پنجشنبه ۲۲ شهریور ۰۳ | ۲۱:۱۹ ۷ بازديد
rental sector (Holloway, 1994). Large corporations have additional advantages
including contacts with airports and railway (with a desk at terminals); link with
airlines and hotels to increase sales; CRS linkage and link with travel agencies and
tour operators.
Rental cars are very popular in the countries where tourism is an important
industry. Rental cars from one country can be used in other countries too. The
major car rental companies in the US are Herzs, Avis, Budget, National, etc.
Automobile manufacturing companies attract rental companies to purchase latest
vehicles and offer various schemes, discounts, etc. CRS accessibility is available
through major CRS agencies like Sabre, Galileo,etc. In India too, the practice of
car rental has caught up.
6.3.4 Taxi and Limousine Services:
Taxis and Limousines play an important role in tourism. Taxicab is a public
transport vehicle for single or small group of people and they are available for hire.
The concept has been in existence from very early periods, using the then available
vehicles. Taxi operation is subject to licensing and rate regulation by concerned
authorities.
Limousine is a very expensive luxury car driven by chauffeur with passengers in
the rear compartment. Limousine service has a unique niche market, competing
with both taxis and coaches. It is usually long and is seen either in black or white
in colour. The specialty of such a car is that it will have a barricade between the
driver and the passenger with a sliding glass between them so that the
conversations can be kept private from the driver. Airlines and corporates often
offer limousine services to their passengers or clients.
6.3.5 Recreation Vehicle:
Recreation Vehicle (RV) segment is a strong component in the land based
transportation. Slide-out technology was introduced in RVs during 1990s and has
later, advanced further. Slide outs are available with living rooms, dining rooms,
bedrooms and kitchens. Motor homes, travel trailers, fifth wheel trailers and even
fold camping trailers are some of the examples of slide outs.
132
6.4 Road Transportations in India: An Overview:
Road transport in India has a large and extensive transportation system. The
country has one of the world’s largest railway as well as road network, transporting
millions of passengers annually. During the British rule, there was significant
improvement in the horse carriages, which were used for transport in the early
days. Bicycle rickshaws became popular in the early periods of the last century,
which are still being used in many parts of India, particularly the rural areas.
Manually pulled rickshaws were also in transportation and they were seen on roads
of some major cities in India till recently. The British also introduced Trams in
some cities in India during their reign. These are still being used in some parts of
the country like, Kolkata. India has a well-developed network of roads and
highways. Highways connect almost all the major cities and towns in all the states
and union territories in India and they have an important role in the socio-
economic system of the country, especially in transporting goods. Towns near
highways have sprung up into prominence after the arrival of highways. Highways
are seen in two lanes and up to eight laned in some city outs*******ts. India has
66,590 km of National highways.
India Motor Vehicles Act 1914 is the first enactment relating to motor vehicles in
India. This was subsequently replaced by the Motor Vehicles act of 1939. There
have been many amendments to the set since then to take into account the changes
in the road transportation technology, pattern of passenger and freight movements,
development of road network and particularly the improved techniques in the
motor vehicles management.
Department of Road Transport and Highways is the apex body in India under the
Central Government, which formulates and administers policies for road transport
and national highways and also undertakes transport research with a view to
increasing the mobility and efficiency of the road transport system in the country.
The Departments’ roads wing deals with development and maintenance of the
national highways in the country and the transport wing deals with matters relating
to road transport, which involves motor vehicles legislation, taxation, insurance,
Transport Services in Tourism ETS-104
133
administration of road transport corporations act, promotion of transport
cooperatives in the field of motor transport, evolving safety measures, etc.
I. Local transportation:
In India, the most important mode of transportation is road based. Rail services are
also predominant in the country and some times, road transportation acts as
complimentary to rail transportation. The role of road and railways in the social
life of the country is very important. For example, the vast national rail and road
network enables farmers to transport their farm and agriculture produce to larger
towns, where they get better prices. The bus transportation has an important role
both in cities as well as villages. Both private and government agencies operate bus
services and in certain routes these are operated by public agencies alone. More
luxury services are now being offered, particularly by private operators. Shuttle
services, limited stop services, intercity services, charter services, town-to-town
services, express services, Volvo services, luxury coach with A/C as well as
without A/C services, etc. are the various types of road services available in India.
