Quote:
Originally Posted by R Leo
FWIW, the USA isn't a good candidate for nationwide high-speed rail...too much ground to cover. At speeds between 150-200mph, the advantage is lost if you need to travel more than 300-400 miles. That's where aircraft come into their own.
|
I'd say more like 600 miles is the break even point. 600 miles = 4 hr by train at 150 mph.
By plane, it's a 2 hr flight, including takeoff, landing, taxiing, and boarding. Add another hour for security/bag check/BS and another hour of travel to airports (which are often far from populated areas), and you have 4 hr. Trains can also stop at smaller cities along the way more easily than planes, making access faster.