www.midwesthsr.org/crossrail-chicago Cross Rail Chicago] proposal, aimed at linking the O'Hare International Airport, one of the busiest in the world, with North and South sides of the city for regional/commuter and inter-city high-speed trains. </ref>

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==Benefits of high-speed rail==

===Benefits to society===
[[File:Union Station (Washington, DC) Interior-2.jpg|thumb|330px|A major train station can serve as an intermodal transportation hub and provides community space. ''Pictured'': Interior of the Washington Union Station, District of Columbia, United States of America.]]
*'''Economic stimulus'''. Many jobs are created directly and indirectly. People get hired for transportation services and manufacturing jobs.<ref name="APTA-HSR">[https://www.apta.com/highspeedrail/benefits/Pages/default.aspx Benefits of High-Speed Rail for the United States]. American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Accessed February 14, 2019.</ref> In general, businesses are attracted to places with good transportation options.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2018/11/23/670373307/areas-with-mass-transit-see-job-growth-research-shows Areas With Mass Transit See Job Growth, Research Indicates]. NPR. November 23, 2018. Accessed February 14, 2019. </ref>

*'''Reduction of congestion''' thanks to high-capacity and high-frequency service.<ref name="APTA-HSR"/><ref name="UIC-HSR">[https://uic.org/high-speed-principles-and-advantages High-speed Principles and Advantages]. International Union of Railways (UIC). June 3, 2015. Accessed February 14, 2019. </ref> In a highly congested city, people may spend more time sitting than driving. In fact, traffic jams are costly.<ref name="HSW-HSR"/>

*'''Reduction of dependence on fossil fuels and greater environmental friendliness'''. Modern high-speed trains are nine times more energy-efficient than planes and four times more than cars. They also use about a third as much space as highways, while transporting many more people.<ref name="UIC-HSR"/> Moreover, high-speed trains can be powered at least partially by renewable energy. As a result, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution are dramatically reduced.<ref name="HSW-HSR"/>

* Those countries that built the first (Japan, France, Germany) or most extensive (China) HSR networks are usually among the first to supply rolling stock to new HSR networks.<ref group="note">The {{wpl|Siemens Velaro}} from Germany runs on Russian, Spanish, Chinese and Turkish rails; TGV-based trains by Alstom from France run in South Korea and the US. Taiwan and China bought a couple of (slightly modified) Shinkansens when they opened their networks. China is building high-speed railways left and right and selling the trains with it, though with possible intellectual theft.</ref> Thus train manufacturers profit from the good reputation of the domestic HSR network<ref>http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/high-speed-rail/article19528899.html</ref>

*'''Curbing urban sprawl and improved walkabililty'''. Good transportation means fewer private vehicles and more space for people.<ref name="UIC-HSR"/><ref name="HSW-HSR">Derek Markham, Planet Green. [https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/8-benefits-high-speed-trains4.htm 8 Benefits of High-speed Trains]. August 29, 2012. Accessed February 14, 2019. </ref> Moreover, a major train station can serve as an intermodal transportation hub and provides business and retail space.

===Benefits to the individual===
[[File:Acela pair Boston South snow.jpg|thumb|Trains are less affected by the weather than planes. ''Pictured'': A pair of Acela trains in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.]]
*'''More free time available'''. Passengers can work, eat, rest, or do something other than driving. High-speed rail is competitive against air travel for distances of 400 miles (640 km) or less.<ref name="HSW-HSR"/> Post 9/11, HSR may be competitive for distances exceeding 500-600 miles when considering "door-to-door" travel times due to delays imposed by enhanced airport security. Speaking of which, train stations also lack security checkpoints, and overall have a much more relaxed atmosphere compared to the hustle and bustle of airports.

*'''Independence of weather''', except in extreme cases. Flights are canceled due to bad weather whereas trains can still operate most of the time.<ref name="UIC-HSR"/>

*'''Improved mobility'''. A high-speed rail network that is well-integrated with public transit and airports enable people to move more quickly and easily.<ref name="APTA-HSR"/>

*'''Safety'''. Trains are among the safest mode of transportation available.<ref name="UIC-HSR"/>

*'''Flexibility and accessibility'''. Baggage and security checks takes less time for trains than for planes.<ref name="UIC-HSR"/>

*'''Comfort'''. The average economy class seat on a passenger train has much, much more legroom than an economy class seat on a plane. This is because airlines are concerned with packing as many passengers into one cramped aircraft as possible to maximize profits, while a train can spread that same amount of passengers out across multiple cars, thus requiring less seats per car, which translates to more legroom.

*'''Accessibility'''. Train stations tend to be located at the heart of a city, rather than awkwardly situated on the outskirts and requiring airline passengers to go the rest of the way to their destination in either a shuttle or rental car. For example, Denver International Airport is located 25 miles away from Denver itself due to the area's geography, while Denver Union Station is conveniently located in downtown; it's rather telling that a commuter rail line was opened in 2016 connecting the airport to Denver Union Station.

