why is it so much cheaper to fly long distances than to take the train (in the US)?

Question

why is it so much cheaper to fly long distances than to take the train (in the US)?

In: 7

Answer 1

Train networks in the US are extremely underdeveloped and underused compared to europe. This is the real main reason its so costly.

Trains have a high base cost (machinery/rails) but extremely low operating costs so are expensive if volume is low and rail isnt already existing. In the us’s case most especially they never developed high speed rail so speed is also low.

In europe trains are cheap because rail is well developed and maintained everywhere and volume of use is high. Thus operating costs are exceedingly low and speed is fast enough to compete with air (especially considering all the delays within an airport).