Hamburg to Berlin by Train and the new Victoria Escalator

摘要

The well-trodden highway between Hamburg and Berlin is one of those important intercity links that has driven the quest for speed throughout the ages. In 1932, the Fliegender Hamburger train traveled the 270-kilometer journey in just 138 minutes, which was very impressive. Today the speed on this recently electrified line could be in excess of 200kph, but for now is restricted to 160kph for a number of operational and safety reasons. Your reporter was also able to travel this route with some good companions on the fast Deutsche Bundesbahn Inter-City Express (DB ICE) train that links the cities and see firsthand just what the potential is for the ultra-fast ThyssenKrupp Transrapid. This route was identified a number of years ago as one that could benefit well from such a fast system, although now with the economic slowdown in Germany, the case for such a prestigious and expensive system is not so clear-cut. However, the desire for speed is irresistible and it is only a matter of time before these ultra-high-speed systems replace some of the short-haul air travel routes of today, "the speed of air travel combined with the convenience and energy efficiency of the train is surely a very desirable combination."