Luxury services are relatively costlier. In village and remote areas, Vans or Mini
buses are more prevalent. Auto Rickshaws, another common taxi service, are
available for hire which carry two or three passengers. It is a three wheeler vehicle
and a cheaper option for very small distances.
II. Cars:
The car market in India has seen a remarkable expansion during the last fifteen
years. Around twenty years back Indian roads were dominated by Ambassador
Cars followed by the FIAT. These two were ideal for Indian road conditions too.
But the arrival of Maruti Suzuki has changed the scenario dramatically and
changes the liberalization policy adopted during the early 1990s have influenced
the Indian car sector also. The cars became more popular, but cost did not go high
especially due to the compact models available at affordable prices. Indian middle
class once considered cars as luxury, but the developments in the car production
during the above period made them a necessity. Many foreign car companies have
entered into India and some of them have already gained market attention. For
instance, the Korean Hyundai. The arrival of foreign companies gave a stiff
134
competition to the Indian Car producers. This has resulted in availability of
cheaper car versions, new and variety of models, international luxury, etc.
Utility vehicle are also in demand in India. Companies like Mahindra and
Mahindra, Tata Motors, produce utility vehicles in India.
Check Your Progress – I:
Filling the blanks:
1. The world’s first motorized bus (Benz truck) was made in - - - - - - - - -- -- - - -
in 1895.
2. Delhi, - - - - - - - - - - - - and Agra is the golden triangle of India.
3. In the US, about - - - - - - - - - - - - - of personal trips are made by - - - - - - - - - -
that include rental cars, trucks and recreation vehicles.
4. Recreation Vehicle (RV) segment is a strong component in the - - - - - - - - - -
based transportation.
5. First class railway service for passenger was introduced in - - - - - -- - - -- - -- in
September 17, 1825.
Check your answer with the one given at the end of the unit.
6.5 Rail Transport:
Rail transport is the transportation of passengers and goods by means of vehicles
which are designed to run along the railroads or railways. A train consists of
several individual bogies linked together with an engine which pulls them. Rail
transport is considered as a mass transportation mode and one of the most energy
efficient carriages. They make highly efficient use of space since they travel on
two parallel rails and carry hundreds of passengers together along with goods.
Passenger Rail Transportation is a prominent component in travel anywhere in the
world and it is the most important transportation mode especially in countries like
India, South Korea, Japan, China, etc. In the US, though, it does not have as much
importance and relevance as in other countries (Goeldner and Ritchie, 2003).
Transport Services in Tourism ETS-104
135
The earliest forms of railways were in use thousands of years ago. For instance, in
6th century BC, Dio*******, a six kilometer railway that transported boats across the
Corinth Ishithmus in Greece. Trucks pushed by slaves ran in grooves in a
limestone track over 1300 years ago. (www.wikipedia.com) the first horse drawn
wagon ways appeared around 2000 years ago in Greece and some parts of Roman
Empire. The first railways in Great Britain were built in the early 17th century
mainly for transporting coal. In the late 18th century iron rails began to appear. In
1802, a railway station was opened in Surrey, arguably the first public railway
station in Britain. Horse-drawn conveyances were pulled on tracks as early as 1807
on the Ostermouth Railway in Britain (Lundberg and Lundberg, 1993). In 1811
the first successful and practical railway locomotive was designed by Blucher, and
an early railway locomotive was built in 1814 by George Stephenson. Steam
engine based trains were introduced by 1930s. Then onwards, rail transport has
spread and expanded, not only in Britain but all over the world. First Class
Railway service for passenger was introduced in Europe in September 17, 1825.
The first commercial railroad was begun in 1826 in Massachusetts (USA).
