Traveler stunned after putting ultra-fast high-speed train to the test: 'Can this train actually outrun a plane?'

A traveler turned conventional wisdom upside down after putting planes and trains to the test in a speed contest from Tokyo to Kyoto.

Creator Matthew Ables (@MatthewAbles) started the video on YouTube with a simple prompt while standing in front of one of Japan's bullet trains: "Can this train actually outrun a plane?"

Ables showed the lightning-quick train in motion before introducing the time to beat. That number was four hours for the plane trip, which included transportation, boarding, and bag check. Considering Ables' graphic notes that the actual flight is a mere 70 minutes, it just shows that airplane travel isn't so simple.

Conversely, Ables showed how seamless train travel can be. Using the Klook app, the creator was able to skip the ticket line and board quickly. Ables had some fun with the trip, watching the movie "Bullet Train" while cruising on the "super smooth" bullet train in real life.

To take it a step further, Ables ate a bullet train bento box as the train hit speeds of 277 kilometers per hour (roughly 172 miles per hour). That still falls short of a plane's top speed, but the question remained if the train could make up for that with its station's closeness to Ables' hotel.

The answer was a resounding yes, as the downtown stop helped Ables reach his hotel in three hours, 36 minutes. Ables wasn't booking it, either, as the creator admitted Kyoto's "insane light-up stairs" distracted him on his journey.

The saga showed the merits of Japan's bullet train system, including speed, comfort, and convenience. The crazy thing is that the country's already-fast technological marvels are set to get even faster, with a developmental train hitting 310 miles per hour.

Not only is this great for travelers who are flocking to trains all around the world, including in Europe, but it's also great for the planet. The pollution per traveler on a high-speed train is a mere one-seventh of that of a comparable airplane, according to a Chinese study.

Commenters on YouTube debated the results.

"You didn't beat a plane, you beat the transportation from the airport," a skeptical user asserted.

Would you pay more taxes to fund a high-speed rail project near you? Absolutely 👍 Depends on the project 🚄 Depends on the tax increase 💸 Nope ❌ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"The thing is we're also comparing the infrastructure here," a viewer countered. "Compared to planes with its airports, bullet trains will triumph."

Another commenter just appreciated Ables' vibe: "Eating Bullet Train, Watching Bullet Train, On Bullet Train. Sounds like the life to live."

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