US trains benefit from air woes

US travellers are increasingly turning to trains

By Fergal Parkinson in Washington

It is morning rush hour at Penn Station in New York.

Hundreds of passengers are waiting to board the new fast train to Washington. Since the terrorist attack here, trains have been fully booked every day as passengers boycott the skies.

On board a few minutes later, it is standing room only.

Businessmen hold meetings in the dining car, while whole families sit on the floor between seats, simply because there is no room for them.

Discovery

For these passengers en route to Washington for a meeting, the railway is a completely new discovery.

Amtrak is laying on new high-speed services

One passenger siad: "We figured it would be faster to get from New York to Philadelphia taking the train than going through security and all the delays at the airport.

"We talked to our travel agent, who we weren't sure even knew how to book trains.

"We have not ridden a train in decades. It was 'let's see how fast a train could get there' - and we're on an express train that got here in 45 minutes, so I don't think we could have gotten here faster flying if we'd tried."

Increase

The number of people who are switching to train travel in the United States is staggering.

Over the past few weeks Amtrak, the national rail company, has seen a 45% increase in passengers.

While many are fearful of flying, Amtrak spokesperson Karen Dunn says other reasons are playing a part.

"They're seeing that we are more convenient, we are a productive way to travel - we have laptop outlets at each seat, conference tables spread throughout the train, the seats are comfortable - you've got extra leg room, extra head room - so it is a really comfortable and productive way to travel," she said.

"I think we're also seeing some influx from people who aren't able to get flights because the airlines aren't running at full capacity.

"And I also think there are still those people out there who are afraid to fly and so they're giving the train a chance."

Trains seem more secure than planes

Mark Orwoll, managing editor of Travel and Leisure magazine, says in the past few weeks he has seen tens of thousands of airline staff lose their jobs, schedules cut, and now train travel experience an unprecedented increase.

"Business and leisure travellers are using the train these days, in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks, for two reasons basically," he said.

"One, in many cases, businesses are telling their employees not to fly - at least not immediately - and to find alternative ways of travel, whether that's the train or by private automobile.

"The other reason of course is that many people are afraid to get back on an airplane.

"The air industry is at about 70 to 80% of capacity. Where are those other 20 to 30% of the passengers that normally would be on an airplane?

"Many of them are trying the train for the first time."

The rise in popularity of other forms of transport is for no other reason than that people here in the United States are still frightened of flying.

But in an attempt to woo back customers, some airlines are now giving away seats to certain destinations, and while Amtrak has benefited so far, the real test is whether it can hold on to these new-found passengers.