Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Japan's is high tech and convenient, especially for tourists. Each time I've gone I've gotten a rail pass and its saved hundreds of dollars. I can go to my wife's hometown to Narita in a little under three hours using the N'EX to Shinjuku then switch to the Shinkansen.
Some of the views from the Shinkansen going to the southwestern parts of the country are awesome, especially of Mt. Fuji.
Their light rail (I know we're talking heavy rail here but stil ... deserves a mention) has some lines using a "wide view" train, which means you have HUGE windows to take in awesome vistas of beautiful areas in the countryside. Think going to Alps and having floor to ceiling almost windows. It's that amazing. I had one going to see the Gassho houses, and I lament I can't always have a wide view car!
The trains themselves aren't much to speak of. Boring, really, but at least they serve amazing coffee on the Shinkansen and are kept super clean.
The stations are usually accompanied by shopping malls which will serve most needs for travelers, and usually more in the bigger cities.
Here in the States, they're starting to renovate some of the older Amtrak stations. I know in Seattle they're finally renovating the eyesore third-world esque station downtown.
Chicago's Union Station I always thought was magnificent and huge with marble and stone and old architecture giving a unique feeling. The areas around both LaSalle st. station and Union Station have old buildings with unique mixes of art-deco and pre-modern designs, especially in the financial district. If you want a visual reference, check out the Batman movies. Many of the scenes in the more modern series were shot in Chicago. Or go to Youtube!
The Chicago train network is the biggest in the midwest, forgot if its the biggest in the US or not.
I would say that China newest high speed rail system (that opened last June) is probably one of the fastest, most modern and convenient systems in the world. It is on time, very organized and foreigners can use it without problem as all the signs and announcements are in English as well as Chinese. (Beijing and Shanghai are both served by this system and they both have very modern subway systems as well.)
I would say that NYC's subway is one of the most extensive subway systems that exist although it is not a modern on. NYC is also a hub for rail transit in the Northeastern part of the USA as not only does the National Amtrak train system run through it but also three/four local commuter rail systems: the Long Island Railroad, the New Jersey Transit rail system as well as the PATH train system and the Metro North rail system.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,029,399 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by dunno what to put here
Yup, there's many reasons why the UK doesn't have direct links to Europe.. to be honest I don't think most people say here in Leeds have any great desire to get to Paris or Brussles in less then an hour unless you're an international businessman/woman.
Those unappreciate Poms! lol. If you go 2 hours from Perth you end up in the bush or some small town. 10 hours, still no big cities within the radius. It's 2 days of reasonable driving to the nearest major city, which is just a smaller and duller version of Perth. I would kill to be in such close proximity, I'd probably be on a trip every weekend lol.
Chicago historically was a very great rail center with long-distance lines in all directions. Although throughout the USA, Amtrak long-distance passenger service today is woefully slow.
Maybe New York is a good railway city, since it has numerous commuter rail lines and many Amtrak connections to the rest of America, same with Chicago. Chicago is also very important in terms of freight rail,as is Kansas City.
I would say that China newest high speed rail system (that opened last June) is probably one of the fastest, most modern and convenient systems in the world. It is on time, very organized and foreigners can use it without problem as all the signs and announcements are in English as well as Chinese. (Beijing and Shanghai are both served by this system and they both have very modern subway systems as well.)
I would say that NYC's subway is one of the most extensive subway systems that exist although it is not a modern on. NYC is also a hub for rail transit in the Northeastern part of the USA as not only does the National Amtrak train system run through it but also three/four local commuter rail systems: the Long Island Railroad, the New Jersey Transit rail system as well as the PATH train system and the Metro North rail system.
Quote:
Originally Posted by slowlane3
Chicago historically was a very great rail center with long-distance lines in all directions. Although throughout the USA, Amtrak long-distance passenger service today is woefully slow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70
Maybe New York is a good railway city, since it has numerous commuter rail lines and many Amtrak connections to the rest of America, same with Chicago. Chicago is also very important in terms of freight rail,as is Kansas City.
I've heard lots about China's ambitious plans for high-speed rail, but given the vast size of the country, what is the quantity and variety of rail infrastructure in any given city? Anyone got any good pictures?
NYC certainly has an extensive subway and fairly large commuter rail system, but I'm not convinced it has has the number of lines going to other cities, the number or variety of stations, the technology, or the history to be a truly great railway city - especially considering the incredibly high standards that it itself applies to greatness. For example, while Grand Central is possibly the world's greatest train station, you can't actually get to many places beyond NYC's urban limits from there, and the number of trains/passengers is modest considering it's one of only two major terminals in the city. Penn station, the other terminal and departure point for (afaik) all Amtrak inter-city services, is a dump after the magnificent original structure was disgracefully demolished in the 1960s. There are only really three intercity lines leaving the city, and trains are neither charming nor high tech - the 'high speed' line to DC in fact goes far slower than European and Asian counterparts.
In spite of this, I've never had a more exciting journey by train than the one I took earlier this year from NYC, via DC, New Orleans, and eventually to Austin, TX. It was like an experience from another age, with spacious trains, proper meals in the dining car (all inclusinve if you traveled in a sleeper compartment), and friendly southern service south of DC.
I'm interested to know more about Chicago - where can you get to, what are the stations like - pictures?
I would say that China newest high speed rail system (that opened last June) is probably one of the fastest, most modern and convenient systems in the world. It is on time, very organized and foreigners can use it without problem as all the signs and announcements are in English as well as Chinese. (Beijing and Shanghai are both served by this system and they both have very modern subway systems as well.)
I would say that NYC's subway is one of the most extensive subway systems that exist although it is not a modern on. NYC is also a hub for rail transit in the Northeastern part of the USA as not only does the National Amtrak train system run through it but also three/four local commuter rail systems: the Long Island Railroad, the New Jersey Transit rail system as well as the PATH train system and the Metro North rail system.
I've heard lots about China's ambitious plans for high-speed rail, but given the vast size of the country, what is the quantity and variety of rail infrastructure in any given city? Anyone got any good pictures?
NYC certainly has an extensive subway and fairly large commuter rail system, but I'm not convinced it has has the number of lines going to other cities, the number or variety of stations, the technology, or the history to be a truly great railway city - especially considering the incredibly high standards that it itself applies to greatness. For example, while Grand Central is possibly the world's greatest train station, you can't actually get to many places beyond NYC's urban limits from there, and the number of trains/passengers is modest considering it's one of only two major terminals in the city. Penn station, the other terminal and departure point for (afaik) all Amtrak inter-city services, is a dump after the magnificent original structure was disgracefully demolished in the 1960s. There are only really three intercity lines leaving the city, and trains are neither charming nor high tech - the 'high speed' line to DC in fact goes far slower than European and Asian counterparts.
In spite of this, I've never had a more exciting journey by train than the one I took earlier this year from NYC, via DC, New Orleans, and eventually to Austin, TX. It was like an experience from another age, with spacious trains, proper meals in the dining car (all inclusinve if you traveled in a sleeper compartment), and friendly southern service south of DC.
I'm interested to know more about Chicago - where can you get to, what are the stations like - pictures?
Unfortunately, NYC is as you describe is as good as it gets for rail transport in the US.
Chicago was once great with multiple terminals for inter-city services, but now it's pretty much just Union Station that does it and nothing else. Chicago does serve as a rail hub, but mostly for freight, and it's very, very slow.
Things are changing a bit, though how much we won't know until after the elections. There was a lot of talk about high-speed rail, but it's on shaky grounds now. As for NYC's inter-city service, I think you'll be glad to know that the huge post office across from the current Penn Station is going to become a new concourse for the complex.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
