Competition on rails is heating up

Competition on rails is growing: German railway company Deutsche Bahn introduces the new high-speed train model. High-speed trains that are competing for the air travel are competing not only with speed but also with comfort.
European railway companies buy faster and more comfortable trains to compete with cheaper flight tickets. German railway company Deutsche Bahn introduced its fourth generation high-speed train ICE to the public in Berlin. Here are the world's leading high-speed trains ...
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn's high-speed train ICE stands out with its being more reliable and durable, although not as fast as the third generation. While the third generation ICEs can reach a speed of 330 kilometers per hour, the fourth generation will be able to reach a maximum speed of 250 kilometers. Thanks to the distribution of electric motors between the axles of all wagons, the new high-speed train can be extended and shortened according to passenger needs, and defective wagons can be replaced in a short time.
The air conditioning system of the fourth generation high-speed train with all kinds of comfort will be resistant to environmental temperatures from minus 25 degrees to 45 degrees. Second class passengers of the new ICE will also be able to benefit from high speed internet for free. The new model high-speed train, which is more comfortable and suitable for climate conditions, will allocate more space for bicycles, the lighting system will be completely renewed and the walking-disabled will be able to get on the train without getting off the wheelchair thanks to the hydraulic step.
The new ICE, which is planned to be used as of 2017, will be able to carry 830 passengers. The first 5 of the fourth generation high-speed trains, which will cost 3 billion 130 million euros in total, will be manufactured by Siemens and Bombardier companies. In 2023, 85 12 wagons and 45 7 wagons will be run by express trains between Germany's major cities.

ITALY: Italian public business Trenitalia has been competing with a private company called Italo since 2012. Comfort and service are given importance on Italian trains purchased from the French company Alstom. First-class passengers can eat where they sit, connect to the high-speed internet and watch movies. Trenitalia's latest Frecciarossa trains can speed up to 400 kilometers per hour and very few stop at stations during long-haul flights. Tickets for express services of both companies can only be purchased by reservation.
SPAIN: Spanish public company Renfe prides itself on the punctuality of its trains that can speed up to 310 kilometers per hour. As of autumn, it will be possible to benefit from fast internet on Madrid-Barcelona flights. 1 million 840 thousand passengers were transported by AVE high-speed trains in July. The AVE system has Europe's largest high-speed train network with a line of 3 thousand 150 kilometers. In the coming years, with an investment of 12 billion euros, even 850 kilometers will be added. Renfe plans to buy 2 new trains for 65 billion 30 million euros.

FRANCE: The new generation of the high-speed train TGV will enter service in 2022. The new model is being developed jointly by the railways business SNCF and Siemens' rival Alscom. The price and operating costs of the new generation TGV, which is aimed to be more energy efficient and cheaper, will be 20 percent lower than the trains on the voyage. TGVs operating among the large settlement centers of France entered service in 1981, being the first in Europe. TGV can complete the distance between the capital Paris, which reaches 400 kilometers, and Marseille, reaching a speed of 300 kilometers per hour in less than two hours.
GREAT BRITAIN: Eurostar, the e320 model of Siemens, connects London to Paris and Brussels. While Eurostar reaches a speed of 320 kilometers per hour, Southeastern Railway's 'Javelin' type trains, which also use the Channel tunnel, can reach up to 225 kilometers. The final word has not been said about the London-Birmingham-Sheffield-Manchester-Leeds line, which was announced to be laid in 2017.

POLAND: It has invested 7 billion euros in state railway lines, stations and new trains. Pendolino type trains manufactured by Alstom company and capable of cornering at high speed were also purchased within the scope of modernization. Highly comfortable Pendolino can speed up to 250 kilometers per hour. It is possible to travel by high-speed train in Poland for much cheaper than other European countries.
JAPAN: Shinkanzen, the fastest train of Japan's own manufacture, where railways were privatized in the 1980s, runs frequently between Tokyo and Osaka. The plane-train competition on this line, operated by JR Tokai company, requires making trains faster, more comfortable and safer without making tickets cheaper. 130 Şinkanzen will be able to travel at a speed of 285 kilometers per hour thanks to its modern brake system.