Experiencing High Speed Trains
For 75 years, citizens and visitors to the United States have been able to rely on the interstate highway system and an extensive aviation network to travel the country. Our culture embraces the independence of being able to travel where we want and when we want. However, road trips between cities have become slower and more frustrating. There are interstates such as I-4 in Florida near Orlando or Interstate 95 anywhere in the New York tri-state area where you are guaranteed to encounter a half hour accident or construction delay on every trip. Meanwhile, short airline flights have also become time consuming when you consider the time it takes to reach the airport, check in for a flight, go through security, fly directly to your destination or transit through the airline’s regional hub, pick up your bags, and travel to your ultimate destination.
Many other countries lack the well-developed national road network of the United States and do not have a competitive private aviation industry. Some have found an alternative way to move people and tourists around. They have devoted substantial resources to building high-speed rail systems that can travel over 200 mph on dedicated tracks. These systems connect major destinations and provide a cost-effective alternative to regional air travel and driving on crowded roads. Japan's bullet train system built for the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 was the first successful high-speed project and it runs on 1600 miles of track. In the 21st century, major high-speed rail networks have been developed by Spain, China, France, and a European consortium known as Eurostar which runs a popular high speed train service from London to Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels through the English Chunnel.
Enjoying Spain’s High Speed Train System
Spain currently has the longest high-speed network in Europe with almost 2000 miles of track. Since Spain historically had a poor road system and regional rivalries, it was an ideal place to launch centralized high-speed rail. Its AVE trains now offer first class and standard class reservations at speeds of up to 193 miles per hour to customers. The AVE trains serve all the major cities in the nation from a hub in central Madrid. Passengers can now travel approximately 400 miles from Barcelona to Madrid in two and a half hours, almost 300 miles from Madrid to Seville in two and a half hours, or 275 miles from Madrid to Granada in three hours and fifteen minutes.
My experience riding on Spain’s AVE system when we were vacationing at a resort in Marbella was quite enjoyable. I wanted to explore the city of Cordoba which served as the political, religious, and educational capital of the Islamic caliphate for hundreds of years during the Middle Ages and is known for its history and architecture. Having read about the high-speed train system, I booked a first-class ticket from nearby Malaga to Cordoba and set out on a sweltering June day to see the sights. The train station was modern, and the sleek engine and train cars which noiselessly glided into the gate made an immediate impression. Notwithstanding the tragic terrorist attack on the Madrid train station in 2004, the security measures in place at the stations I visited and on the train cars was very thorough.
The first-class air-conditioned cars are described by one booking site as follows: “These cars allow you to travel in absolute comfort, taking advantage of sitting in spacious reclining leather seats with a lot of legroom…Seats are arranged two by one with free Wi-Fi and power sockets. The coach provides some entertainment options such as a media center and a play area for kids. In this class, it is also possible to travel with bikes and to transport pets. You can enjoy meals and beverages in a restaurant car or indicate a preference to sit in a silent car when booking a ticket.” The economy class seats are also comfortable with the main difference being a two-by-two layout.
Cordoba was over a hundred miles away, but the journey took only fifty minutes and was quite affordable. Prices have risen over the past few years and a round trip from Malaga to Cordoba now costs about $100 for an economy class seat and $150 for a first-class seat. The ride was spectacular and smooth. The landscape flies by as the train’s speed rises to 200 kilometers per hour, 250 and then 300. It takes a while for your senses to process the views around you. The ride back was equally efficient and pleasant.
Overall, Spain’s high-speed train is an excellent way for tourists to see some of the country’s major sites without having to lose time and comfort traveling and checking in and out of hotels. If you are based in Madrid, day trips to Toledo, Cordoba, or Seville for a full day of sightseeing can be readily arranged. Similarly, people vacationing on the Costa del Sol or staying in Valencia can take a day trip to see some sites in Madrid. Finally, the train provides a cost and time effective alternative to flying between Madrid and Barcelona. It also has several connections for service to Lisbon, Portugal, and Paris.
