Why does Europe have better trains than us?

Due to their opposing priorities, American and European trains are designed quite differently. American trains are typically longer and wider to accommodate more freight, while European trains are shorter and narrower to allow for more nimble movements and quicker acceleration.



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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.

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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.

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1. Hong Kong. Hong Kong's MTR (mass transit railway) is renowned for being clean and fast.

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Property rights. One of the most expensive parts of building new rail lines these days is securing land along a relatively straight path (you can't run trains at high speeds along too sharp a curve). The U.S. has strong property rights which makes securing land exceedingly expensive.

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Because most tracks are optimized for heavy fright trains which in America are more important, economically, than passenger transportation. Heavy trains displace tracks, sleepers and ballast so that it is impossible to let locomotives and passenger wagons run with higher speeds. And fright trains are slow.

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1. Switzerland. Tucked inside the small but incredibly beautiful country of Switzerland is one of the most efficient and scenic rail networks in the world.

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While airlines pay no kerosene tax or VAT across Europe, train operators pay energy taxes, VAT and high rail tolls in most European countries. In the U.K., operators are relieved of VAT, but are notorious for imposing some of the highest ticket prices in Europe.

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Unfettered expansion into undeveloped land occurs at the expense of investments in existing spaces and infrastructures. This leaves people with longer and longer distances to travel and makes public transit connections even more difficult to build.

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Privately-owned passenger rail lines are popping up in the U.S. which could make getting to popular vacation destinations easier. Travelers could soon have more options to get where they're going, thanks to new train routes.

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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.

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American railways were also built on a wider gauge (the distance between the rails), which allows for larger and heavier trains. As a result, American freight railways are much more efficient than their European counterparts, carrying almost three times as much cargo per mile of track.

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This U.S. Train Was Voted the Best in the World — and It Has Luxury Cars, Delicious Food, and Stunning Mountain Views. Rocky Mountaineer's Rockies to the Red Rocks route takes passengers on an epic train journey from Colorado to Utah.

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