Frontier Centre

There is renewed discussion in Alberta about building a high-speed rail link between Calgary and Edmonton. The idea has been around in one form or another for more than 30 years, but experience elsewhere in the world suggests that a high-speed train on the Canadian prairies simply would not be economically viable. Right now only two high-speed rail lines are profitable: the Tokyo-Osaka corridor in Japan and the Paris-Lyon bullet train in France. Both areas are much more densely populated than the corridor in Alberta. Even if there were more potential riders, a high-speed train cannot compete with the alternative of driving in a private vehicle along that route. Most people will find it cheaper and more convenient to drive or carpool than pay for a train ticket, especially when you consider that they would still need to rent a car or take a taxi to their final destination. Environmental considerations are not a significant plus. High-speed trains take more energy than conventional trains, planes or motor veh