When it comes to comparisons between high-speed rail networks and commercial aviation, the ultimate battle undoubtedly exists in China, which boasts both the world’s largest amount of high-speed rail track alongside one of the world’s largest aviation industries, which is usually ranked only behind the United States and the European Union. Bolstered by government spending, China’s high-speed rail network connects segments of the country in just hours, sectors in which free-market rail companies would never justify an investment.