The return of the train as a significant means of passenger transportation was signaled by the introduction of the Shinkansen high-speed train service between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, at 210 kph maximum operational speed, some 40 years ago. Since then, high-speed train (HST) services have been implemented in a number of nations and are planned for a number of others, and trains have once again supplanted other modes of transportation on numerous routes.
In order to characterize HST operation and explain its influence in terms of what it is best suited for and what it can deliver, this paper provides an overview of the various components of HST operation. The study comes to the conclusion that the HST is best suited to replace conventional rail services on routes where significantly larger capacity is needed and to shorten travel times, improving the rail service even more when compared to other modes and resulting in mode substitution. However, as the benefits of HST infrastructure's economic development are uncertain, the significant investment in it cannot be justified. Last but not least, the definition offered for HST services is as follows: high capacity and frequency train services with an average speed of more than 200 kph.
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