The proposal, announced this week, for a 550km/h Transrapid train between Sydney and Canberra is a significant step up from the 350km/h Speedrail. Neither train, of course, will be travelling top speed for even most of the journey. It seems that the Transrapid train will do the journey in an hour, whereas Speedrail will do it in one and a half hours. Both, presumably, will go to central Sydney.
The significance of this week’s announcement, if realised, is that the train time to Sydney central will be faster than the air time if the taxi or bus journey from the airport to central is included. It could mean the virtual closure of the Sydney-Canberra air route as train travel becomes quicker, cheaper, more comfortable and more reliable, particularly as Sydney airport’s problems are likely to get worse rather than better. It may result in greater capacity at Canberra airport.