this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2024
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A new high-speed train service linking Paris and Berlin was launched on Monday – just in time for the Christmas travel season. Joint operators SNCF and Deutsche Bahn say they hope passengers will see it as a "greener" alternative to flying.

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[–] [email protected] 48 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (7 children)

The journey is still 8 hours, which won’t compete with air travel except for those motivated by other criteria such as sustainability or a fondness for railways. Build a Shinkansen-class line joining the two cities and you could halve that time, making taking the train a lot more compelling to the average person.

Also, air travel is going to have a price advantage as long as jet fuel is tax free. This policy, instituted after WW2 to nurture the then new aviation sector, has long outlived its usefulness and should be scrapped, with tax advantages going to more sustainable transport if anything. Though in practice it is hard changing any policy, however absurd, that powerful incumbents benefit from.

[–] makyo 16 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

Sure it's a bit longer than air travel - but not as much as it sounds at first glance. People forget to include the time you have to spend in each airport, not to mention time getting to and from the airports whereas the train stations are both much closer to the city centers. Also not dealing with the hassles of air travel like baggies of toiletries and security checks is worth a lot to me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

I'd take 30min between CDG and Paris over 1h of DB just stopped in the middle of the tracks without explanation

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