airlines are not profitable on a 1,300 km trip

Usain Bolt bending seven rivals, letting go in the last 15 meters and, despite everything, running faster of what no human had done until then. Is there any better metaphor to explain the launch of Chinese high speed trains?

That year, while Usain Bolt flew inside the nestthe stadium in which the Beijing Olympic GamesChina took the opportunity to show the world that it was already a modern country. And part of that modernity passed, of course, through high -speed lines that came into operation that same year.

17 years later, China is the First country in the world With more kilometers on high -speed roads. Like Bolt in 2008, growth has run at such a devilish speed that it has left powers such as France, Japan and, Spain, because We are the second country in the world with more kilometers of high speed.

In less than two decades, the impact of Chinese high speed has been very high. The railway framework in a country of the size of China is very important for long displacements. And, for the moment, they are convincing people. So much that their airlines have given an alarm voice: the train is stealing customers.

Better by train

While Europe is still trying to bet on the train but the low flight prices are still competitive enough to opt for them mostly when it comes to making a long journey, the incorporation of bullet trains in China has completely changed the way of understanding trips in the Asian country.

At the end of 2024 They presented their most advanced traincapable of reaching 450 km/h. CR450AF is only the last example of Chinese development. This year it should come into operation on the high -speed roads already built, so its maximum speed will be 350 km/h. However, the intention is to have finished in 2027 the railways that will hold the more than 400 km/h mentioned.

Then, travelers will have one more reason to opt for the train on the Beijing-Shangai route, a journey to which according to South China Morning Post 52 million passengers were uploaded last year, for just 8.6 million travelers that the airlines added.

This figure served at the service to grow 3.62% in its income, until adding more than 42,000 million yuan (about 5.8 billion dollars). And net earnings increased by 10%, raising to 12.8 billion yuan (near 1.8 billion dollars). Traffic is so intense that 100 trains circulate daily between both cities.

To understand why the train has triumphed in front of the plane, you just have to understand its figures. Just over 1,300 kilometers separate Beijing from Shanghai but the current Chinese train is able to reduce that distance to four hours and 18 minutes of journey. In the worst case, adding all the stops, the trip stays in less than eight hours.

At the high frequency and reduced time of the journey, we must add that, according to SCMP For many it is essential to stay connected while traveling. While in a plane it is impossible to maintain this digital connection (At least for the moment)on the train it seems to be assured. In fact, if something made us clear to us Beijing Winter Olympic Games The latter was one of the great concerns.

They highlight in the environment that the Chinese Air Transport Association defines as “eroded” the competition between both means of transport that are seeing how even the upper classes are opting for the train. China Eastern Airlines and Air China have recently linked forces, with the aim of sealing this passenger leak.

Both companies total 55 flights between cities and had one of their most faithful groups in the upper class. However, leaving and arriving from the city center and the punctuality of the train (in addition to connectivity) is attracting more and more customers. Airlines have tried to stop this offering their clients facilities to change flight schedule or even putting limousines to bring them closer to the center of the cities.

Airlines warn that if this does not work, they will have no choice but to lower prices but maintaining the line is, less and less viable. On the other side of the railway currency, SCMP It also emphasizes that the success of the line between Beijing and Shanghai is not repeated in much of the country where the interior lines are deficit.

Something that as Spaniards already sounds more?

Photo | N509FZ

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