So high-speed rail is kind of a hard sell: a 5 hour drive is not that long, and a 30 minute flight is worth the cost if you really need to be there fast. The mi

So high-speed rail is kind of a hard sell: a 5 hour drive is not that long, and a 30 minute flight is worth the cost if you really need to be there fast. The middle ground, a 2 hour train ride, is not really that compelling, and a ticket would probably cost as much as flying. (The first time I took the Shinkansen, I had a little sticker shock. $200 to ride a train!?) I find that hard to agree with. City center to city center in two hours, in spacious comfort with the ability to do things while I'm travelling (e.g. easily get a laptop out and work as normal, or even just read papers), is a lot more of an attractive proposition to me than five (Five! That's almost a whole working day!) driving or half an hour of cramped flying, with all the airport nonsense surrounding it. It's not for you? The one place I'd agree a little is on the price - but that's just speculation, and for a lot of people (maybe most of the target marked, depending on expectations), a price compatible to flying is low enough to attract them anyway.