Traveling on China’s High-Speed Train to Luoyang
No country has embraced high speed rail as a foundation for public transportation as much as China. Over the past 15 years, China has built about 23,500 miles of dedicated high speed train tracks connecting over 500 train stations in hundreds of cities. By reaching all four corners of the country, China has adopted a ubiquitous approach to travel just as the United States did with the interstate highway system. The government wants high speed rail to become more than just a regional method of transportation (like in most other countries) but as an affordable and efficient alternative to domestic flights.
China’s high speed trains travel at speeds of up to 217 miles per hour. In addition, new technologies such as driverless trains, magnetic levitation, facial recognition sensors and smart train cars are being studied and introduced on the system. Despite a catastrophic 2011 collision of two high speed trains which stunned the nation, ridership has increased substantially. The four-hour trip from Beijing to Shanghai is already attracting more passengers than domestic airline flights on that route. In addition, popular tourist destinations like the Great Wall at Badaling and Xi’an are served by high-speed service lasting 50 minutes and four and a half hours respectively. Other cities are being added to the network each year and the Chinese government hopes to extend service in the future to some foreign nations to facilitate trade and commerce.
When I was visiting Xi’an eight years ago to see the Terra Cotta Warriors and other sites around the ancient capital, my guide Bryan Bai Chen recommended visiting the famous Longmen Grottoes located almost 250 miles away in the city of Luoyang. Until the high-speed rail system was developed this was an overnight trip requiring a long drive on substandard roads or a five-hour train ride each way. Today, the fastest trains known as the “G trains” list a travel time of one hour and twenty minutes each way and have three classes of seats. There are business class seats with three leather seats in a row which can be reclined into a lie flat position within a classy seating capsule; comfortable first-class seats with four reclinable leather seats in a row; and second-class seats with five in a row which are about the size of an economy airline seat. The current round-trip fares to Luoyang for the three classes of seats are $170, $86, and $54 per person.
My high-speed adventure started with a drive to the Xi’an train station which like many of the new stations in China was built on the outskirts of the city rather than in the middle of the downtown to facilitate access and expedite construction of the tracks. We boarded and sat in a comfortable first-class seat next to the aisle with two seats across from us. The first impression that you have is that you are boarding a futuristic vessel. The first-class cars are comparable to Amtrak’s business class cars and have some amenities such as air conditioning, Wi-Fi and power outlets, snack services and western toilets. During the trip, there is a feeling of gliding along the tracks. After adjusting to the speed, you can view the remarkable countryside of China and ponder the contradiction between the modernity of the train and the simple lifestyles of the rural residents. With the excellent company of my guide, the train ride was a thoroughly enjoyable and stress-free experience. It also allowed me to visit a 1500-year-old World Heritage site along the Luo River renowned for its beautiful Buddhist caves and temples. Until the train came to town, the site had few western visitors.
Outlook for High-Speed Rail in the United States
Prospects for the development of a high-speed rail network in the United States anytime soon are unclear. The rail systems near most cities are designed for commuter travel and Amtrak’s subsidized long-distance routes are located mostly in the Northeast and far west. Except for the slower Acela service provided by Amtrak on the Northeast corridor from Boston to Washington, the United States has not been able to complete a high-speed network in any region of the country. Efforts to complete construction of a $105 billion, five hundred mile long, high speed rail system in California have been hampered by regulatory delays, geographic limitations, and the absence of governmental coordination.
Nevertheless, there are regional efforts underway in three locations with growing populations which are backed by private investors. These include a 240-mile-long high-speed line between Dallas and Houston, a 260-mile-long high-speed express line from southern California to Las Vegas, and a 320-mile-long project in Florida known as Brightline that will run at speeds up to 125 miles per hour from Miami to Orlando to Tampa. With the federal government taking a strong interest in funding infrastructure projects, climate change initiatives, and economic development programs, there is an increased likelihood of one or more regional high speed rail projects opening in the next ten years.