Why would anybody spend money to build a train line to Edmonton? Do we really have this much people traffic between the two cities?
Driving there takes 2 1/2 - 3 hours. By train, you'll need to arrive half an hour early, for example, the train ride is about a hour, and exit the station. All together takes about at least 1 1/2 hour. So you shave 1 to 1 1/2 hour depending on your situation. And once you get to Edmonton or Calgary, unless you solely conduct your business in the downtown cores, you'll need another car anyway.
All these plus the cost of 2 train tickets, parking at the train stations, rental car and so on makes the time saving very costly for the riders.
Remember you are competing with the cost of driving with the gas money not more than $100 both ways. A car can carry four people, so the high speed train will almost only make sense to solo traveller doing business in both downtown cores.
This seems like a good way to waste millions on the consultation but at least whoever get's the consulting contract will be happy.
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