*'''Scenery'''. Since trains are at ground level, there is much more to look at out the window compared to on a plane.

==Drawbacks of high-speed rail==
*'''[[Eminent domain]]'''.  It displaces relatively few people when building a track through farmland, but to upgrade the tracks in urban areas where passengers actually are would require that a large number of buildings be demolished and people displaced, which can get expensive really fast.
*'''High infrastructure requirement'''. High-speed trains are only appropriate for connecting two or more large cities within reasonable proximity of one another. It does not make sense to build a high-speed railway between, say, two places thousands of miles apart through the desert. Planes would be more economically viable in this scenario because they require less infrastructure. However, with climate-change becoming a bigger problem HSR may be a more viable option even for long distance travel. Strategic use of high-speed sleeper trains could enable trips of over 1000 miles overnight, without taking time from the traveller's day.<ref>[https://hsrail.org/night-trains] High Speed Rail Alliance - Night Trains</ref>

==Misconceptions about high-speed rails==
* Some people who live near public transportation in general and high-speed railways in particular will oppose the project and insist that their land will depreciate.<ref>Cruickshank, [http://www.cahsrblog.com/2014/03/private-ownership-doesnt-spare-florida-higher-speed-rail-from-nimbys/ "Private Ownership Doesn’t Spare Florida Higher Speed Rail From NIMBYs"], CHSR Blog. ("Residents who believe that their cities should be oriented around the automobile react with furious anger at the very notion of passenger rail service, convinced it will turn their neighborhoods into some kind of ruined wasteland.")</ref> Such arguments are feeble, because being within proximity to a train station is obviously convenient. Property prices will likely go up, not down.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesrealestatecouncil/2018/11/27/what-investors-should-know-about-public-transportations-affect-on-manhattan-real-estate-value/#5f5d1a1342a6 What Investors Should Know About Public Transportation's Effect On Manhattan Real Estate Value]. Forbes. November 27, 2018. Accessed February 14, 2019. </ref>

* HSR requires a huge upfront investment (just like highways built from scratch) and as such it is "socialist."<ref>[http://dailysignal.com/2009/03/17/the-lefts-high-speed-rail-fantasy/ The Left's High-Speed Rail Fantasy], ''The Daily Signal'' (the [[Heritage Foundation]]'s bullhorn),  March 17, 2009.</ref> High-speed trains are certainly expensive, but come with numerous advantages, as explained above. The investment will pay off in the long run. Giving people more choices is anything but "socialist."

* China has it. And [[Anti-Europeanism|Europe]]. Therefore it is bad.<ref>The Association of Public Transport in America (APTA) felt it necessary to counter both the "European" and "socialist" objections on page 5 of [http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/HSR-Defense.pdf ''An Inventory of the Criticisms of High-Speed Rail''] while China pops up on page 7 and 21.</ref>

* Unlike high-speed rail, cars bring freedom.<ref>[[George Will]] in a ''Newsweek'' article [http://www.newsweek.com/will-why-liberals-love-trains-68597 Why Liberals Love Trains]</ref> Although cars allows one to travel at almost complete free will, this argument shoots itself in the foot as high-speed trains in the right places actually increase people's freedom to travel. Moreover, car drivers need to worry about car insurance, congestion, and traffic collisions, train riders do not. However, car drivers do not need to follow someone else's schedule.

* High Speed Rail is elitist.<ref>Simon Jenkins, [http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jan/05/high-speed-rail-crowded-island "High-speed rail will bleed us all for a few rich travellers"], ''[[The Guardian]]''.</ref> If people are willing and able to travel by planes, there is fundamentally no reason why they should not travel by train, which can be quite affordable and convenient, depending on location.

* In some places (e.g. Australia) the market is so grossly distorted that it is cheaper to send freight by road. (Australia moved away from using rail because of bandits.) Taxpayers bear the cost of the increased damage to roads and higher fatalities to send freight via a less efficient and more costly method. The toll operators have some pretty slick representation, too.

==See also==
*[[Hyperloop]] —&nbsp;[[Elon Musk]]'s proposed alternative.
*[[Rail transportation]] for the 'legacy network' referred to in the article.

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELSpGxxUjVE Tilting Pendolini &mdash; 3D animation] by Alstom.
*''[https://www.wpr.org/derailed Derailed]'' - A 6 part radio series by Wisconsin Public Radio that explores what happened to Wisconsin's high speed rail project and the politics involved in its demise.

==Notes==
<references group="note"/>

==References==
{{reflist|2|90%}}

[[Category:Transport]] [[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Government]]

Categories: Transport, Technology, Government