I’m planning an eight country rail trip in central and southern Europe this spring. European rail looks to be efficient and economical. It’s no skin off my nose if the state subsidies everything.
If you have unlimited time and don’t care about time you can make it work on a vacation. You are not who they are trying to talk out of their cars.
,,, make sure your seats are guaranteed. I went with my wife and two daughters to Germany, France and Italy in July. The Frankfurt to Hamburg/Harburg run was over four and a quarter hours - standing. A lot of the way it was around 240kmh so you’re covering ground quick enough but after a run from Auckland to Bangkok, a couple of days there then on to Frankfurt (with a broken night’s sleep there) and a “last stand” on that DB train, its a big ask on an ageing body. The run from Hamburg to Paris was brilliant... Strasbourg to Paris at 320kmh. I think trains in Europe are great - just make sure you get a seat guaranteed for the fare you pay. I’ll only make my mistake once :)
In Germany, taking a train to the concentration camps is the only way to go.