11-12-2021, 12:44 PM
Ben Jones, CNN • Updated 11th December 2021
(CNN) — As the world faces up to climate change, short-haul flights look increasingly unattractive to many travelers. The flygskam (flight shame) phenomenon that started in Scandinavia is already inspiring many travelers to reduce their reliance on airlines.
Until someone proves otherwise, high-speed rail is the most effective alternative to air travel for journeys of up to 1,100 kilometers (700 miles). Shuttling passengers between city centers at speeds of 290 kph (180 mph) or more, it offers a compelling combination of speed and convenience.
Rail's ability to move huge numbers of people quickly makes it far more efficient than unproven, low-capacity concepts such as Hyperloop.
Since the 1980s, hundreds of billions of dollars have been invested in new high-speed, high-capacity railways across Europe and Asia, pioneered by Japan's Shinkansen and the Train a Grand Vitesse (TGV) in France.
In the last decade, China has become the undisputed world leader, building a 38,000-kilometer network of new railways reaching almost every corner of the country.
Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium and England are expanding the European network with other countries expected to follow by the 2030s.
In 2018, Africa gained its first high-speed railway with the opening of the Al-Boraq line in Morocco and Egypt looks set to join the club before the end of the 2020s.
Elsewhere in the world, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan have established high-speed routes and India, Thailand, Russia and the United States are among a growing group of nations committed to building new railways where trains will dash between major cities at speeds of more than 250 kph (155 mph).
But where can you travel on the world's fastest trains in 2022?
For the list and photos, please go to: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/w...index.html
(CNN) — As the world faces up to climate change, short-haul flights look increasingly unattractive to many travelers. The flygskam (flight shame) phenomenon that started in Scandinavia is already inspiring many travelers to reduce their reliance on airlines.
Until someone proves otherwise, high-speed rail is the most effective alternative to air travel for journeys of up to 1,100 kilometers (700 miles). Shuttling passengers between city centers at speeds of 290 kph (180 mph) or more, it offers a compelling combination of speed and convenience.
Rail's ability to move huge numbers of people quickly makes it far more efficient than unproven, low-capacity concepts such as Hyperloop.
Since the 1980s, hundreds of billions of dollars have been invested in new high-speed, high-capacity railways across Europe and Asia, pioneered by Japan's Shinkansen and the Train a Grand Vitesse (TGV) in France.
In the last decade, China has become the undisputed world leader, building a 38,000-kilometer network of new railways reaching almost every corner of the country.
Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium and England are expanding the European network with other countries expected to follow by the 2030s.
In 2018, Africa gained its first high-speed railway with the opening of the Al-Boraq line in Morocco and Egypt looks set to join the club before the end of the 2020s.
Elsewhere in the world, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan have established high-speed routes and India, Thailand, Russia and the United States are among a growing group of nations committed to building new railways where trains will dash between major cities at speeds of more than 250 kph (155 mph).
But where can you travel on the world's fastest trains in 2022?
For the list and photos, please go to: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/w...index.html