Why US, one of the most powerful countries, still not have bullet trains? Reason will shock you, it is due to…
The United States of America, with a population of 340 million, is seen as the most powerful country in the world. The country spends huge amounts of money on building its infrastructure, including highways and airports. The country has 71 interstate highways and over 5,000 airports. But here’s the surprising part—not a single high-speed railway line exists in the U.S. yet. In simple words, Americans still haven’t had the chance to ride a bullet train.
On the other hand, China has built over 50,000 kilometers of high-speed rail lines, and the European Union has around 8,500 kilometers of such tracks. So, the question that arises is why America is so far behind China and Europe when it comes to high-speed trains?
Trains that run at 250 km/h or more are usually called high-speed trains. According to a report by BBC.com, American writer and journalist Will Doig said that the U.S. is a “We’re a very car-addicted nation.” He further stated that there is a lots of people who just don’t think we need it, or don’t really want it coming through their area. Due to this mindset, the U.S. government hasn’t made high-speed rail a priority. While countries like China and those in Europe have invested heavily in fast trains, Americans have stuck to cars and planes for long-distance travel.
That said, things are beginning to shift. Two high-speed rail corridors are currently under construction in the U.S., and a few more are being planned. But progress is still slow. When Donald Trump pulled funding from one proposed project, it once again raised doubts about whether America will truly embrace high-speed rail anytime soon.
At present, the United States is working on two high-speed rail projects. The first is a line connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles in California. The second is a proposed route from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. In addition to these, there are plans for a new high-speed rail line that would run from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington, and further up to Vancouver, Canada. Another project was proposed between Dallas and Houston in Texas. However, the Trump administration cancelled a $63.9 million grant that had been allocated for it, casting serious doubt over the future of that plan, reported BBC.com.
The San Francisco to Los Angeles high-speed rail project is being managed by the California state government. It is expected to be completed by 2033. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles to Las Vegas line—called Brightline West—is a privately funded project, and it is expected to become operational by 2028.
China’s high-speed rail network has now crossed a total length of 50,000 kilometers, making it the largest in the world. In the European Union, the total length of high-speed rail lines is around 8,556 kilometers. Among EU countries, Spain leads the pack with 3,190 kilometers of high-speed tracks.
As for the United Kingdom, it currently has only one operational high-speed rail line, running 68 miles from the Channel Tunnel to London St Pancras. Another project, called High Speed 2 (HS2), is under construction between London and Birmingham, but it has been facing delays due to financial challenges.
China’s high-speed rail network is expected to reach around 60,000 kilometers by the year 2030. According to Denmark-based think tank ‘21st Century Europe’, Chinese cities that were connected through high-speed rail saw an average economic growth of 14.2%.
China is not just expanding its own network—it’s also helping other Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam build their own high-speed rail systems.
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