

  (Source: Shutterstock)





China rail launch




China bullet train



Sources: The Washington Post, Shutterstock

Comments     Threshold


By dsx724 on 12/27/2012 12:46:27 PM , Rating: 2
Except the flight is 3 hours and the "fast" train ride is 8. I'd take the flight in first class please.

Did I mention the flight ticket is only $120?



By Jeremy87 on 12/27/2012 1:42:50 PM , Rating: 2
3 hours plus 1 hour to get to/from the airport, 1 hour waiting for liftoff preparations etc.
Trains may still take more time for extreme distances, but they are more convenient, and later in the article they are looking to double the train speed once more.

By danjw1 on 12/27/2012 6:03:53 PM , Rating: 5
3 hour flight? I guess you aren't flying in the western world. Haven't you heard of TSA? While they have started smaller footprints for train and bus travel, it isn't anything like Airplane security. 3 hour flight and having to be at the airport 2 hours early to be sure you can actually get to and on the plane in time, makes it a 5 hour flight. And First Class? Sure if you are a CEO at a major corporation, but most travel business class at best. After all, employee comfort has to be second to those quarterly reports.

By yomamafor1 on 12/28/2012 4:04:58 PM , Rating: 2
You forgot the 1.5 hour to get through the security line, 1 hour to disembark and get your luggage, 1 hour to argue with the customer service for lost luggage, and 6 hours of having nothing to wear.

Oh, that is assuming your flight isn't delayed for 1~2 hours or cancelled outright, forcing you to sleep in the airport.

I think high speed trains are like SSDs. You just don't know what you're missing out on until you've actually experienced it.

