I recently rode the Shinkansen in Japan, watching the countryside blur past at speeds theoretically up to 320 kilometres an hour. I had a similar experience years before when I touched down at Shanghai Pudong airport in China and spent about eight minutes aboard the maglev train into the city, with this train capable of speeds up to 430 kmh. Such experiences underscore the viability of high-speed trains, especially on busy transport routes.
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High-speed trains are not just about the thrill of speed but also about practicality and sustainability. Consider the Melbourne-Sydney plane route. Using pre-pandemic annual figures of over 54,000 flights and nearly 10 million seats, it was the second busiest in the world by flights and fifth busiest by passenger seats.
A very fast train service on this nearly 900-kilometre stretch could revolutionise how we travel between Australia's two largest cities.
Recent advancements in China's maglev technology provide further food for thought. Chinese engineers have successfully tested a maglev train within a vacuum tube, aiming for future speeds of 4000 kmh. That is not a typo. That is Mach 3.3!
This technology, still in the experimental stage, could potentially surpass the speed of commercial passenger aircraft. This new maglev train, by using magnetic levitation, eschews traditional steel wheels and rails for a system that is both lighter and faster and has already clocked 623 kmh in tests.
But the real intrigue lies in the design of these trains. They don't roll; they fly through low-vacuum tubes, using magnets for levitation to minimise friction and magnets are also used for propulsion. This leap in technology could one day see maglev trains connecting cities and villages across vast distances at speeds greater than airplanes.
However, the transition to maglev technology is not without its challenges. The main hurdles include the need for entirely new infrastructure, substantial energy requirements, and the high costs compared to conventional rail systems.
Despite these challenges, the benefits of such high-speed train systems can be transformative. For instance, commuters could travel significantly farther distances into cities, expanding the possibilities for residential and business locations. The reduced travel time could also enhance logistics, providing a boost to businesses by enabling faster delivery of goods.
Moreover, at speeds over 600 kmh, they could rival air travel, providing a faster, more efficient means of covering large distances.
Keep in mind that there is additional time required for air travel in travelling to an airport which is typically located on the outskirts of a city and in arriving 30 minutes before departure.
Rail has two advantages in door-to-door travel time: you can arrive close to the departure time and the station is typically at a more convenient location in the city.
This could have profound implications for countries like Australia, where the vast distances between major cities have always posed a challenge to connectivity and economic integration.
China's maglev could set a new benchmark. It aims to revolutionise the very infrastructure of rail travel while breaking sound barriers
Given these developments, one must ponder the future of high-speed rail in Australia. The country has debated the potential of a high-speed rail network for decades, with discussions often centred on connecting major cities like Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. As we look forward, it's clear that the future of transport could be dramatically different.
