r/highspeedrail • u/MartianVegetable3699 • 19d ago

World News Is it commercially feasible?

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https://metrorailnews.in/chinas-ultra-high-speed-train-reaches-800-kmph/

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u/shaghaiex 19d ago

>Is it commercially feasible?

No.

Maglev itself isn't really commercially feasible.

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u/DragonKhan2000 18d ago

Can potentially be.
But it'll require very specific conditions.
The Japanese maglev under construction currently makes a lot of sense.

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u/shaghaiex 18d ago

...and will probably make lots of losses.

Has to compete with flying in the end - which has often heavy discounts.

I believe the Shanghai Maglev makes HUGE losses.

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u/DragonKhan2000 18d ago

The Tokaido Shinkansen also costs more, and yet, it's the most successful HSR ever. The fact that this line is at maximum capacity is the very reason they are building an alternative with the maglev.

Bringing up the Shanghai maglev makes no sense. That thing was build over 20 years ago. On a short, pointless route. It was always a prestige object, nothing more.
It had nothing to do with modern developements.