Between 1830 and 1850, 12,000 miles of railways were built in England and other
principal European countries. The first international rail service was offered
between Strasburg (France) and Bern (Switzerland) in 1841. Long distance rail
service was given a boost in the US when George Pullman developed Pullman
Coach with sleeping facilities for overnight journeys. (Cook, et.al., 2002). Dining
Cars and Food facilities were pioneered by Fred Harvey.
The passenger rail service became the most important transport mode and it
continued till 1940s. The prominence of rail passenger transport was lost when
automobile entered into transportation in the US. The advent and growth of air
transport worsened the status of railways. The tourist traffic on railways started to
fall from 1930. The period between 1830 and 1930 is considered as ‘Great Age’ of
Rail Travel (Holloway, 1994). Inconvenience, lack of accessibility to reach interior
destination, time consuming and continuous fare hike made railways unattractive.
But the fuel crisis that took place during the early 1970s gave a sigh of relief to
railways. Package tours on railways increased, but by mid-1980, the trend again
136
reversed. High speed trains began to operate from 1960s onwards. The highest
railway line was built in China in the year 2005-- the Qinzang railway through the
Tanggula mountain pass.
Channel tunnel rail service was introduced for passenger as well as for freight
movement by mid 1990s in Britain and shuttle services for passenger and cargo
service began through it. It offered regular rail services from London to other parts
of UK, Paris, Brussels, etc. In 1989, the community of European railways
announced plans for a transcontinental high-speed rail networks, extending some
21,000 miles, to be in place by 2015. France is also in the midst of massive
programme of railway expansion by which, they will be able to bring all the major
cities within the reach of Paris by high speed trains travelling at 186 km per hour
or more. Germany too is making plans to introduce more fast trains. The
Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Sweden and Denmark all have similar plans.
Germany and Japan have developed Magnetic Levitation (MAGLEV) trains
capable of sped over 300mph.
Inspite of the emergence of many other forms of transport, with more speed, safety
and comfort, railways still remain an important mode of transport. The following
are the reasons why many people prefer train services instead of others (Cooper,
et.al., 2000; Sinha 1997).
Affordable cost
Relatively higher safety
The ability to move around the coach
Personal comfort
The ability to look out of the train and see enroute
Arriving at the destination rested and relaxed
Environment friendly form of transport
Centrally located termini, and decongested routes
More interaction with fellow passengers
Better bathroom and other facilities
Freedom to engage in simple recreational activities while travelling
Pantry services
Transport Services in Tourism ETS-104
137
More luxury for higher payment
Speedier than a number of other forms of transport
6.5.1 Rail Travel in the World:
I. United States of America (USA):
In the USA, automobile has overtaken rail transport in every sense and the
developments and growth in air transportation too has contributed to a great extent
in the declining importance of rail transport. The declining role of rail service
caused the authorities to think about formulating strategies and measures to revamp
the rail transport system in the USA. As a remedial measure, in 1970, the US
Congress created the national Railroad Passenger Corporation (NRPC) under the
Rail Passenger Service Act. The original brand name of NRPC was Railpax, which
was later changed to AMTRAK. It is structured and managed like other large
businesses in the US. The controlling stock of AMTRAK is owned by the US
government. It offers rail passenger transportation in the major intercity markets of
the US, serving 45 states and 500 destinations on its 22,000 mile route system.
Heavily subsidized by the government (as are most national rail systems), in 1989
AMTRAK covered about 72 percent of its operating expenses from fares charged,
up from only 40 per cent in 1980 (Lundberg and Lundberg, 1993). It made many
improvements, introduced some innovations like road railer, which is a hybrid
between rail and highway trailers. They have been developed for possible use in
carrying mail behind passenger trains. Rail phone was another facility introduced
by which cellular telephone service was made available in many trains. More
comfortable seating was provided, terminal improvements were done, and visual
entertainments were introduced.
II. Europe:
Railways in Great Britain are the oldest in the world and now it consists of around
16,536 km of standard gauge track, of which 4,928 km is electrified. In Britain, rail
system was nationalized in 1948 to form the British Railways, later the British
Rail, under the control of the British Transport Commission. The British Rail is
divided into five regional authorities with separate areas of operation.
