GLOBAL HIGH SPEED RAIL COMPETITION STARTS TO HOT UP

摘要

While the debate about the UK's controversial HS2 high speed rail (HSR) link between London and the north looks set to keep campaigners and politicians busy for a while yet, around the world high speed rail track is being laid down at an unprecedented rate. Airlines in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and beyond are facing powerful new government-supported competitors - but there is no simple formula to suggest whether a new high speed rail line will have a substantial, negligible or indeed beneficial impact on airline markets. The underlying mathematics are just too complex, with factors such as subsidies, road alternatives, size of linked conurbations, service frequencies, business/leisure traffic mix, airport capacity and ease of access to the airport from the downtown all essential factors.