Depending on the source, rail appears to be somewhere between marginally and significantly more efficient than air travel: Energy efficiency in transport - Wikipedia
What are your destinations? You may be overlooking some travel choices.
Interesting information. On a per-passenger basis the opposite seems to be true, though, which I guess would be the cost driver for the ticket price.
False logic. A stat prof would never make this case. 
You also lived in Cameroon for 2 (?) years, so I suspect his mileage may vary significantly.
I mean, I’ve spent two and a half days on a train across the Western Ghats in India that broke down, and I didn’t mind at all, but I was seven then. I’d probably go fucking nuts if that happened now.
What kind of drugs have you been using?
I’m serious. I wasn’t as bad as you are, but I can claim that several airplanes didn’t fall down because I was holding them up by sheer force of will and a deathgrip on the armrests. After I was prescribed Cymbalta to go with my Lexapro, though, things changed. I was able to contemplate a plane trip without immediately going into full panic mode. I’ve flown half a dozen times since starting Cymbalta, and while I can’t say that I fly for fun, I am as relaxed and comfortable as it’s possible to be in the high security environment in modern airports.
When I was having flying anxiety, I looked into train travel a couple of times. It seems that trains really only want commuters in the Northeast corridor, because they certainly don’t offer much in the way of service anywhere else. I fondly remember taking the train in Spain (mostly through the plains) when I lived there. They were fairly comfortable, fast, and very convenient.
Really, dude.
Mental health professionals exist for a reason. They can fix this, and you’ve got some lead time before your trip.
Rent a car, or see if you can network to drive with other people headed your way.
Alternatively, see if you can adjust your train fare choices a day or so each way so you’re not paying peak weekend or holiday rates.
Well, there you go, then. How much are 2 coach tickets on the airline? And do you have a friend willing to keep the drinks coming?
Or fly in first class, and they’ll keep them coming for free.
First suggestion isn’t workable - most car companies place mileage restrictions on the vehicle making it usable only at the destination, not in transit.
The second suggestion actually is pretty workable - you can use Craigslist to rideshare with others traveling at the same time.
You HAVE heard of the Craigslist killer, haven’t you?
I pity da fool who tries to knock me out and put me on a plane!
As per the stats prof anecdote, the best way to avoid the Craigslist killer is to be a Craigslist killer. Problem solved!
Well, since the killer was looking for hookups and not a second driver for a trip, I think we can make distinctions and use common sense.
I bought a bicycle off of Craigslist - I’m still here.
Trains are a little disappointing in this. They’re somewhat cost effective if you’re moving several people, but it is cheaper for me to fly coach than to take a train coach.
Let’s say I’m taking my usual trip from Austin to Toronto. I’m on a train for two days and I pay about $450 round-trip, not including food. Alternately, I can take a plane and be in the air and in airports for about 7 hours for about $400 (cite: recent Expedia search).
But that’s an odd trip, you say? Okay, let’s try going from Los Angeles to Chicago. The cheapest way on the train is $286 and takes almost exactly three days (69 hours, 22 minutes, assuming everything runs on time – which, let’s face it…). Flying is $228 and takes about 4 hours.
But that’s not fair, you say – trains have to take such a roundabout way to get there. Fine. How about Chicago to Buffalo? It’s a straight shot and a relatively short trip. I’ve even taken it myself. The train is $133 round trip and takes ten and a half hours (in my personal experience, a bit more). Compare that to 90 minutes and $129 – almost the same price, but almost ten times as long.
The upside to trains: you can get up and walk around once in a while, the seats are MUCH larger and more comfortable, trains are often less populated so you can stretch out, and you’re not in the air hurtling around at 500+ mph. Riding up the Mississippi River is a true joy: it can be very beautiful and quite enjoyable to eat lunch and watch the river go by. They are more cost-effective for larger groups: under $400 versus over $500 for two adults traveling with two kids, for example. You can have a lot more luggage shipped for a lot less money.
The downside is pretty much everything else. They’re cramped, especially in the rooms. They’re often in rather bad repair, and the food is about as good as you can expect from a microwave.
Your logic is unassailable. I bow to your wisdom, and vow never to be alone with you in a confined space.