@lain@lain.com Because of the dramatic increases in efficiency of rail vs. air, too, fares are usually 1/2 to 1/3 what they are for air travel. This isn't a made-up number or hypothetical---looking at global fares in Japan, Europe, and China, HSR fares come out to be generally 1/2 or 1/3 what you'd pay for a comparable airline ticket to the same destination.