Quote: "In Japan you pay a premium every time you want to go on an express train - be that the Shinkansen - or a rural express. Doesn't deter anyone as the journey time is so much shorter."
Good point, glad you mention Japan, it's country with much transport choice. Complimenting the Shinkansen is a huge network of domestic flights.
For example, there are about 50 flights/day (many on widebodied planes) between Tokyo's 2 airports and Osaka's 3 airports, in addition to a bullet train several times/hour.
Tokyo-Haneda is almost as busy as Heathrow and is still almost entirely domestic, there are only a handful of international flights.
Quote: "The only way to interchange HS2 with HS1 at St Pancras would be to tunnel HS2 deep down below the underground lines at presumably prohibitive cost, as the area is so congested. Aklternatively they could bulldoze a large residential area."
Or run both HS1, HS2 and the Eurostar out of London St Pancras, moving the Midland Mainline underneath with the Thameslink, or to London-Euston if neccessary. Public transport has to be convenient to get people off the roads!
Quote: "It took Tokyo years and years to build a connection in central Tokyo between the Shinkansen coming from the north to those going to the south and even now all the trains still just terminate in Tokyo.
Tokyo has just one massive station for both Shinkansen and conventional rail, with a metro interchange underneath.
Quote: "Most people travelling down HS2 won't want to go any further than London."
Maybe, maybe not, you know this how? Sounds like pure conjecture...
Quote: "The only way you can really do joined-up transport policy is to create a brand new capital somewhere... "
Forget that idea, it's hard enough to get just one runway built!
Last edited by Fairdealfrank; 9th Jun 2012 at 22:22.