Transport in Malgrave

Transport in Malgrave is provided by an extensive network of railways, ferry services, bus routes and air corridors that cover the entire country with a noticeable but minor road network providing coverage across the country. Malgrave was the first country in Mystria to operate a maglev train which forms the backbone of its high speed rail network.

History

Malgrave was set with a series of challenges early in its history, a primary concern was the lack of any real transport infrastructure which was later compounded by resource shortages caused by Imerian naval activity. In spite of these issues, the country was able to establish a small railway network aided by trams and a few public roads for the movement of military goods.

At the time Malgrave also had a connection to the wider Mystrian community through a port in Admah which it used to receive limited goods from the outside world, although, such a pursuit was dangerous due to the Imerian blockade these convoys were well compensated for their travels and offered limited protection by the Malgravean Royal Navy.

After the Great Exodus, the United Kingdom of Malgrave had to start from scratch and rebuild assets that they had spent the past few decades building in the new homeland. Such efforts were delayed by the start of the Malgravean Civil War, however, efforts to supply different parts of Malgrave with an efficient transport network soon continued and it is often remarked that the construction of the metro system in Epping nearly thrust the country into economic ruin.

Rail

Rail is the primary form of transportation for the majority of Malgraveans, as the vast majority of the population reside in urban population centres Malgraveans tend to travel on regional rail services and/or urban metro services. Industry in Malgrave is also reliant on rail for transportation, with freight networks stretching across the country ensuring that goods entering in from commercial ports in Portmon and Aurora can reach all parts of the country in a reasonable time.

MalTra operates the rail network in Malgrave and officially organises the railway network into three distinct categories

Regional Rail

Regional Rail is how MalTra refers to surface-level railways which operate on the outskirts of urban population centres and merge with the Malgravean metro system. A number of Regional Rail services also connect with other cities and serve as a way for MalTra to utilise old intercity routes without destroying them, as they are slower compared to high speed networks these tickets tend to be cheaper and are often used by tourists due to the scenic views offered on route

Metro Rail

MalTra definies Metro Rail as an underground rail service located in an urban population centre, and such networks are present in every Malgravean city. Regional Rail services feed into Metro services, a method developed by MalTra to reduce pressure placed on railway stations by passengers switching from rural to urban rail services. Metro services in Malgrave are often constructed with two layers of tunnels which has been a point of criticism in the past due to the costs associated with expansion projects but such work is seen as vital future proofing for these networks

High-speed Rail

High-speed Rail services form the backbone of intercity rail connections in Malgrave, a few transformations have happened over the years as new technologies have been developed by MalTra. At the moment these networks are high-speed maglev trains which operate at speeds over 500 km/h and have greatly reduced journey times in Malgrave

Freight Rail

In order to reduce delays for passengers freight in Malgrave has its own dedicated lines, such a movement has faced criticism in the past due to the extensive cost involved with railway construction in Malgrave which have been compounded due to the high cost of the high-speed maglev projects the decision has been widely praised by the trade unions.

Trams

Malgravean cities have extensive tram networks which seek to compliment Metro and Regional Rail services. In recent years MalTra has outlined a vision which stipulates that every Malgravean citizen should be able to access all of their daily requirements within 15-minutes of their residence.

Trams in Malgrave are constructed by Malgravean Automotive Industries under the oversight of MalTra.

Buses

Buses are operated by MalTra and fall into three categories.

Metro Bus

Metro Buses operate solely within major urban hubs, as a form of transport they act to complement rail services and trams and are often used by students returning home from late night study sessions.

Regional Buses

While the majority of Malgraveans live in rural areas, a number of citizens also reside in rural areas which would be inefficient to connect to the wider rail network. As a result MalTra operates Regional Buses to provide public transportation services to these communities, a majority of buses run between smaller rural towns and take rural Malgraveans to public service buildings but others also work to connect these people to the rail network by providing shuttle services to nearby rail stations.