Shanghai Mag Lev Train

On the way home from Shanghai we decided to take the magnetic levitation train.  This is one of the most sophisticated trains in the world.  Instead of using regular diesel or electric motor propulsion, this one uses electromagnetic forces to levitate the train off the track and also to propel it forward.  If you've ever played with two regular magnets when you were a kid, you may remember how the ends of the magnet would repel each other.  This train uses the same principle.

This is the first commercial high speed magnetic levitation train in the world.  It cost about $1.2 billion to build.  In my opinion, it was almost a total waste of money.

Don't get me wrong.  The train is very cool.  It accelerated to 431 Km/h while we were in it.  My problem was that we would have gotten to the airport much faster had we skipped the train and continued along the highway.  You see, the track is only 19 miles long and it actually takes longer to take the train than it does to drive on the highway.

Let's do the math.  The train is located along the path to the airport so you have to take a car anyway to get to it.  I suppose you could take the subway, however if you have luggage, that would be a problem.  If you stay in your car and go directly to the airport, it would take you an additional 20 minutes to get there.

Now, if you stop at the mag lev train station, you need to get there 10 minutes in advance to buy your ticket and get to the platform.  Now the train leaves every 20 minutes so your average time waiting will be 10 minutes.  The trip itself takes 7.5 minutes plus loading and unloading time.  So if you add it up, you'll spend about 30 minutes to save a 20 minute drive.  That's a bad trade off if you ask me.  However, you will be able to say you rode the fastest commercial mag lev train in the world.  I'm happy we were able to do so.