138
Germany has a network of 41,500 km, of which 20,140 km is electrified and the
total track length is 80,250 km. Around 150 private railway companies operate a
total of 14,500 powered rail vehicles: electric locomotives, electric multiple units,
diesel locomotives and diesel multiple units. Germany has a fast, efficient rail
service and is experimenting with magnetic levitation (MAGLEV) equipment.
Germany has joined the rapid-train sweepstakes with the new German Rail
Intercity Express. The trains reach speeds of up to 165 mph and cut travel time by
as much as 30 per cent. The first of these high-speed trains went into service in
1991 between Hamburg and Munich. Frankfurt has the second largest train station
in Europe: 25 tracks bring 1640 trains in and out each day.
In Spain, railways have an important role. Spain’s national rail system is being
enhanced to the same rail gauge as in the rest of Europe. The system has been
improved between Seville and Madrid, using French TGVs, and it has reduced the
travel time by more than two hours as compared to the previous travel duration. In
Sweden, the railway system spans over 13,000 km. The first railway in Sweden
was constructed in 1855 and the major operator is the government owned SJAB. In
Sweden, rail transport has been partially privatized, but the major operator; SJAB
and the Green Cargo are fully state owned. First railroad for public transport was
opened in 1849 using horse driven carriages. In those days railways played an
important role, especially in the case of industries. The main railways were built
during 1860 to 1930.
In Switzerland, the railroad network spans over 5,063 km which mainly includes
standard gauge with a length of 3652 km and narrow gauge of 1,383km. Trans-
Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow and European
Russia with the Russian Far East provinces, Mongolia, China and the Sea of Japan.
Its main route runs from Moscow to Vladivostok via southern Siberia that was
built during the period between 1891 and 1916.
High speed trains (around 180 mile per hour) are operated in France, Britain, Italy,
Japan, Germany, Sweden, Korea, and Spain. Introduction of high speed rail service
between London, Paris, France, etc. was an important milestone in the history of
rail transport (Cook, et.al., 2002). Eurail pass was first introduced by Austria,
Belgium, Denmark, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Holland, Norway,
including contacts with airports and railway (with a desk at terminals); link with
airlines and hotels to increase sales; CRS linkage and link with travel agencies and
tour operators.
Rental cars are very popular in the countries where tourism is an important
industry. Rental cars from one country can be used in other countries too. The
major car rental companies in the US are Herzs, Avis, Budget, National, etc.
Automobile manufacturing companies attract rental companies to purchase latest
vehicles and offer various schemes, discounts, etc. CRS accessibility is available
through major CRS agencies like Sabre, Galileo,etc. In India too, the practice of
car rental has caught up.
6.3.4 Taxi and Limousine Services:
Taxis and Limousines play an important role in tourism. Taxicab is a public
transport vehicle for single or small group of people and they are available for hire.
The concept has been in existence from very early periods, using the then available
vehicles. Taxi operation is subject to licensing and rate regulation by concerned
authorities.
Limousine is a very expensive luxury car driven by chauffeur with passengers in
the rear compartment. Limousine service has a unique niche market, competing
with both taxis and coaches. It is usually long and is seen either in black or white
in colour. The specialty of such a car is that it will have a barricade between the
driver and the passenger with a sliding glass between them so that the
conversations can be kept private from the driver. Airlines and corporates often
offer limousine services to their passengers or clients.
6.3.5 Recreation Vehicle:
Recreation Vehicle (RV) segment is a strong component in the land based
transportation. Slide-out technology was introduced in RVs during 1990s and has
later, advanced further. Slide outs are available with living rooms, dining rooms,
bedrooms and kitchens. Motor homes, travel trailers, fifth wheel trailers and even
fold camping trailers are some of the examples of slide outs.
6.4 Road Transportations in India: An Overview:
Road transport in India has a large and extensive transportation system. The
country has one of the world’s largest railway as well as road network, transporting
millions of passengers annually. During the British rule, there was significant
improvement in the horse carriages, which were used for transport in the early
days. Bicycle rickshaws became popular in the early periods of the last century,
which are still being used in many parts of India, particularly the rural areas.
