Whether traveling at 300kmh on the Shinkansen, or just 130kmh on conventional lines, nobody wants to be on board longer than that
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For trips longer than 6 hours by high speed train, there's air travel, and nowhere in Japan is more than 6 hours away by plane...
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...but worldwide, there are plenty of trips that take over 6 hours even by plane--I bet the discomfort throttles potential ridership
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The busiest area for 6+ hour flights in the world is across the Atlantic, which is on the *low* end of travel times in that range
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Could more comfortable conditions at the expense of speed win riders over? I doubt it--but with two disclaimers
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1) price is a big factor. Maybe I'd be willing to get somewhere slowly if it meant greater comfort, but not a chance if it's more expensive!
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2) existence of faster alternatives--the only way I'm willing to travel for longer than 6 hours is if there is NO faster alternative...
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...this is the main reason that overnight trains in Japan mostly vanished--and why overnight high-speed trains are still rare
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If supersonic air travel became more commercially viable, then there'd be no realistic chance for slower-but-more-comfy air alternatives
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But if no faster options than air travel become available, and if slower ones can compete in price while excelling in comfort?
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Then, and ONLY then, does intercontinental travel by maglev start to look viable. Europe to Asia, Asia to America, etc...
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...because even in this very specific future, air travel is obviously better for many trips (over the Atlantic, for example)
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The opening of the Chuo Shinkansen in 2027 should shed some light on maglev's ability to compete on price. Will be interesting to see...
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...if it pays off, and longer maglev routes get built in Eurasia--say, approaching the 6 hour threshhold--it'll be time to test comfort
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And if a high level of comfort is possible without breaking the bank, then it's time to look to the Bering Straits.
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