The trains now standing at platforms all over the world are from the future.
They are fast, green and "very flagship" - and almost everybody, everywhere wants them.
Although there is no universal speed definition for what makes a train "high speed", there is a general consensus that it must be able to hit 250kph, usually on new, custom-built tracks.
Right now, 14 countries boast trains that hit or beat that threshold. Within two years the number is expected to reach 24.
High-speed rail is taking off.
As air travel labours under the burdens of fuel costs, damaging emissions and increasingly inconvenient and inefficient security checks, rail is starting to make more sense. These networks are opening up regions that were once uneconomic to new investment, according to the Worldwatch Institute, a sustainability think tank based in California.
High-speed rail's "green" credentials are also a major driver. A 2006 comparison of greenhouse-gas emissions, compiled by the Centre for Neighbourhood Technologies in the United States, found that high-speed rail lines in Europe and Japan released 30 to 70 grams of carbon dioxide per passenger-kilometre, versus 150g for cars and 170g for airplanes.
"The rise in high-speed rail has been very rapid," says Michael Renner, a senior researcher at Worldwatch. "In just three years, between January 2008 and January 2011, the global operational fleet of high-speed trains grew from 1,737 train sets to 2,517.
"Two thirds of this fleet is found in just five countries: France, China, Japan, Germany, and Spain. But by 2014, the global fleet is expected to total more than 3,700 units.
"And that level of demand has led to an explosive growth in track construction. Between 2009 and 2011, the total length of high-speed track jumped from 10,700km to nearly 17,000km. A further 8,000km is currently under construction, and some 17,700km are planned," he added.
It means 43,000km of track is expected to be in use by 2015.
By track length, the high-speed leaders are China, Japan, Spain, France, and Germany. Turkey has ambitious plans to reach 2,424km and surpass the length of Germany's network.
Italy and Portugal intend to reach track lengths of more than 1,000km, and even the car-centric US is trying to join the high-speed revolution, with proposed routes in California, Florida and between the major cities of the north-east.
In Germany, Italy, and Japan, fast trains travel at 300kph; in Spain, 310kph; and they reach 320kph in France, which holds the world speed record for high-speed rail after one of its TGV units hit 574.8kph on a test run.
As to what has spurred the rail renaissance, the travel industry is in no doubt.
"With trains often travelling at 300kph or more, Europe is rapidly joining up as a single network. On routes like London-Paris or Milan-Rome, we now sell many more rail than air tickets at HRG, and the numbers are growing all the time," says Stewart Harvey, the group commercial director at the business travel agency, HRG.
"As to why there is such a rail frenzy in Europe and Asia, the answer isn't hard to find. Trains are greener, faster from city centre to city centre, more comfortable and more productive. Travellers can avoid those time-hungry transfers to out-of-town airports that are followed by long security queues and walks to the departure gate.
"Then, once on board, they can work in quiet surroundings for a couple of hours or more at a stretch - something that is very hard to manage on a short-haul flight," he says.
"In fact, business travellers are becoming such big fans of rail that at HRG we have seen a noticeable trend for them to accept longer journey times. Travellers know they will get more work done, so they will now willingly accept up to four hours, whereas a few years ago the limit of acceptance was closer to three hours."
Today, France's TGV systems, launched in 1981, account for 62 per cent of European high-speed rail travel and has carried more than 2 billion passengers to date. Spain committed to heavy rail investments from the late 1980s. The country now has the largest high-speed rail construction programme in Europe, and its network recently surpassed France's in length. Its track length rose from just 470km in 2002 to about 2,000km at present.
Spain's plans now call for 10,000km by 2020 as part of a drive to invest and build its way out of recession, a move that would allow 90 per cent of Spaniards to live within 50km of a high-speed train station.
China has set a goal of building nearly 12,000km of high-speed rail lines by 2020. The Hefei-Fuzhou line, slated for completion in 2014, typifies the scale of China's ambition.
This 806km, US$16.9bn (Dh62.07bn) project is part of the larger Beijing-Fuzhou route, and will reduce the travel time between Hefei and Fuzhou from 14 hours to just four. The fatal high-speed train crash in eastern Zhejiang province last year that killed at least 38 people and injured 192 has not cooled China's love affair with bullet trains.
The Saudi Railway Organisation's Haramain high-speed rail project is set to run to a length of 450km between the holy cities of Medina and Mecca, greatly increasing passenger capacity between the two hubs of pilgrimage and religious tourism.
The line, which is now moving into its second phase of construction, is scheduled for completion in 2014. The project will be served by five passenger stations, one each in Mecca and Medina, as well as two stations in Jeddah and one at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
In the UAE, passenger rail looks destined for a more sedate pace. The six GCC countries have agreed to share an anticipated $25bn cost to build a Gulf railway.
The UAE has already taken its first steps with the establishment of Etihad Rail, responsible for building about 1,200km of track. But initial passenger services are envisaged to run at only 200kph when the network opens, scheduled for 2018.
dblack@thenational.ae
The%20specs
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
BRAZIL SQUAD
Alisson (Liverpool), Daniel Fuzato (Roma), Ederson (Man City); Alex Sandro (Juventus), Danilo (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Emerson (Real Betis), Felipe (Atletico Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Silva (PSG); Arthur (Barcelona), Casemiro (Real Madrid), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Fabinho (Liverpool), Lucas Paqueta (AC Milan), Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich); David Neres (Ajax), Gabriel Jesus (Man City), Richarlison (Everton), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Willian (Chelsea).
more from Janine di Giovanni
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
RESULTS
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Samau Xmnsor, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Ottoman, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Sharkh, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 85,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Yaraa, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Maaly Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Jinjal, Fabrice Veron, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Al Sail, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Company%C2%A0profile
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Scores in brief:
Boost Defenders 205-5 in 20 overs
(Colin Ingram 84 not out, Cameron Delport 36, William Somerville 2-28)
bt Auckland Aces 170 for 5 in 20 overs
(Rob O’Donnell 67 not out, Kyle Abbott 3-21).
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
India squad
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, K.L. Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
Company%20profile
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Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
- 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
- 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
