Yet another high speed rail line opened in Europe last month. The line connecting Frankfurt, Germany and Paris, France made the previously six-plus hours ride take a mere three and a half. Running at speeds up to 199mph (320kph) enabled the trip time to be cut in half. High speed rail, while technically slower than air travel, is a cheaper, hassle-free alternative to flying.

This three hour long rail connection is only the beginning of a proposed Europe-wide high speed rail system. The system is planned to go from Barcelona, Spain to Budapest, Hungary, which is roughly a 20 hour drive by car.

It seems like the United States will never see such a system. Our struggling rail system's crown jewel is Amtrak's Acela service (pictured). Acela only runs on one line, the Northeast Corridor, and travels at only 150mph (242kph), 49mph slower than the mentioned European High Speed rail. In addition to the slower speed, only relatively small portions of the track can accommodate these speeds, since the trains used existing right-of-ways through highly developed communities.