I think you'll find that Switzerland and its excellent rail service proves the exception to this statement. However, rail travel can be pricey especially if you take the scenic routes like the Glacier Express. You might like to look into the Half Price Abonnement or similar scheme if you have a lot of travel to do in Switzerland.

Is it worth considering getting a Eurail pass to cover various countries for a short time period so you have flexibility and a pre-paid price, most likely in your home currency?