Taking slight issue with his hyperbole about no other country with a comparable GDP per capital lacking HSR. Obvious nations to point to are other anglosphere countries like Ireland, Canada, and Australia. The UK's got "HSR". Norway has none that I know of. Same with most of the other Nordics (Iceland has no rail transit period). Once you get east of about Germany there really isn't too much HSR in Europe.

Anyway. It definitely sucks. I was in the Twin Cities last week talking to co-workers who had flown in from Chicago. One train a day, 8 hours. Driving only takes 6. Embarrassing.