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Here's how America's Amtrak compares to China's bullet trains
Talia Lakritz, INSIDER
12hours
Price isn't the only difference.gui jun peng/Shutterstock, Amtrak
The INSIDER Summary:
Train travel isn't the most popular way to get around in the US. Amtrak is the only high speed intercity passenger rail in the country, and it hasn't made a profit since its establishment. The federal government continues to subsidize its operations to the tune of $1 billion every year, and last year's ridership was around 31.3 million passengers — a new record.
China's high speed railway, on the other hand, is the most heavily used in the world, with 1.44 billion passengers every year.
Ridership isn't the only difference between these two railways — here's how they stack up.
Amtrak is developing a high-speed fleet to replace their Acela Express line in 2021, but they're not the norm yet.
China's Shanghai Maglev train line has been around since 2004, and is still the fastest commercial service train in the world.
Shanghai's Maglev (magnetic levitation) train.Zoran Karapancev/Shutterstock
Amtrak trains chug along between 100 and 150 miles per hour.
Most trains travel at 100 miles per hour.chuckstock/Shutterstock
Bullet trains reach speeds of up to 186 miles per hour.
That's 300 kilometers per hour.gui jun peng/Shutterstock
The interior aesthetic of an Amtrak train resembles an airplane.
An Amtrak conductor inspects a luggage compartment.Alex Wong/Getty Images
The color scheme is different on bullet trains, but it's the same idea.
The interior of a bullet train.EQRoy/Shutterstock
Business class in the US is a slight upgrade, but nothing Earth shattering.
Amtrak business class.Amtrak
On bullet trains in China, business class seats recline with a footrest.
Business class on a bullet train.China Daily China Daily Information Corp - CDIC/Reuters
Amtrak's Northeast Corridor accounts for one third of Amtrak's traffic.
It stops in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.Mark Makela/Getty Images
In China, the high speed railway between Beijing and Shanghai is one of the busiest.
It transports passengers 819 miles in just five or six hours.Jason Lee/Reuters
http://www.businessinsider.com/trai...attendants-wear-collared-shirts-and-scarves-9
Talia Lakritz, INSIDER
12hours
Price isn't the only difference.gui jun peng/Shutterstock, Amtrak
The INSIDER Summary:
- China's bullet trains are faster than Amtrak in the US.
- They're also significantly cheaper.
- The interiors of the trains look pretty much the same.
Train travel isn't the most popular way to get around in the US. Amtrak is the only high speed intercity passenger rail in the country, and it hasn't made a profit since its establishment. The federal government continues to subsidize its operations to the tune of $1 billion every year, and last year's ridership was around 31.3 million passengers — a new record.
China's high speed railway, on the other hand, is the most heavily used in the world, with 1.44 billion passengers every year.
Ridership isn't the only difference between these two railways — here's how they stack up.
Amtrak is developing a high-speed fleet to replace their Acela Express line in 2021, but they're not the norm yet.
China's Shanghai Maglev train line has been around since 2004, and is still the fastest commercial service train in the world.
Shanghai's Maglev (magnetic levitation) train.Zoran Karapancev/Shutterstock
Amtrak trains chug along between 100 and 150 miles per hour.
Most trains travel at 100 miles per hour.chuckstock/Shutterstock
Bullet trains reach speeds of up to 186 miles per hour.
That's 300 kilometers per hour.gui jun peng/Shutterstock
The interior aesthetic of an Amtrak train resembles an airplane.
An Amtrak conductor inspects a luggage compartment.Alex Wong/Getty Images
The color scheme is different on bullet trains, but it's the same idea.
The interior of a bullet train.EQRoy/Shutterstock
Business class in the US is a slight upgrade, but nothing Earth shattering.
Amtrak business class.Amtrak
On bullet trains in China, business class seats recline with a footrest.
Business class on a bullet train.China Daily China Daily Information Corp - CDIC/Reuters
Amtrak's Northeast Corridor accounts for one third of Amtrak's traffic.
It stops in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.Mark Makela/Getty Images
In China, the high speed railway between Beijing and Shanghai is one of the busiest.
It transports passengers 819 miles in just five or six hours.Jason Lee/Reuters
http://www.businessinsider.com/trai...attendants-wear-collared-shirts-and-scarves-9
