Transport in Malgrave
Transport in Malgrave is provided by an extensive networks of railways, ferry services, bus routes, tramways, autoways and air corridors that cover the entire country. Malgrave was the first country in Mystria to operate a high-speed 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 Malgraveans, as the majority of the population live within urban population centres such as Epping Malgraveans tend to spend a majority of their time traveling on regional rail services and/or metro services. Industry in Malgrave is also highly reliant on rail for transportation, with freight networks stretching across the country to ensure 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 decision faced historic criticism due to the high costs associated with such an extensive project, however, the noted efficiency in reducing delays for passenger services has been used by MalTra to defend the move and has been widely praised by trade unions.
Beyond mainline freight operations, a number of smaller local freight lines exist in Malgrave which serve to link the wider rail network to factories, warehouses and other commercial businesses. Historically, such lines weren't well-maintained in comparison to other lines due to the low speed of trains travelling these routes, however, recent developments in automation has seen a noticeable improvements in the quality of these lines.
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
MalTra also operates a number of bus routes across the country which serve to complement other parts of the network. Buses are more popular in rural areas not served with high frequency rail services but are also associated with students and the elderly. MalTra organises its bus networks into three main 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.
Intercity Buses
MalTra operates a number of intercity bus routes across Malgrave, although, these services aren't as popular as intercity or regional rail services they are incredibly cheap. Intercity buses are often used by tourists engaging in world tours to save money and students returning home from university.
Waterways
As an island nation, Malgrave is a major seafaring nation, and the country has a major shipbuilding industry which builds a mixture of military and civilian vessels.
MalTra operates a number of ferry routes both within Malgrave and the overseas territories but also maintains a few routes to connect Malgrave to other countries in Mystria.
Ferries
Between 1938 and 2000 Malgrave settled a number of unclaimed islands and even constructed a few artificial islands to serve as logistical hubs for the Malgravean Royal Navy and assist scientific exploits. As a result, the country has a number of overseas territories with population centres that require connection to the Malgravean mainland, a majority of these islands are connected primarily by aircraft and airships, however, a few are also connected to Malgrave by ferry services which arrive at either Portmon or Aurora.
In response to growing security concerns and requests from local residents Malgrave absorbed the territory of Taros and Ilan, as a part of the integration process the territory was connected to the rest of Malgrave through a mixture of transport connections including ferry connections which serve to connect both islands to the Research Colony.
MalTra operates a small number of naval cruises, such routes are typically limited to scenic locations near Aurora or in the Research Colony and do not form a large part of MalTra operations.
A greater number of cruises are offered by Ferqui Club. Established in 2002, the company offers a number of cruises not just in Mystria but also in the Dornalian Republic and the experiences are quite popular with Malgravean tourists.
Air Travel
Air Travel in Malgrave is managed by MalAir, a subsidiary of MalTra and falls into three categories
Regional Air
Between 1938 and 2000 MalTra operated limited air routes within the country, although, during the civil war these routes were highly regulated and the subsequent Lost Decade worked to limit any noticeable increase in air travel. Today, MalTra operates a number of gyroplane services within Malgrave and the overseas territories to connect Malgraveans.
International Air
MalAir started operating international services in 2000 and now has dozens of routes connecting Malgrave with nations within and outside the Mystria region. Nikola Tesla International Airport in Epping is presently the main international air terminal, although, Niels Bohr Airport in Pakosc and Auklet International in Aurora are also popular with international travelers.
MalAir operates a number of highly-advanced hypersonic passenger aircraft which serve as the fastest form of conventional regional transport aside from teleportation.
In addition to hypersonic aircraft and gyropanes, MalAir also operates a number of airships which it utilises for for long-range flights and cruises.
Autoways
While direct car ownership in Malgrave is rare, a number of Malgraveans occasionally hire vehicles from their Regional Social Solidarity Councils for recreational purposes, and vehicular transport is occasionally used for the movement of freight between railways and their final destination.
Before the end of isolation, the majority of intercity roads in Malgrave were either 2+1 or 2+2 roads and such routes usually traversed mountains in lieu of tunnels. In the build-up to the end of isolation, Malgrave started an expansion programme which started to connect different cities with newly designed high-speed multi-lane roads called Autoways.
All Autoways in Malgrave are tollways and overseen by a department of the Ministry of Transport. Autoways are not widely popular in Malgrave and their usage is associated with foreigners and intercity buses.