Reply #30: anything roughly around and under 400 miles, high speed rail is faster.

[NuttyFluffers]

pretty much each and every time. just because it doesn't exist in america doesn't mean it doesn't already work elsewhere. even in Korea it is faster to take the high speed rail train up and down the peninsula than bother with flying from Seoul to Busan.

of course from New Hampshire to South Carolina will be slower by rail -- that's way more than 600 miles.

never compare the anemic and pathetic excuse for train service we have in america for what trains can really do. it is a false comparison. compare the KTX, Shinkansen, TGV, etc. and you'll easily understand how much faster and better rail is for mid-distance travel. and it carries more passengers, too. further, when push comes to shove, with electric high speed rail (including mag lev varieties) we can plug that into any power source, not even carrying about jet fuel, its shipments or even politics -- something the airline industry is completely at the mercy of. i wouldn't want my high speed transportation held hostage, but that's what it is; why subject short and mid-distance travel to the same hostage as long distance travel? it makes zero sense logistically.

edit: fucking metric... i've been living overseas too long. was thinking kilometers but wrote miles, had to edit. america needs to switch over to metric already.