Not all trains are built for long-distance, high-speed travel. Many people use
trains for short trips into town from the surrounding suburbs or country-side.
It was the building of the railways that made this kind of travel possible in
the first place. Many suburbs were originally built between 60 and 100 years
ago, to serve the new railway station. Suburban train services are some of the
busiest. They are often electrified. Large cities such as London are
surrounded by dense rail networks which carry trains packed with commuters, or
passengers who travel to and from their workplace everyday. Rush hour in
Tokyo, Japan is one of the world's busiest. Railway staff are hired to push
the passengers into the trains!
