Speaking as a French person living in Japan, I can believe that France was #2 or #3 in the early 2000s, but it’s been degrading for so long that it’s probably way behind Korea/China/etc nowadays. Incessant delays, frequent breakdowns, extremely high prices, small stations closing down, impossible to get tickets for holidays and weekends unless you book weeks/months in advance… the lack of civility you often encounter from fellow passengers is the rotten cherry on top.

I hear from German friends that Germany’s train system has encountered a similar fate.

If only it were just the trains - but our government has gutted similarly education, healthcare, … it really is disheartening.