Better travel by train
Source:Internet Author:Anonymous Tags:
travel train china Shanghai wuxi air
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| Article Guide:As I traveled comfortably (in the soft-seater cabin) from WuXi to Shanghai yesterday, I couldn’t help but think that even a crappy train beats the best plane. Yes, the plane flies faster, but is speed the only thing that matters?
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The train has room to stretch your legs, its quieter so you can think, work, or chat with other passengers, some have wi-fi, no security-check hassles, you get to watch the scenery go by, there’s a bar car, and the seats are more comfortable (yes, I buy soft seat tickets, which are still cheaper than plane tickets).
"But Scott", you say, “this is business! We have to get to our meetings as fast as possible. The train is too slow.”
Is it though? Consider this, a 16-car passenger train from Beijing to Shanghai can carry some 1,400 passengers comfortably and takes 11.5 hours or 122 passengers/hour. An Air China A330 carries some 250 passengers comfortably and takes 2 hours or 125 passengers/hour. And that doesn’t factor in the common flight delays or extra hassle of getting through the airport check in and security process. Still think the plane is faster? And on top of that, passenger trains are more fuel efficient per passenger mile than domestic flights so it’s better for the environment too. I wish the United States would utilize trains to the extent that China does.
