In this age of thrift — with its emphasis on efficiency with low cost — business travellers are rediscovering the convenience (and the romance) of taking the train. This is not just a fallout of the recent global economic crisis. Business travellers in Europe and Japan have for years enjoyed the benefits of a dense network of high-speed rail lines. Now the US is making big investments in this area. It has set aside $8 billion to create 13 high-speed rail corridors. China too has ambitious plans. It wants to build 13,000 km of railway by 2012, and wants to connect the network to other countries as well — including a Beijing-London high-speed rail link!
“I prefer to travel by train within the UK and continental Europe because it’s fast and there’s fantastic service… it’s easier, more convenient because of time and security,” says Mohandas Pai, director-human resources, education and research and administration at Infosys.
When Getting There Is Half the Fun…
(This story appears in the 21 May, 2010 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)