Manually pulled rickshaws were also in transportation and they were seen on roads
of some major cities in India till recently. The British also introduced Trams in
some cities in India during their reign. These are still being used in some parts of
the country like, Kolkata. India has a well-developed network of roads and
highways. Highways connect almost all the major cities and towns in all the states
and union territories in India and they have an important role in the socio-
economic system of the country, especially in transporting goods. Towns near
highways have sprung up into prominence after the arrival of highways. Highways
are seen in two lanes and up to eight laned in some city outs*******ts. India has
66,590 km of National highways.
India Motor Vehicles Act 1914 is the first enactment relating to motor vehicles in
India. This was subsequently replaced by the Motor Vehicles act of 1939. There
have been many amendments to the set since then to take into account the changes
in the road transportation technology, pattern of passenger and freight movements,
development of road network and particularly the improved techniques in the
motor vehicles management.
Department of Road Transport and Highways is the apex body in India under the
Central Government, which formulates and administers policies for road transport
and national highways and also undertakes transport research with a view to
increasing the mobility and efficiency of the road transport system in the country.
The Departments’ roads wing deals with development and maintenance of the
national highways in the country and the transport wing deals with matters relating
to road transport, which involves motor vehicles legislation, taxation, insurance,
133
administration of road transport corporations act, promotion of transport
cooperatives in the field of motor transport, evolving safety measures, etc.
I. Local transportation:
In India, the most important mode of transportation is road based. Rail services are
also predominant in the country and some times, road transportation acts as
complimentary to rail transportation. The role of road and railways in the social
life of the country is very important. For example, the vast national rail and road
network enables farmers to transport their farm and agriculture produce to larger
towns, where they get better prices. The bus transportation has an important role
both in cities as well as villages. Both private and government agencies operate bus
services and in certain routes these are operated by public agencies alone. More
luxury services are now being offered, particularly by private operators. Shuttle
services, limited stop services, intercity services, charter services, town-to-town
services, express services, Volvo services, luxury coach with A/C as well as
without A/C services, etc. are the various types of road services available in India.
Luxury services are relatively costlier. In village and remote areas, Vans or Mini
buses are more prevalent. Auto Rickshaws, another common taxi service, are
available for hire which carry two or three passengers. It is a three wheeler vehicle
and a cheaper option for very small distances.
II. Cars:
The car market in India has seen a remarkable expansion during the last fifteen
years. Around twenty years back Indian roads were dominated by Ambassador
Cars followed by the FIAT. These two were ideal for Indian road conditions too.
But the arrival of Maruti Suzuki has changed the scenario dramatically and
changes the liberalization policy adopted during the early 1990s have influenced
the Indian car sector also. The cars became more popular, but cost did not go high
especially due to the compact models available at affordable prices. Indian middle
class once considered cars as luxury, but the developments in the car production
during the above period made them a necessity. Many foreign car companies have
entered into India and some of them have already gained market attention. For
instance, the Korean Hyundai. The arrival of foreign companies gave a stiff
competition to the Indian Car producers. This has resulted in availability of
cheaper car versions, new and variety of models, international luxury, etc.
Utility vehicle are also in demand in India. Companies like Mahindra and
Mahindra, Tata Motors, produce utility vehicles in India.
Check Your Progress – I:
Filling the blanks:
1. The world’s first motorized bus (Benz truck) was made in - - - - - - - - -- -- - - -
in 1895.
2. Delhi, - - - - - - - - - - - - and Agra is the golden triangle of India.
3. In the US, about - - - - - - - - - - - - - of personal trips are made by - - - - - - - - - -
that include rental cars, trucks and recreation vehicles.
4. Recreation Vehicle (RV) segment is a strong component in the - - - - - - - - - -
based transportation.
5. First class railway service for passenger was introduced in - - - - - -- - - -- - -- in
September 17, 1825.
