Can we do the same as Spain??

[class47]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009...3/spain-trains

Spain's high-speed trains win over fed-up flyers


Spain's sleek new high-speed trains have stolen hundreds of thousands
of passengers from airlines over the last year, slashing carbon
emissions and marking a radical change in the way Spaniards travel.

Passenger numbers on fuel-guzzling domestic flights fell 20% in the
year to November as commuters and tourists swapped cramped airline
seats for the space and convenience of the train, according to figures
released yesterday.

High-speed rail travel - boosted by the opening of a line that slashed
the journey time from Madrid to Barcelona to 2 hours 35 minutes in
February - grew 28% over the same period. About 400,000 travellers
shunned airports and opted for the 220mph AVE trains.

[ashurstdave]

I have never been to Spain but the article makes good reading and pleased that their new railway has promoted new rail business. In UK, are there any comparisions between rail and air travel. I would be interested to know for example, the number of people who fly between Southampton Airport and Manchester daily and the number of people who travel on the now hourly Arriva Cross-Country train services. I expect the air option would still have the fastest journey time and business journeys ( someone else is paying for it ) will use air as their option?

[class47]

I have to admit that i would never consider travelling by air for travel to another UK destination, but do know people who travel from Leeds to Exeter by plane

[Andy]

Its just pointless flying, as you have to be in the airport hours before, and with more and more train companies offering WIFI its just far more easier.

[ashurstdave]

Something of interest - It's Not Easy Being Green (BBC2 on 2lst Jan ) - showed a family who travelled from London to Malaga by train instead of going by air. Regretably the family wewre not impressed ( although they went Firsst Class ) and described the Paris - Madrid sleeping compartements as a prison cell. They did not like hardly anything about the train journeys and to make matters worse the Paris - Madrid overnight sleeper was late and they missed the Madrid - Malaga connection. It was a pity as the programme intended to make people switch to train, in the end did little to encourage rail travel due to the bad experiences of the family who were filmed.