Opinion: The post-airplane future

Not only are airplanes old technology, very inconvenient, and bad news for the environment, but also their scheduled departures and/or arrivals are often delayed or cancelled. And sometimes they crash. Moreover, they are uncomfortable, usually cramped, and the baggage handlers can misdirect your luggage. As I implied last week, the future is in the efficiency and safety of high-speed rail. Except in the United States. We don’t seem to have the funds, expertise, or will to complete a relatively useless line from Madera to Shafter.

The rest of the world

While we sit idly, the rest of the industrialized and industrializing world is leaving us in the dust. In Saudi Arabia, the Haramain High-Speed Railway began operation in 2018 and was designed for a top speed of 220 mph, with a service speed of 190 mph. Finland’s lines are slower, but they meet the minimum criteria for HSR on existing track (125 mph). Its 47-mile route from Kerava to Lahti reaches a speed of 137 mph. It also has an international line, running at the same speed from Helsinki, Finland to Saint Petersburg, Russia. Kazakhstan upgraded its slower HSR system in 2021 with trains purchased from South Korea. They now reach an operational speed of 155 mph.

In last week’s column, I cited HSR achievements in Japan and China because they seem to be the most advanced. But many other countries now have operational HSR. The list, as of 2023, also included Spain, France, Germany, Turkey, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Belgium, Morocco, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Denmark, India, and Indonesia.