High speed rail in Europe on track to provide a painful blow to the airlines {Gadling}

Sep 25th 2009 4:43AM The current travel time between Amsterdam and Paris is around 4h10 by train and around the same by airplane. So indeed, no time is gained.
But the air travel means that once you get to the airport, you need to wait in line at the check-in desk, at passport control, luggage check-in, then walk to the gate, wait there for boarding, board and wait for take-off. Then, once you're in the air you can get something done, but you can't use your phone (although airlines are now slowly providing this service). Then, well before landing, you must shut off all electronic equipment. Then you'll have to wait again: for disembarking, walking to the luggage pick-up area, going through customs.
When you travel by high speed train, once you get to the station, you can immediately board the train. Put your luggage away and start enjoying the trip. You can do your work, use your phone, plug in your laptop in an AC-outlet so your laptop's battery won't go empty during the trip, have a large and comfortable seat and enjoy your meals and drinks, which are of much higher quality than in the plane.
And upon arriving at your destination, you grab your luggage and get off the train. As simple as that!

So even though you don't save much time, you have an uninterrupted and comfortable journey. Your time is well-spent!