Contrary to this article, the cost of the routes I fly has doubled in the past ten years.
There is no least chance of increasing rail service on the San Francisco to Seattle Amtrak route, much less the Baltimore to San Francisco route.
There is no least chance of increasing rail service on the San Francisco to Seattle Amtrak route, much less the Baltimore to San Francisco route.
Airline travel will remain the preffered method for longer distances such as SF/Seattle (675 miles) and SF/Baltimore (2835 miles).
But for regional trips between cities less than 600 miles apart, passenger rail is becoming much more competitive, especially as the cost of aviation fuel continues to rise. Airlines just can't travel those "short-hop" distances efficiently.
Cheap tickets to Europe about $260 in the ‘80s, can’t get much lower than $700 today after taxes and fees.