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> including commute time to the airport and clearing security. You have to include that for the rail too, obviously. Yes. You won't need to leave as much time

> including commute time to the airport and clearing security. You have to include that for the rail too, obviously. Yes. You won't need to leave as much time for the train station as you do for the airport. Why? Because the airport services many more flights and is much more crowded. If we had more airports, it could become similar to a rail-station in terms of time needed at the station/airport. In terms of time though, flying would still be faster, amazingly. Flying: 45 mins to airport. 1 hr in airport. 1.5 hr flight. 45 mins to destination. Total: 4 hr Rail: 45 mins to station. .5 hr in station. 2.75 hr travel. 45 mins to destination. Total: 4.75 hr

rayiner 9y ago
You're ignoring three major points. First, the need for security is less with trains because they can't be turned into guided missles in transit. Second, you can build stations in the middle of the city but you can't build airports in the middle of the city. Penn Station is a 15 minute cab ride from most of the NYC CBD. LGA or JFK are close to an hour. Third, trains are inherently faster to load because they have many entry doors. Amtrak loads hundreds of people at NYP in a few minutes.
twelvechairs 9y ago
Of course the european model assumes business travel means rail is much closer to start and end destinations and transport is so reliable you need only arrive 5 mins beforehand. In California this doesnt apply as much, but its going to head more in that direction in the future.
posguy 9y ago
Wow, this is wholly unrealistic. When I take commuter rail, its a 10 minute trip to the train station, and I need to be there 5 minutes before. When I get off I'm also right in downtown, instead of out in the brambles like SeaTac, JFK or Denver. A rail line can easily move 20k people an hour, can't say the same about a similarly priced or staffed airport.
acchow 9y ago
Train stations are in city centers. Most people living in the city can cab to them in far less than 45 minutes. I can get to mine in <20 minutes on a bicycle.

rayiner 9y ago

You're ignoring three major points. First, the need for security is less with trains because they can't be turned into guided missles in transit. Second, you can build stations in the middle of the city but you can't build airports in the middle of the city. Penn Station is a 15 minute cab ride from most of the NYC CBD. LGA or JFK are close to an hour. Third, trains are inherently faster to load because they have many entry doors. Amtrak loads hundreds of people at NYP in a few minutes.

twelvechairs 9y ago

Of course the european model assumes business travel means rail is much closer to start and end destinations and transport is so reliable you need only arrive 5 mins beforehand. In California this doesnt apply as much, but its going to head more in that direction in the future.

posguy 9y ago

Wow, this is wholly unrealistic. When I take commuter rail, its a 10 minute trip to the train station, and I need to be there 5 minutes before. When I get off I'm also right in downtown, instead of out in the brambles like SeaTac, JFK or Denver. A rail line can easily move 20k people an hour, can't say the same about a similarly priced or staffed airport.

acchow 9y ago

Train stations are in city centers. Most people living in the city can cab to them in far less than 45 minutes. I can get to mine in <20 minutes on a bicycle.