Page 138 - Introduction to Tourism

speed lines in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, the

United Kingdom, and Spain.

Starting with the birth of France ’ s TGV (Train à
Grande Vitesse, or High – Speed Train) in 1981, the

European train industry (led by Alstom in France and

Siemens in Germany) has been on the forefront of high
- speed innovation. Streamlined design, underfloor

traction systems, and tilting technology have brought

the European high - speed train up to speeds of 186

mph (300 km/h). The factor that limits the speed of
trains now is the tracks on which they run and the

different systems the countries have, which create

problems at the borders.
China

The Shanghai Maglev Train has connected Shanghai
and Pu Dong International Airport since March 2004.

Imported from Germany, it has an operational speed of

268.7 mph (430 km/h). China has an aggressive high -
speed rail program and in April 2007 opened several

high - speed rail lines between major cities. These lines

made China the country with the world ’ s largest high -

speed rail network, moving it from last place to first
place in network size.

THE MOTORCOACH INDUSTRY

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