Everywhere you look, from Argentina to Saudi Arabia, there's a country planning a new high-speed rail line. Inspired by the success of fast train systems in Europe and Japan, politicians see these links as a way to speed travel between major cities, reduce carbon emissions, and spark smart urban development. President Obama shares those goals and devoted $8 billion to HSR in the stimulus bill.
This chart compares seven lines on four continents that are either in the engineering phase or already under construction. They range in size from the diminutive 34-mile project that will connect Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to the gargantuan 818-mile link between Beijing and Shanghai. The variations in construction cost per mile and local meaning of the term "high speed" are almost as great.
Source: Infrastructurist
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