Ok the seats are better, overnight sleepers are better, but you don’t meet the real backpacker or the locals in first class. I had more fun in 2nd class

1st class is nicer generally and much less crowded. There are 6 seats in 1st class in the same space as 8 seats in 2nd class. In most cases, 2nd class is perfectly acceptable. You are less likely to meet locals in 1st class. You are much less likely to share a compartment with a group of drunken soccer fans in 1st class — which is good news if you’re not a drunken soccer fan and bad news if you are.

For the most part, 1st class isn’t worth it, but it depends a little on where you’re traveling. We spring for 1st class in Romania and Ukraine — but tickets are dirt cheap there, so the fact that 1st class is 1 1/2 times 2nd class doesn’t amount to much money. If you take a EurostarItalia or other premium train in Italy, DO NOT waste money on 1st class.

If you are deciding between First and Second Class RailPasses, IMHO First Class is much nicer and the Price difference isn’t that much. Besides, sometimes there are little extras when you go First Class (like complementary beverages & towelettes).

oldlady writes:

quote:… 1st class is nicer generally and much less crowded. There are 6 seats in 1st class in the same space as 8 seats in 2nd class. In most cases, 2nd class is perfectly acceptable….

That’s how it is in the older ‘compartment’ trains but not the high speed Day Intercity Express trains: ICE, TGV, Thalys and AVE.

If you buy point-to-point tickets, cost may be a deciding factor (i.e., significant price difference) so you may have to decide on each Rail journey as a separate problem / opportunity.

In Eastern Europe (not on many railpass offers), Eurotrippers say: go First class.

After having a wonderful 1st class experience from Paris to Barcelona…I figured I’d do the same from Spain into the south of France…and it sucked…1st class on Spain trains…in my experience, blows chunks.

I’m tagging on this debate. I’m investigating the possibility of buying a France Flexi Saverpass (4 days in France w/i 1 month)

From what I understand, there are limited seat availability for rail pass holders. The price difference between 1st & 2nd class is $35USD. Any additional days added on top of the 4 will be a $5USD difference. But since I might add the max 6 days and together with my boyfriend’s cost, it adds up.

But will I get a better chance of reserving a seat in 1st class? Or that won’t make any difference? Thanks!!

quote:From what I understand, there are limited seat availability for rail pass holders. The price difference between 1st & 2nd class is $35USD. Any additional days added on top of the 4 will be a $5USD difference. But since I might add the max 6 days and together with my boyfriend’s cost, it adds up.

LeeLeeLee
I don’t know where you got this idea. How you’re paying your basic fare (railpass or point to point ticket) doesn’t have anything to do with whether or not you get a seat on the train. Further, trains are very seldom completely full. In the extremely rare situation when a train is nearly full (and waiting an hour for the next train isn’t an option) it will be easier to get a 1st class reservation. 1st class is crowded than 2nd class — because most Europeans won’t pay the extra cost. I would not pay for 1st class because of the very remote possibility that 2nd class reservations sell out.

The only limit for passholders that I’m aware of is on Thalys trains. There are a limited number of reservations available at a REDUCED price for passholders. When those run out, you have to pay the regular price for a reservation.

I don’t see the point in paying more for the 1st class (cept for the exceptions of Ukraine and the like). Although I’m kind of talking out of my ass since I’ve never bought a 1st class fare, but I’ve also never been in so bad a 2nd class that it would make me want to move up.

BUMP… about to book my tickets, any more recent opinions on 1st vs 2nd?

One addition: The only truly bad trains I’ve been on didn’t even have 1st class.

I’ve never sat in first class on a train, but have been through the different cars on trains to find mine and wandered through first class at one point. It’s not like a plane, the seats are bigger, but it’s not first class/coach different. 2nd class train seats on all the trains I’ve been on were miles more comfortable than coach plane seats (and bigger). You meet lots of cool people in 2nd. It looked to me like only business people were in first class on the trains I went on, borrrrrring.
Anyway, with Eurail, you can only book 2nd class railpasses if you are under 26. So if you are 27+, you HAVE to buy first class passes anyway. But if there are reservations, you can always buy a 2nd class reservation instead of 1st (usually cheaper, sometimes MUCH cheaper).

Some good points here. Actually, you have to buy a 1st class railpass if you’re 26+, not 27+. An adult railpass, if you compare it to 2nd class tickets, doesn’t “pays for itself” in a lot of situations where a youth pass would pay for itself. Pretty much my experience, although some national rail companies have special rates for pensioners that mean you might meet some interesting senior citizens.

Sorry that was a typo on my part! I meant to say 26+. oopsie.