Where high-speed rail is relevant: the French case study

Since the 1980s, high-speed rail (HSR) has spread rapidly. The first line of the Japanese Shinkansen was inaugurated in 1964 and the initial line of the French Train á Grande Vitesse (TGV) began operations in 1981. Both countries subsequently expanded their networks and other countries have followed suit. Today, HSR projects are numerous, not only in Europe and in Asia, but in Africa and in the United States.