Does high-speed rail make a profit?


Does high-speed rail make a profit? With the right commercial strategy, high-speed rail (HSR) routes can be profitable, with some lines achieving modal shares of up to 65%.


How much money do bullet trains make?

Including service to San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles, the California High-Speed Rail Authority estimates that 50 million riders will use the system annually, generating about $3.4 billion of fare revenue.


Does the Shinkansen turn a profit?

Only a limited number of lines in japan are actually profitable and these lines subsidize the loss making lines. The Japanese Shinkansen bullet trains, commonly known as the bullet train or Shinkansen, operate as a profitable business rather than being subsidized by the government.


Is high-speed rail in Europe profitable?

From a financial standpoint, only two HSR lines in the world are profitable: Paris-Lyon in France and Tokyo-Osaka in Japan. A third line, Hakata-Osaka in Japan, breaks even. The majority of high-speed rail lines require large government subsidies from both general taxpayers and drivers.


How much debt would HSR cause?

However, it seems that the aggressive campaign to reap the lucrative economic dividends of HSR has increased the state-run operator's total liabilities, which as of the end of 2021 reached 5.91 trillion yuan ($882 billion), or roughly 5% of China's GDP, reported Asia Nikkei.


Is high-speed rail better than flying?

Trains are Reliable and Stress Free With high-speed rail, train travel is always faster than driving. In many cases, it's even faster than flying, once you factor in the whole air travel song-and-dance. And if you do need to catch a plane, trains make it easier to get to the airport.


Does high-speed rail reduce poverty?

This paper highlights that HSR can help achieve accessibility of rural area and poverty alleviation simultaneously. An understanding of the effect is critical for policymakers to promote intra-regional development, balancing efficiency and regional equality.


Should countries invest in high-speed rail?

Reduces the Nation's Dependence on Foreign Oil: According to the International Association of Railways (UIC), high-speed rail is eight times more energy efficient than airplanes and four times more efficient than automobile use. It will also decrease greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.


Will people actually use high-speed rail?

Americans really want high-speed rail. According to a new survey from the American Public Transportation Association, 62 percent of the 24,711 adults surveyed said they would probably or definitely use high-speed rail if it were an option. 11 percent said that they would definitely or probably not use the service.


Will high-speed rail hurt the economy?

Implementing high-speed rail will keep billions of dollars in the U.S. economy by decreasing the amount of oil that the U.S. consumes. According to the International Association of Railways (UIC), high-speed rail is eight times more energy efficient than airplanes and four times more efficient than automobile use.


Is China losing money in high-speed rail?

According to the latest data, as of the first half of 2022, the total liabilities of China National Railway Group totaled 6 trillion yuan, and in the first half of 2022 alone, it has lost 80.4 billion yuan, with an average loss of 400 million yuan per day.


Are high speed rails eco friendly?

HSR is electrically powered and can run 100% on clean, safe renewable energy. One high speed train powered by the wind can carry more passengers than 9 oil-burning, carbon-spewing airplanes!


Does Russia have high-speed rail?

High-speed trains are European-standard high-speed inter-city trains, capable of typical ground speeds of 250 kph (or 155 mph). They currently run between Moscow, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, and Nizhny Novgorod. These trains are called Sapsan within Russia, or Alstom on the Helsinki – St.


Why the US has no high-speed rail?

While the US was a passenger train pioneer in the 19th century, after WWII, railways began to decline. The auto industry was booming, and Americans bought cars and houses in suburbs without rail connections. Highways (as well as aviation) became the focus of infrastructure spending, at the expense of rail.


Is high-speed rail cheaper than driving?

A lot cheaper. That high-speed train ticket would cost about $75, compared to more than $200 to fly or drive. Ready to ride?


Why won t America invest in high-speed rail?

Highways (as well as aviation) became the focus of infrastructure spending, at the expense of rail. This trend has continued, and not the least because highways require continuous maintenance, while the US's growing population demands more lanes and roads to relieve congestion.