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Trains are often better way to goHigh-speed test highlights benefits of trains over planes in FranceFrance is a large country, but trains are often a better way to travel than planes due to all the restrictions, rules and regulations of air travel today.
Last week, a French train reached 357 miles per hour (about 574.8 kilometers per hour), setting a world rail speed record on a portion of the line between Paris and Strasbourg. The previous record of 515.3 kilometers per hour was set by a French train 17 years ago on a route from Paris to Marseille. “With this new record, France shows once again the excellence of its expertise in the railroad domain and its ability to stay at the cutting edge of technological innovation in the transport sector,” said Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin. The trip reportedly made some people a bit nauseated, although that doesn’t seem to really be a concern since the train won’t be going nearly that fast while carrying passengers. “This world speed record is intended for research, to improve security and performance,” said Anne-Marie Idrac, the head of SNCF. “And today the train that runs the fastest is the Eastern TGV. We don’t see the market today for such high speed.” Most passenger trains in France travel at about 300 kilometers per hour; the trains between Paris and Strasbourg will run up to 320 kilometers per hour. That upgraded line is scheduled to open in June and will cut travel time between the cities from 4 ½ hours to less than 2 ½ hours. The same route takes about an hour by plane. The test was done, according to news reports, to help its producer make its way into new markets such as the U.S. and Japan. Basically, it doesn’t have a whole lot to do with consumers in Europe. That said, the train system throughout Western Europe is excellent – convenient, fast, reliable and not too expensive. There has been a lot written lately about the growing budget airlines in Europe and how they are changing travel. However, many people are finding all the new airline rules – carryon restrictions, security screenings, baggage limits – to trump the pros of air travel. Additionally, most airports are not in the city, requiring additional transportation to get to the heart of the destination. Train stations, however, are very often in the center of the cities. A trip from Nice to Paris, for example, takes about 5 ½ hours by train and a little more than an hour and a half by plane. Those four hours may seem like enough to prompt people to fly rather than take the train, but with all the airline issues, including the amount of time one is required to spend at the airport, problems with late planes, being bumped, etc., many are opting for the convenience of the trains.
The copyright of the article Trains are often better way to go in France Travel is owned by Bridget Lux. Permission to republish Trains are often better way to go in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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