Travel help

Luggage spaces is about the same on first versus second class on German trains. There's usually less people in first class, so you can usually find room a little easier on the overhead rack. But second class also usually has an extra rack in the middle of the carriage. Overall it equals out.

And please read any of the countless threads on this forum about rail passes and why they're rarely a good value...

ThanksTom. I have read a lot of the threads and still want to get the pass so as not to have to fight the crowds on second class seats. I realize it's more money but we will be using our train trips as down time. We have a pretty rigorous plan for our first time to Europe! Want to see as much as possible and there is so much to see. Thanks again!

I rarely fight many crowds in second class. If you have reserved seats then it is never a problem but you have to pay extra for reserve seats.

In my experience, if the train is crowded enough to have "crowds" in second class, it will probably be fairly crowded in first as well. (I don't typically travel in first but sometimes walk through to get a coffee from the bar or such). On most longer-distance trains you'll have a reserved seat, for example in Italy reservations are required and will come with any ticket other than Regionale/Regionale Veloce trains, so crowds don't matter as much in those cases either.

Hi,

Between 1st and 2nd class if your trip is in the summer, 2nd class will have school groups of teenagers. Sometimes more than one,.. maybe an American EF group and a large German group...that's alot of kids boarding second class in the coach where you may have your reservation. I know and I've seen that in Germany. Sitting in 1st class, if not at rush hour on ICE trunk lines, is a good deal emptier. No mandatory reservations needed for hopping on a 1st class ICE with your Pass

I would not get a Select Pass with Italy listed, the Austria-Germany Pass will do.