Have you ever been on a Swiss train?
The Swiss federal railway system is top notch. The stations in the bigger cities serve as shopping malls, so a train traveler can easily access supermarkets, drug stores, dry cleaning and shoe repair, banks, a post office, and much more. The trains themselves are exceptionally clean and tidy. Additionally, there are some privately owned and operated railways in the country which are extremely popular with tourists (the Glacier Express is one).
I traveled through Bern last month as part of a Eurail adventure. The main station there is a ten minute walk from the federal parliament building, right in the center of the city. European trains are a key to experiencing the best that Europe has to offer. I had never been to Bern before; it is a significant city but generally off the tourist trail. It is a gem (although like the rest of Switzerland it is expensive).
I paid CHF14 for a large draft beer at an outdoor café there (slightly less than $14.00). A couple of days later, in Maribor, Slovenia, I paid 2.10 Euros (about $2.35) for a the equivalent portion of beer in a restaurant in the train station there.
I’ve been on Swiss, German, Austrian and Dutch trains. They all have their issues. I do agree, they are ultra-modern and way better than what existed in the 1980s.
But I’ll point out on an extremely hot day...almost all of them have HVAC problems in getting the car cool.
On seating, if you attempt to ride in rush-hour periods, they all have limited seating and you are advised to get advanced seating or ride first-class.