[cactusface]

I think population density is a factor. China and the US have the same area, but China has 4x the population. Consider also England and Japan, densely populated islands with great train service.

[vetinari]

This is about the first time that I see "UK" and "great train service" together in one sentence ;)

[digi_owl]

Relative to USA it may be great, but i wonder about relative to Japan.

[cactusface]

Japan > England >> USA. Just being able to take the TGV from London to Paris is mindblowing.

I define great as it being generally possible to get where I want to go on the train (this is the most important factor) and then as a bonus it's usually competitive with driving, busing, flying, cycling, or walking in terms of comfort, cost, and convenience.

[digi_owl]

And therein lies the rub perhaps.

When people praise train travel it is largely long distance.

When people complain it is likely to be commuter lines in and around cities.

BTW, TGV is French...

[chrischen]

Yea also China's population is way more packed onto one side of the country than the US is.

[hannob]

China is heavily trying to also connect its less populated areas to proper train services. They just built a new highspeed train to the Xinjiang region which is a very sparsely populated area in the north east of China.

[lorenzfx]

We might have had different experiences travelling by train in England.

[ionised]

The UK rail service is dire and has been for many years since privatisastion.

[dagw]

It may be much worse than it's been, but it still mostly works and it's still much better than what's in the US.