It probably comes as no surprise that in a global 2019 survey of railroad efficiency, the top two places went to Japan and Hong Kong, with scores of 6.8 and 6.5 (out of seven) respectively.
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The United States possesses the largest railway network in the world, in terms of total operating length.
One of the most advanced public transportation systems in the world is Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway which connects Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and Lantau Island. There are 11 lines with over 70 stations with trains running every two to four minutes.
High Speed Rail is the world's safest form of transportation proven by decades of operations all around the world. Japan was the first nation to build high speed rail in 1964, and has since transported 10 billion passengers without a single injury or fatality!
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.
There are only 0.5 deaths per billion miles traveled on Amtrak and commuter rail lines put together. When you compare that to the six deaths per billion miles for car and truck travel, railroads are looking generally safe.
Overall, the United States ranked second behind Singapore, but it falls somewhat behind when it comes to transportation and utility infrastructure. On transportation, the forum's score takes into account eight measures, rating the United States No.12 globally.
The Acela is the Fastest Train in the USAThe fastest train in North America is the Acela which hits 150 mph in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Amtrak is upgrading track in New Jersey for 160 mph.
Trans-Siberian is the longest train trip in the world at seven days long. It travels 10,214 km across 16 major rivers, 876 stations, and 87 cities. Some long train trips – like the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver – begin and end with overnight stays in luxurious hotels.
The Trans–Siberian Railway which connects Moscow with the Russian far east is still the world's longest direct rail route, running for 9,259 kilometers or 5,753 miles.
The accidents may raise questions about the safety of train travel. While flying on an airplane is the safest mode of long-distance travel, according to the International Air Transport Association, trains are your best option on the ground.
Trains are three times more dangerous than flying but safer than traveling by car (which is 40 times more risky than flying), according to Savage. Yet many folks are still clearly afraid to fly.
While not nearly as expensive, taking an Amtrak train across the US is also largely the domain of rail enthusiasts as it takes multiple days and costs significantly more than flying. In countries like Japan, South Korea and much of Europe, the opposite is true as the train is simply a way to travel larger distances.