Check your answer with the one given at the end of the unit.
6.5 Rail Transport:
Rail transport is the transportation of passengers and goods by means of vehicles
which are designed to run along the railroads or railways. A train consists of
several individual bogies linked together with an engine which pulls them. Rail
transport is considered as a mass transportation mode and one of the most energy
efficient carriages. They make highly efficient use of space since they travel on
two parallel rails and carry hundreds of passengers together along with goods.
Passenger Rail Transportation is a prominent component in travel anywhere in the
world and it is the most important transportation mode especially in countries like
India, South Korea, Japan, China, etc. In the US, though, it does not have as much
importance and relevance as in other countries (Goeldner and Ritchie, 2003).
135
The earliest forms of railways were in use thousands of years ago. For instance, in
6th century BC, Dio*******, a six kilometer railway that transported boats across the
Corinth Ishithmus in Greece. Trucks pushed by slaves ran in grooves in a
limestone track over 1300 years ago. (www.wikipedia.com) the first horse drawn
wagon ways appeared around 2000 years ago in Greece and some parts of Roman
Empire. The first railways in Great Britain were built in the early 17th century
mainly for transporting coal. In the late 18th century iron rails began to appear. In
1802, a railway station was opened in Surrey, arguably the first public railway
station in Britain. Horse-drawn conveyances were pulled on tracks as early as 1807
on the Ostermouth Railway in Britain (Lundberg and Lundberg, 1993). In 1811
the first successful and practical railway locomotive was designed by Blucher, and
an early railway locomotive was built in 1814 by George Stephenson. Steam
engine based trains were introduced by 1930s. Then onwards, rail transport has
spread and expanded, not only in Britain but all over the world. First Class
Railway service for passenger was introduced in Europe in September 17, 1825.
The first commercial railroad was begun in 1826 in Massachusetts (USA).
Between 1830 and 1850, 12,000 miles of railways were built in England and other
principal European countries. The first international rail service was offered
between Strasburg (France) and Bern (Switzerland) in 1841. Long distance rail
service was given a boost in the US when George Pullman developed Pullman
Coach with sleeping facilities for overnight journeys. (Cook, et.al., 2002). Dining
Cars and Food facilities were pioneered by Fred Harvey.
The passenger rail service became the most important transport mode and it
continued till 1940s. The prominence of rail passenger transport was lost when
automobile entered into transportation in the US. The advent and growth of air
transport worsened the status of railways. The tourist traffic on railways started to
fall from 1930. The period between 1830 and 1930 is considered as ‘Great Age’ of
Rail Travel (Holloway, 1994). Inconvenience, lack of accessibility to reach interior
destination, time consuming and continuous fare hike made railways unattractive.
But the fuel crisis that took place during the early 1970s gave a sigh of relief to
railways. Package tours on railways increased, but by mid-1980, the trend again
reversed. High speed trains began to operate from 1960s onwards. The highest
railway line was built in China in the year 2005-- the Qinzang railway through the
Tanggula mountain pass.
Channel tunnel rail service was introduced for passenger as well as for freight
movement by mid 1990s in Britain and shuttle services for passenger and cargo
service began through it. It offered regular rail services from London to other parts
of UK, Paris, Brussels, etc. In 1989, the community of European railways
announced plans for a transcontinental high-speed rail networks, extending some
21,000 miles, to be in place by 2015. France is also in the midst of massive
programme of railway expansion by which, they will be able to bring all the major
cities within the reach of Paris by high speed trains travelling at 186 km per hour
or more. Germany too is making plans to introduce more fast trains. The
Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Sweden and Denmark all have similar plans.
Germany and Japan have developed Magnetic Levitation (MAGLEV) trains
capable of sped over 300mph.
Inspite of the emergence of many other forms of transport, with more speed, safety
and comfort, railways still remain an important mode of transport. The following
are the reasons why many people prefer train services instead of others (Cooper,
et.al., 2000; Sinha 1997).
