If air travel could be more streamlined (aka, no need for things like security, check-in, like how a train would be), then trains are absolutely uncompetitive on speed.

The only advantage of a train would be that you could more easily sleep in one - so an overnight trip is less tiring, and you save on cost of an extra night of hotel stay.

I agree I'd like more peace but this stuff isn't making it slower.

And of course it's much better on CO2 emissions.

But trains need a lot of infrastructure and long delays are frequent.

This is quite common in Blighty; there is no need for another ticket (outside some time restricted fares where the ability to stop is limited). Indeed, it can be nice hopping off at a new city for a mooch around if you have time to do so.

(Only slightly off-topic; We have the phenomenon of 'split tickets', where it can be cheaper to buy two tickets from A --> B --> C rather than one ticket from A --> C even when the train stops at B anyway! You don't even need to get out of the train at B if you don't wish to do so. Our ticketing system is a mess.)

All saver tickets in German (which is what most people use), and most TGV tickets (even non saver) are bound to specific trains at specific times.

https://www.bahn.de/faq/was-bedeutet-zugbindung

The UK is the odd exception here.

Flexible tickets are becoming unaffordable for certain journeys such as those on the ECML with LNER (aka The Government)

Notably, I say noise, and I suspect reasonable people will point out how not-quiet trains can be. I think the only argument I need to make for how much quieter they are than aircraft is pointing out on a map where the (commuter) train yards are (routinely city-center) vs airfields (typically the outskirts, far from where people live)

Aircraft require less infrastructure between points, but when you get there a rail yard doesn't require multi-kilometer runways (plural) and taxiways.

PS - My god, I hadn't realized how pro-train / anti-aircraft I was until I started on; even having previously worked in aviation, suggesting it was a damn good idea to leave. Aircraft may be an incredible feat of human engineering, but like the personal automobile, we as a society have taken it too far and used them in places that could do with fewer of them, IMO.

In London complaints about noise from stations was more common at some point than from the train itself. ("The train now approaching platform 2 is the midnight forty-five South West Trains service to London Waterloo calling at London Waterloo only. This train is formed of eight carriages. If you see anything suspicious, call the British Transport Police on 1984. See it, say it, suck on it.")

If we get rid of other considerations, and train travel could be more streamlined (strap a jet engine on a train, no need to gain altitude), then airplanes are absolutely uncompetitive on speed.

well, hyperloop tried and failed. It's just not practical.

I usually arrive 40 minutes before the train starts moving, including large luggage (30 minutes before is the limit at which the ticket gates close). There is no waiting for you luggage on arrival because you always have it in your hand.

This is also possible because the distance between check-in gates and the train is only around 50 meters in all 3 stops (London, Brussels, Paris). On those 50 meters you have the luggage scanners, passport control, and the waiting hall.

Compare that to kilometers of walking at Heathrow Airport.

I used to go to Holland and Germany from France back when I was living there and even though at the time it would take longer (slower and less trains) the trip was totally worth it: I even met people who eventually became friends. Now, when flying from Spain to France (every couple of years), even though the flight is less than two hours, the entire trip is more than four, and much less fun or enjoyable as far as I'm concerned. For the moment, it's just easier to take the plane but that's supposed to change... We'll see.

Sure it’s slower, but you’ll spend most of the time sleeping and it saves you one night at a hotel.

https://www.nightjet.com/de/reiseziele/frankreich

They're incredible.

[0]: https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/nightjet-new-genera...

I have spent many nights on trains in various countries, seats, floor and berth. I will prefer a couchette or sleeper if the price is somewhat reasonable. But I won't live in the expectation to get something comfortable. Just less uncomfortable.

I can do 10h on a plane fine. 3h on a train does me in every time.

At least on trains I have a chance. Googling how the climate controlled worked before my previous trip helped, but that followed a hot journey.

I took the trip to Vienna in one of the old bunk bed cars for 60€ and it was fine. I liked the experience of chatting with the fellow passengers in the cabin that you usually don’t have on a normal train ride.

Me too, but I worry a bit that it might change. A big part of the inconvenience of flying is the security checks[1].

I only see these ramped up for trains as well. Look at the EuroStar for a glimpse into the future. I am afraid it will only take one bigger attack and we will turn train stations into airports security-wise.

[1] The other big one is airports being far from centres.

Terrorist attacks on trains and railway stations are not that rare. The last major one was in November in Pakistan.

This bullshit also happens in Barcelona Sants for the long-distance trains.

The security checks are fairly minor. They are mostly looking for gas canisters and explosives.

Recently I had to get a train 250km in Italy and it would have been quicker, cheaper and less stressful to fly to London and back due to the problems.