>>1334331And who's going to pay for that? You're talking about building new HSR lines through urbanized areas. It's already costing us an arm and a leg to just expand capacity on the main lines, that and keeping everything running with good service offering. Our rail system is very expensive, and you're suggesting going into full overdrive with spending. I won't deny those lines would be useful, but they would be extremely costly. We must learn from other countries which started focusing on HSR and ended up neglecting regional and commuter services. I don't think people are too eager on either getting another tax raise or having ticket prices increase.
>with self-driving cars around the cornerohwaityoureseriousletmelaughevenharder.tif
In any case, people will keep using the train during rush hour for lack of better alternative, and if they don't use it during off hours that's no biggie, just run fewer and shorter trains and offer more sparbillete. I don't think attracting off-hour travellers is in any way justification enough to build HSR lines, and you're admitting yourself that during rush hour the car, self-driving or not, isn't a practical alternative.
>>1334341I don't think it's a question of whether we want them or not. I don't think people commute long distances for the hell of it, we'd have to consider all kinds of factors like job mobility, housing, etc.
In any case, I don't think it should be fostered with expensive HSR lines built for these kinds of commuters, basically extending them a red carpet.
