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About two-thirds of U.S. travelers would use high-speed rail services if they were available, according to the results of a survey commissioned by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Conducted last spring by market research firm Synovate, the survey was answered by 24,711 adults. Of those, 62 percent said they would “definitely” or “probably” use high-speed rail service for leisure or business travel, while 27 percent were not sure and 11 percent said they “definitely” or “probably” would not use those services.

Respondents who said they would use the service cited convenience and money savings as key reasons for choosing high-speed rail over other transportation modes.

When asked how important various factors would be in choosing to use high-speed rail services, respondents ranked the following:
• shorter travel times compared with driving, 91 percent;
• less expensive than flying, 91 percent;
• less expensive than driving, 89 percent;
• integration with local public transit so travelers could avoid rental cars, cabs and parking fees, 85 percent;
• shorter travel times compared with flying, 80 percent;
• experience of traveling by train, 79 percent;
• opportunities during leisure or business trips to visit another city that’s linked to the destination by high-speed rail, 78 percent; and
• environmental concerns, 75 percent.

APTA is proposing that Congress invest $50 billion in high-speed rail during the next six years.