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> When cities grew before airports and so the underground is already full of subways and infrastructure, it can be prohibitively expensive to build a new fast t

> When cities grew before airports and so the underground is already full of subways and infrastructure, it can be prohibitively expensive to build a new fast tunnel to downtown. I would say London is a clear counter argument to this. There was no need for a new underground tunnel, the Heathrow Express uses existing train track, just prioritised in such a way that it gets to the centre of the city in 15 minutes.

crazygringo 5y ago
That's not a counterargument, just an example where it happened to work out. In many places, existing train track isn't suitable. E.g. there's only a single track in either direction so a fast train can't pass a local one that makes every stop, or the track/signaling isn't designed for high speeds, or a combination of tracks with incompatible gauges would be needed, or a million other reasons. Just because it works in one place doesn't mean it works as a general rule.
- Symbiote 5y ago
  Heathrow Airport didn't open with a railway connection. The Underground (metro) was extended to the airport in 1975-1977. The first heavy rail connection opened in 1998. A significant extension to this connection (trains right through London) should open in 2023. There are also buses, which can be useful for the nearby suburbs, but are probably used more by staff than passengers. (The one time I used one of the local buses, it stopped at the freight terminal, then a staff-only entrance, then the passenger terminals.) Most medium or large airports in Europe have a rail connection to the nearest city. Smaller ones have express buses to the city centre; at the smallest ones the buses are only scheduled at flight arrival/departure times.
Symbiote 5y ago
New track was built for the Heathrow Express, it opened in 1998. 2 × 5 miles of tunnel, plus a bridge/flyover to cross the Great Western Mainline. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Express https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Express

crazygringo 5y ago

That's not a counterargument, just an example where it happened to work out. In many places, existing train track isn't suitable. E.g. there's only a single track in either direction so a fast train can't pass a local one that makes every stop, or the track/signaling isn't designed for high speeds, or a combination of tracks with incompatible gauges would be needed, or a million other reasons. Just because it works in one place doesn't mean it works as a general rule.

Symbiote 5y ago
Heathrow Airport didn't open with a railway connection. The Underground (metro) was extended to the airport in 1975-1977. The first heavy rail connection opened in 1998. A significant extension to this connection (trains right through London) should open in 2023. There are also buses, which can be useful for the nearby suburbs, but are probably used more by staff than passengers. (The one time I used one of the local buses, it stopped at the freight terminal, then a staff-only entrance, then the passenger terminals.) Most medium or large airports in Europe have a rail connection to the nearest city. Smaller ones have express buses to the city centre; at the smallest ones the buses are only scheduled at flight arrival/departure times.

Symbiote 5y ago

New track was built for the Heathrow Express, it opened in 1998. 2 × 5 miles of tunnel, plus a bridge/flyover to cross the Great Western Mainline. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Express https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Express