Just how highly do people in America’s Northeast Corridor value their productive time? Highly enough to take the train rather than fly, and by a wide margin. An article in The New York Times points out travelers would rather spend three or four hours on Amtrak’s Acela Express than take a sub-90-minute flight — three out of four in the case of trips between New York and Washington, DC. Compare that to 2000, when only one in three opted for the train between the two cities.
Lengthy security checks and transit time to and from the airport are certainly factors, but for many the decision comes down to usable time. Amtrak offers power outlets and Wi-Fi, letting you knock out a big chunk of work during your trip. That is, when the Wi-Fi’s working.