Why is Maglev better than the High-Speed Trains already operating in Europe and Japan?
A. Maglev is better than high-speed trains for many reasons. First, rather than the point-to-point service between city centers characteristic of high speed rail, Maglev will have many more stations, distributed so that people have easy and fast access to the Maglev Network. Second, individual Maglev vehicles will hold 100 people at most, compared to the 500 to 1000 people on a high-speed train. This enables more frequent and convenient service. Third, Maglev vehicles travel at 300 mph, compared to 180 mph for high-speed trains. The faster Maglev vehicles, plus their ability to accelerate and decelerate much more quickly, cut the travel time for Maglev by at least a factor of 2, as compared to high speed rail. Fourth, the Maglev noise is much less than steel wheels on rail. Finally, Maglev vehicles travel on elevated guideways, something that the much heavier trains cannot do. Elevated Maglev guideways enhance safety and reduce environmental impact, compared to an on-grade rail track.
