Train Systems in Europe: Speed, Efficiency, and State Monopoly
In the countries of France and Spain, the train system is by all means a symbol of modernity and technological prowess. The respective state-owned railway companies, the SNCF and the Renfe, both have their signature high-speed railway networks and their sleek train systems, the TGV and the AVE. Connecting major cities with speeds topping 150-250 km/hr in amazingly silent and comfortably stable environments, these high speed trains are highly viable alternatives, both price- and comfort-wise to the burgeoning private budge airline industry.