5 ms·

The Shinkansens drive at around 300km/h. It's fast enough to get you from east to west-coast in 15 hours. It's a 6-7 hour flight + 2-3 hours airport shenanigans

The Shinkansens drive at around 300km/h. It's fast enough to get you from east to west-coast in 15 hours. It's a 6-7 hour flight + 2-3 hours airport shenanigans. The problem is that there is no capability to build such infrastructure anymore. Neither in the US, nor in Europe. It requires both political will and construction companies that build public infrastructure without being political party operatives. EDIT: sorry I meant to write km/h, that's why the calculation is correct at 15 hours => 4668/300.

ghaff 3y ago
That understates travel time though. e.g. Tokyo to Osaka is about 250 miles and takes about 2.5 hours via Shinkansen. So it's more like 100 mph on average with stops. And, unless it's a lot cheaper, no one is taking a 20+ hour train trip instead of a 6 hour flight unless it's for the scenery, etc. I allow about 90 minutes at the typical airport for the 15 minutes through security and the buffer. Maybe new train tech can deliver higher speeds but, as part one of the article noted, you can't just eliminate stops and they can slow down the average speed a lot.
- PaulDavisThe1st 3y ago
  You can eliminate the stops with station loops, but that's Advanced Magic. Ironically, the vast emptiness of North America would actually work in favor of these little lovelies much better than in Europe or Asia.
- kristopolous 3y ago
  Trains are quite a bit less hassle than flights. I can buy the ticket the day of without it popping to some ridiculous price. I can take a train leaving at any time. I've got plenty of room. There's no large list of luggage size and weight rules, onerous security, and all that other nonsense. The fact that I literally do not have to think about the train and just go, with basically the same convenience as say driving a car and I get free fast wifi, cell signal, plenty of space to do work, comfortable seats even at the basic price ... even slow high speed rail between SF and LA I'd take every time, hands down. No question. If it was actually decent modern high speed (300mph+) I'm never looking back. Although knowing the US, it'll probably be some kind of perverse inconvenient complicated time consuming hellish nightmare
  - ghaff 3y ago
    I tend to like trains but it's not generally true that you can buy a last minute ticket for a competitive price. It is true in some places but not in the UK or the US (for Amtrak), for example. >There's no large list of luggage size and weight rules I get one or two checked bags free with my usual airline and schlepping around a big bag actually tends to be harder with train than checking a bag on a plane. I like taking trains and will in Europe even if it takes a bit longer but it's not universally a frictionless experience and can take a lot longer and cost more--certainly relative to budget airlines (which I admittedly don't take).
melling 3y ago
Trains in Japan run around 200 miles an hour https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen they are however, building a new maglev train that will run at 300 mph. The first part will be opening later this decade. https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2023/04/japanese-maglev-line-unlikely-to-meet-2027-opening-date/ https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2023/04/japanese-m...

ghaff 3y ago

That understates travel time though. e.g. Tokyo to Osaka is about 250 miles and takes about 2.5 hours via Shinkansen. So it's more like 100 mph on average with stops. And, unless it's a lot cheaper, no one is taking a 20+ hour train trip instead of a 6 hour flight unless it's for the scenery, etc. I allow about 90 minutes at the typical airport for the 15 minutes through security and the buffer. Maybe new train tech can deliver higher speeds but, as part one of the article noted, you can't just eliminate stops and they can slow down the average speed a lot.

PaulDavisThe1st 3y ago
You can eliminate the stops with station loops, but that's Advanced Magic. Ironically, the vast emptiness of North America would actually work in favor of these little lovelies much better than in Europe or Asia.
kristopolous 3y ago
Trains are quite a bit less hassle than flights. I can buy the ticket the day of without it popping to some ridiculous price. I can take a train leaving at any time. I've got plenty of room. There's no large list of luggage size and weight rules, onerous security, and all that other nonsense. The fact that I literally do not have to think about the train and just go, with basically the same convenience as say driving a car and I get free fast wifi, cell signal, plenty of space to do work, comfortable seats even at the basic price ... even slow high speed rail between SF and LA I'd take every time, hands down. No question. If it was actually decent modern high speed (300mph+) I'm never looking back. Although knowing the US, it'll probably be some kind of perverse inconvenient complicated time consuming hellish nightmare
- ghaff 3y ago
  I tend to like trains but it's not generally true that you can buy a last minute ticket for a competitive price. It is true in some places but not in the UK or the US (for Amtrak), for example. >There's no large list of luggage size and weight rules I get one or two checked bags free with my usual airline and schlepping around a big bag actually tends to be harder with train than checking a bag on a plane. I like taking trains and will in Europe even if it takes a bit longer but it's not universally a frictionless experience and can take a lot longer and cost more--certainly relative to budget airlines (which I admittedly don't take).

melling 3y ago

Trains in Japan run around 200 miles an hour https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen they are however, building a new maglev train that will run at 300 mph. The first part will be opening later this decade. https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2023/04/japanese-maglev-line-unlikely-to-meet-2027-opening-date/ https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2023/04/japanese-m...