Affordable cost
Relatively higher safety
The ability to move around the coach
Personal comfort
The ability to look out of the train and see enroute
Arriving at the destination rested and relaxed
Environment friendly form of transport
Centrally located termini, and decongested routes
More interaction with fellow passengers
Better bathroom and other facilities
Freedom to engage in simple recreational activities while travelling
Pantry services
137
More luxury for higher payment
Speedier than a number of other forms of transport
6.5.1 Rail Travel in the World:
I. United States of America (USA):
In the USA, automobile has overtaken rail transport in every sense and the
developments and growth in air transportation too has contributed to a great extent
in the declining importance of rail transport. The declining role of rail service
caused the authorities to think about formulating strategies and measures to revamp
the rail transport system in the USA. As a remedial measure, in 1970, the US
Congress created the national Railroad Passenger Corporation (NRPC) under the
Rail Passenger Service Act. The original brand name of NRPC was Railpax, which
was later changed to AMTRAK. It is structured and managed like other large
businesses in the US. The controlling stock of AMTRAK is owned by the US
government. It offers rail passenger transportation in the major intercity markets of
the US, serving 45 states and 500 destinations on its 22,000 mile route system.
Heavily subsidized by the government (as are most national rail systems), in 1989
AMTRAK covered about 72 percent of its operating expenses from fares charged,
up from only 40 per cent in 1980 (Lundberg and Lundberg, 1993). It made many
improvements, introduced some innovations like road railer, which is a hybrid
between rail and highway trailers. They have been developed for possible use in
carrying mail behind passenger trains. Rail phone was another facility introduced
by which cellular telephone service was made available in many trains. More
comfortable seating was provided, terminal improvements were done, and visual
entertainments were introduced.
II. Europe:
Railways in Great Britain are the oldest in the world and now it consists of around
16,536 km of standard gauge track, of which 4,928 km is electrified. In Britain, rail
system was nationalized in 1948 to form the British Railways, later the British
Rail, under the control of the British Transport Commission. The British Rail is
divided into five regional authorities with separate areas of operation.
Germany has a network of 41,500 km, of which 20,140 km is electrified and the
total track length is 80,250 km. Around 150 private railway companies operate a
total of 14,500 powered rail vehicles: electric locomotives, electric multiple units,
diesel locomotives and diesel multiple units. Germany has a fast, efficient rail
service and is experimenting with magnetic levitation (MAGLEV) equipment.
Germany has joined the rapid-train sweepstakes with the new German Rail
Intercity Express. The trains reach speeds of up to 165 mph and cut travel time by
as much as 30 per cent. The first of these high-speed trains went into service in
1991 between Hamburg and Munich. Frankfurt has the second largest train station
in Europe: 25 tracks bring 1640 trains in and out each day.
In Spain, railways have an important role. Spain’s national rail system is being
enhanced to the same rail gauge as in the rest of Europe. The system has been
improved between Seville and Madrid, using French TGVs, and it has reduced the
travel time by more than two hours as compared to the previous travel duration. In
Sweden, the railway system spans over 13,000 km. The first railway in Sweden
was constructed in 1855 and the major operator is the government owned SJAB. In
Sweden, rail transport has been partially privatized, but the major operator; SJAB
and the Green Cargo are fully state owned. First railroad for public transport was
opened in 1849 using horse driven carriages. In those days railways played an
important role, especially in the case of industries. The main railways were built
during 1860 to 1930.
In Switzerland, the railroad network spans over 5,063 km which mainly includes
standard gauge with a length of 3652 km and narrow gauge of 1,383km. Trans-
Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow and European
Russia with the Russian Far East provinces, Mongolia, China and the Sea of Japan.
Its main route runs from Moscow to Vladivostok via southern Siberia that was
built during the period between 1891 and 1916.
High speed trains (around 180 mile per hour) are operated in France, Britain, Italy,
Japan, Germany, Sweden, Korea, and Spain. Introduction of high speed rail service
between London, Paris, France, etc. was an important milestone in the history of
rail transport (Cook, et.al., 2002). Eurail pass was first introduced by Austria,
Belgium, Denmark, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Holland, Norway,
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