Why Trains are so Expensive

Research by William Mayne

Passenger and conductor icons courtesy H Alberto Gongora from the Noun Project
Select footage courtesy Amtrak
Amtrak locomotive photo courtesy Nathan D. Holmes
Amtrak advertisement photo courtesy Oran Viriyincy
“Whispering Through” song by Asura
Acela express photo courtesy Ben Schumin
Virgin Trains EC photo courtesy Virgin Trains East Coast
Kings cross photo courtesy Wikipedia commons user “Colin”
Yemasse Amtrak station photo courtesy DanTD

Big thanks to Patreon supporters: Gladys Portales, Vincent Mooney, Rob Harvey, Venkata Kaushik Nunna, Josh Berger, Paul Jihoon Choi, Huang MingLei, Dylan Benson, Maximillian van Kasbergen, Victor Zimmer, Etienne Deschamps, Aitan Magence, William Chappell, Eyal Matsliah, Sihien, Marcelo Alves Viera, Hank Green, Plinio Correa, Connor J Smith, and Brady Bellini

[TimesChu]

10:08 YOU MENTIONED MY HOME TOWN!!! Nobody has ever mentioned my home town, Havre, ever in my entire 20 years of using the internet.

[Wendoverproductions]

Hey hope you enjoy this (early) new video!

Edit: I forgot to add that I'm at VidCon Europe this weekend in Amsterdam! If you want to say hi there's a Science creator meetup that I'll be at at 6:15 pm Sunday in the "Europe Foyer Meetup Area."

If you missed when I said it at the beginning, I started a podcast with Brian from Real Engineering! We chatted with Hank Green on the first episode which you can find with the link in the description or at showmakers.fm.

Also please go check out Videoblocks! I'm not exaggerating at all when I said I've used them since day one. I'm also not lying when I say that that 7-day free trial is not publicly available! The only way to get it is to use the link the description and it'll give you up to 140 free fully licensed stock footage clips. If you're a Youtuber there's absolutely no reason for you not to try them out.

[verward]

I think this is mostly a us video. The largest Dutch railway company (NS) employs 5000 people and they have 1 000 000 passengers a day.

[antoniusnoll]

In the us: amtrak carries 31.7 million in 2017

In germany: the DB carries 2.5 billion People in 2017

[sharkcraft]

The hi speed trains of Europe mean I can step aboard 1 minute before departure in the middle of the city, cruise at 300kmh and step off at a destination in the middle of a city without Queues, waiting, taxis, baggage checks, body scans and all the other crap that goes with flying. Flying is no quicker and less convenient up to 700 or even 1000km trips

[kerol]

"They just use the sky, which is for free.."
Russia : Hold my vodka!

[doso]

I really love trains. I live in Sweden, and my family sometimes go from the South to the North to go skiing. We usually go on a nighttime train. I love the gentle bumps and the cozy room and bunks where I can read and talk to my family. ILUVIT!

[drew]

“Why is AMTRAK so expensive?” would be a more accurate title.

[adamsiroky]

In czech republic:
Main track: Prague>Ostrava(300km/200mi)

Train ticket: 12.5$
Plane ticket: 150$

[tzuqbts]

I used to take the train that passed through New York and went to DC. I hugely preferred it to the hassle of flying. You just take a taxi to the station, walk on when the train arrives, show your ticket, and chill. No annoying security.

[From-wsdx]

Wendover production: why are trains so expensive?
Me living in India: realy?

[kariminalo]

Why Trains are so Expensive
*in the U.S*

[infinitecanadian]

There is a train called the West Coast Express which costs only 12 dollars to get from Vancouver to Mission, British Columbia. That's even less than a Greyhound bus ride (and Greyhound doesn't operate anymore within the province anyway). There are lots of people who travel as well, so it must pay for itself.

[IceKingM]

You literally chose the worst countries for train commuting

[Nurpus]

Start of the video: Why are trains so expensive?
End of the video: *THE TRAINS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF DEMOCRACY AND THE ONLY THING KEEPING THIS COUNTRY TOGETHER*

[rogink]

You deserve an award for deciphering the UK rail ticketing system. Actually your breakdown of different fares is for a relatively simple part of the network.

[rnw]

The tile should really say, "Why are PASSENGER trains so expensive." Freight trains are doing fine. Efficient. In demand. Cheap.

[leomeili]

I would not say that airlines are 'highly profitable' as they have extremely tiny margins

[ajc]

Did not add the cost of traveling to and from the airport, railway stations are usually in the CBD of a city whereas airports air really often in outer suburbs.

[LaLaObeRoT]

I live in Germany. I use the train every day because it is MUCH cheaper than driving my car.