Air travel obviously is faster than rail travel over the long haul, but there are other factors which must be weighed. Air travel includes baggage handling, on-board meals and entertainment; thanks to budget carriers, there are often lower prices for air tickets than the same trip would cost by rail.
Train travel may be slower than air travel. However, it is often more convenient, since rail stations are located in city centers, not in far-flung airports. Trains also allow you to transport as much luggage as you can carry with no fees; train travel does away with the dreaded airport security line and check-in processes.
In Europe, Asia and the northeastern United States, special high-speed trains shuttle people at 150 to 200 miles per hour between major cities and along hi-traffic routes; these trains travel with the same efficiency and time of travel as jet airplanes.
Although the power plants of trains range from electric motors to diesel engines, the overall carbon dioxide emissions of train travel are hundreds of times lower than that of jet air travel.
