Much of the analysis of the cost of HS2 looks at the expected fares for the passenger, but there is some interesting analysis of the cost per seat of HS2 trains from Beleben in HS2 rolling stock costs.
The March 2012 HS2 Ltd Cost and Risk Model Report estimated the capital costs of rolling stock for the London — West Midlands high speed railway, and Y network, as £3 billion and and £7.53 billion respectively (2011 prices)….
…Assuming 550 places, and a purchase cost of £39.8 million, the cost per seat in a classic compatible 200-metre unit would be £72,000. For the £26.5 million captive trainset, the cost per seat would be £48,000.
It’s possible to compare the (socialised) seat costs of HS2 trains with those of private automobiles (costs borne by their owners). Assuming a four-seat automobile cost £20,000 and lasted 11 years, the annual ‘cost per seat’ would be £454. For a HS2 classic compatible train lasting 30 years, and no mid-life refurb, the annual ‘cost per seat’ would be £2,400 (similar differentials could be expected for the annual maintenance charges)….