Let’s travel better and give train travel some much-needed tailwinds.

Recently, LinkedIn published an article titled "41 Big Ideas That Will Change Our World in 2023." In it, there were re-posts of articles with predictions for how the world might change in the near future.?

#20 is a prediction that people will travel less due to choices or new restrictions on air travel (i.e., short-haul flights).

In the article, it is pointed out that an increasingly vocal sustainability movement argues that we need to stop flying and perhaps stop travelling altogether.?

Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking.com, argues that would be a disaster. Tourism accounts for 10% of global GDP and is vital to the economies of dozens of countries, ranging from Barbados to the Maldives. COVID-19 and the travel restrictions that came with it cost some 62 million tourism jobs. “No one wants to go back to that place,” said Fogel.?

Glenn is right. Tourism is big business, especially here in Canada. So let’s not work on limiting travel demand but on shifting travel transportation to better options.?

Some transportation experts and air lobbyists think that the government has no role in shifting demand from air to other forms of transportation like rail. They feel the government should stay out of it and let the consumer decide, leaving it to market forces or economic Darwinism. I believe that leaving things to market forces has resulted in the current climate disaster. Hands-off is not the answer. I believe that governments have a role to play and need to step up and support more sustainable transport options in order to help with the climate crisis and meet our carbon commitments.?

Creating favourable change tailwinds.

Governments have a role in creating favourable tailwinds for industries. They always have, often favouring new, innovative forms of travel over historical ones.?At the turn of the century, the Canadian government subsidized both the national auto system and rail systems over horse-drawn transport.?Governments after the Second World War created strong tailwinds for the burgeoning air industry by subsidizing and promoting the national air system over passenger rail and by deliberately underinvesting in VIA rail and passenger rail in Canada. The government was instrumental in driving traffic and demand for air travel, even for ridiculously short distances like Calgary and Edmonton or Toronto and Montreal. It even had a stake in the game with its own airline for a while—TWA and then Air Canada.?

Governments have always been the driving force behind market demand and should continue to be so. I believe they have a responsibility to drive the market demand for train transportation now through legislation and subsidies for the clean passenger rail industry. The status quo of hopping on a flight needs a force to move it. I know; I have been guilty myself of taking day trips from Toronto to Montreal and from Calgary to Edmonton using air. Shifting market demand and breaking old habits will not happen on their own. We must have government intervention.?

Restrictions on short-haul flights will grow.?

It seems that the travel sector may face headwinds in the near future as governments around the world look to reduce carbon emissions. With the United Nations estimating that tourism-related CO2 emissions will rise by 25% over the next decade, governments may return to trains as a more sustainable mode of transportation.?

France's recent ban on domestic flights under two-and-a-half hours by train is a step in this direction, and the European Commission has approved the ban.

While restrictions on short-haul flights may be a blow to the air industry, they could also drive the market demand for alternative forms of transportation like clean rail?

The positive economic impact of shifting back to rail.?

In the US, the US Department of Transportation has announced the availability of over $1.4 billion in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) Grant funding to modernize America's rail infrastructure. The CRISI Program, administered by the Federal Railroad Administration, aims to improve the safety and efficiency of freight and passenger rail and allocate at least 25% of funds for projects in rural areas. Funding for the program has been significantly increased by President Biden's “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

Investing in sustainable rail creates jobs, increases economic activity, reduces congestion and boosts productivity, reduces the nation's dependence on foreign oil, expands travel choices, and improves mobility. Building high-speed rail will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and every $1 invested creates $4 in economic benefits.

Investing in sustainable rail will also reduce congestion, which currently costs $140 billion in lost time and productivity in the US, and will be more energy efficient than airplanes or automobiles. Rail will also improve travel options and mobility, especially for those in rural and small urban communities.

A Canadian move back to rail could spur a Made-in-Canada innovation boom. The tech sector is coming under tremendous economic headwinds of its own, and massive investment in clean rail technology could really help here in Canada. A shift in rail transportation could result in incredible innovations and growth in the rail and tech sectors, creating thousands of jobs. By imposing legislation and creating favourable economic conditions here in Canada for rail investment and innovations, it could lead to a resurgence in the rail sector in Canada and the kind of economic stimulus that could help Canada weather a recession.??

Let’s travel better

As we look ahead to 2023, it's clear that the way we travel is going to change, by choice and by legislation. Rather than thinking about travelling less, we should be thinking about travelling better, and one way to do that is by taking the train.

Trains can connect our rural and small urban communities.

Rail will also improve travel options and mobility, especially for those in rural and small urban communities. As the population in rural communities ages, they will need to access health services that only large centres can have. The train allows affordable access to these vital services and helps scale health care.

Trains can be faster.

In comparison to air travel, which can be costly and time-consuming due to airport processing delays, deicing in the winter, and the inconvenience of navigating multiple airports, train travel from downtown to downtown can be a faster and more convenient option. Furthermore, trains frequently provide wifi for business travellers to work while travelling, and the mode of transportation itself causes less stress and wear on the traveller.

Trains can be more enjoyable.

Trains offer a more meaningful and enjoyable way to travel. There's something so calming and rejuvenating about watching the landscape roll by from the comfort of a window seat. Plus, with faster trains and overnight options, it's easier than ever to hop from one place to another and experience different cultures.

In Europe, you can now fall asleep in Munich or Salzburg and wake up in Venice or La Garda. And trains are becoming destinations in their own right, from the Canadian and US Rockies to a rebuilt Orient Express.

Even in the US, train options are improving, with Brightline set to whisk you from Miami to Orlando in just three hours.

Let us not forget Canada's Rocky Mountaineer, a luxurious train journey company that takes visitors from Vancouver to the Canadian Rockies, showcasing the stunning scenery of western Canada. Rocky Mountaineer, founded in 1990, has grown to become the world's largest privately-owned luxury tourist train, with over two million passengers served.

Trains can be more sustainable.

Trains offer a more sustainable way to travel. Hydrogen locomotives are a promising alternative to traditional diesel trains because they emit no pollutants and run quietly. These trains use hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity, which powers the motors and drives the train forward. They also have a range of up to 500 miles, making them suitable for long-distance travel.

Earlier this year, in August, Germany launched the first hydrogen-powered trains. Just last week, China launched a hydrogen-powered train with a top speed of 160 kph. Not to be left behind, Indian Railways also plans to introduce hydrogen-powered Vande Bharat Express trains by the end of 2023.

Ballard, a Canadian company and a leader in hydrogen fuel cells, is focused on applications where hydrogen fuel cells have a clear advantage, and they are working on accelerating the adoption of fuel cell technology, including in rail.

Let’s give train travel some tailwinds in 2023.?

So as we think about travel in 2023, let's embrace new and better ways to travel, like the train. Let’s get our politicians to “get on board rail” to shift their bias from roads and air to clean passenger rail.