MNN - Mother Nature Network

Cologne, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin and Munich. There are also separate networks in Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla) and Italy (Milan, Venice, Rome, Naples). All these networks have different characteristics. The French TGV focuses on 300-500 mile journeys from and to Paris, making it an "aerial network at zero height". The average Jean-Pierre drives with his small Renault to a TGV-station an continues his journey by train from there. In Germany, journey distances are shorter, and the ICE also runs on upgraded lines (125-145 mph) as well as conventional lines (100 mph). This is compensated by a cadenced timetable = trains running at regular intervals, allowing passengers to switch trains easily. Regions adopted these timetables as well, which means public transport chains from high-speed train to regional bus. Switzerland and the Netherlands have put this thought almost into perfection. Switzerland has "nodal points" all over the country where all modalities (intercity train, regional train, bus) gather together every hour, allowing passengers to switch without problems. In the Netherlands, even intercity services are so frequently (Amsterdam-Utrecht every 15 minutes) that you hardly have to wait for your train to arrive. These countries focus on "as fast as needed" rather than "as fast as possible". Concerning the United States: building such an impressive network is probably, despite the complexity, the easy part. The hard part is: will the Americans be ready for it? In my opinion, adding a "discover Europe by rail" program to high school education will be as important as the correct choice of HSR system. This will make a whole new generation of people familiar with HSR. The worth of a system is measured by the number of people who will use it.

Decades of government subsidies have done nothing for service or prices, as it is sometimes cheaper to fly between Boston and New York than it is to take the train. I prefer taking the train; it's comfortable and if you plan well ahead it's cheaper than other modes (though it will never be cheaper than the bus). I really hope the Obama administration and ensuing administrations are serious about high speed rail, as it could change the face of travel in this country for the better.

a car rental to get around for my trip. Air travel will continually compete with rail for people who are economically comfortable enough to rent a car and until an adequate subway system exists in at least the top 40 cities in the U.S. railways will cease to be a viable means of travel. Subway systems and above ground metros are not overly expensive to build, however the longer we continue to build larger and larger highways along commuter lines without taking the initiative to build local train-ways alongside them the deeper we dig ourselves into this hole.