ABSTRACT
High-speed rail (HSR) has long been promoted in the name of the economic impacts it offers to cities or regions served (see other chapters in this book). Today, HSR is also often regarded as a ‘green’ mode of transport that should help to achieve so-called sustainable mobilities. This vision is based on some successful HSR services that have led to a dramatic decrease in the provision of air services. As a result, the supposed environmental benefit of HSR is now inevitably part of high-speed line (HSL) projects and of several (national or international) plans that aim to reduce the environmental footprint of medium-distance mobilities and especially of air travel. 1
