Maglev - the quickest way to the airport?
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Maglev - the quickest way to the airport?
There are huge political arguments going on here in Bavaria concerning the proposed 300 km/h maglev line from Munich's central station to the airport. Currently there are two suburban rail lines that use stopping trains to connect the city centre to the airport in about 40 minutes. "Minister-President" Stoiber, who's always been pushing the "Transrapid" project, has suddenly found the public funds to get it built, the announcement coming just days before he left office.
The pros, according to those in favour, are:
Question time:
The pros, according to those in favour, are:
- Reduction in travel time from 40 minutes to ten minutes for the 37 km distance.
- It's a showcase hi-tech project that will generate new sales for magnetic levitation rail lines worldwide.
- Environmentally preferable due to less noise pollution than rail lines.
- The proposed budget of EUR 1.85 billion is massively optimistic and the taxpayer will have to foot the overspend.
- Point-to-point line via central train station will mean little journey time reductions for many travellers.
- It's a massive waste of public money for a failed technology that has always failed to assert itself in the marketplace.
Question time:
- Has anyone used the Shanghai mag-lev and what did you think?
- How much value do you put on a fast public transport link to the airport?
- Or do you always take the car anyway?
Paxing All Over The World
I lived in Munich for 18 months (1998~2000) and used the S8 extensively to get to and from MUC. It was a very fine service and had great inter-connections.
For the first year, I lived near the centre (Rotkreutzplatz) and so a fast service from the Hbf would have been good but for the last six months, I was in Olympiazentrum (but before the new link from S1 was made), so then, the fast link into the centre might not have been a benefit.
Overall? Sounds like a politician trying to leave a big fat monument with his big fat name on it - whilst being out of harm's way when it has to be paid for. If I was a tax payer in Munich and Bavaria - then I would not want it as the existing system works like a dream.
For the first year, I lived near the centre (Rotkreutzplatz) and so a fast service from the Hbf would have been good but for the last six months, I was in Olympiazentrum (but before the new link from S1 was made), so then, the fast link into the centre might not have been a benefit.
Overall? Sounds like a politician trying to leave a big fat monument with his big fat name on it - whilst being out of harm's way when it has to be paid for. If I was a tax payer in Munich and Bavaria - then I would not want it as the existing system works like a dream.
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I have used the Maglev in Shanghai a couple of times, from an experience point of view it is comfortable and fast but it doesn't take you in to the city centre. Any time gained from the airport to Maglev station is then lost in a taxi to your final destination in the city my opinion.
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The S8 is indeed a good service from Munich centre to the airport, but suffers from lack of stowage space for luggage - mainly because it it is a standard S-bahn train. The proposed Maglev (the one with the natty mockup in the 'twixt terminal atrium) will need lots of luggage space - and if it cruises at 300kph, it will spend most of its "10 minute" trip accelerating and decelerating. And let's not forget the somewhat recent crash of a development version.....Notwithstanding all this, the current Munich integrated transit system is a model we would do well to copy.
