Re: VFT letter

[dbromage@omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

Tom Zsolt (tom.zsolt@deetya.gov.au) wrote:
> The mind set in Australia, and USA, is for flight rather than train.  There
> is an assumption it's quicker than train.

I find that particuarly amusing in the USA. Let's look at some shuttle
flight times out of New York JFK airport: 

Philadelphia	0h50
Naltimore	1h10
Washington DC	1h20

Add a 45 min cab ride to JFK, 20 mins check in, 15 mins baggage claim and
a 30 min cab ride at your destination. Here's what you get:

Phiadelphia	2h40
Baltimore	3h00
Washington DC	3h10

Now let's look at the weekday Amtrak Metroliners on the same route:

Philadelphia	1h12
Baltimore	2h20
Washington Dc	2h59

And when the American Flyer starts running next year....

Philadelphia	1h06
Baltimore	2h09
Washington DC	2h45

The current United Airlines economy class return airfare is $298 (business
class is about double), plus the cab fares. A return on a Metroliner is
$240. 

The timings from Washington DC to Boston are much the same. A 90 minute
flight becomes 3 hours when you add getting to and from the airport and
all that. The Flyers will do the same run in 3 hours from next year. 

And so we move on to Sydney to Canberra. The 50 minute flight becomes 100
minsute at best between city centres, but a more realistic time would be 2
hours. Compare that to an 80 minute train ride as proposed by Speedrail. 
You also open up other possibilities such as commuting from Goulburn to
Sydney in about 55 mins each way.

Cheers
David