Worth upgrading to 1st class/comfort or is economy ok?
I know RS recommends 1st class on the Italian trains.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
1st class on ICE trains is more about extra work space for business travelers than extra comfort for leisure tourists. The seats are exactly the same, just spaced a little further apart. 2nd class is fine for most people's purposes.
Posted by
OP
Kihei, Hawaii
475 posts
Great, thank you!
Posted by
Greeley, co, usa
2404 posts
I suggest that you spend the extra 4 E or so and make a seat reservation, otherwise you may have to play musical chairs as I had to !!
Posted by
Atlanta
967 posts
When you reserve your seat you will know which car to line up for. Look up at the posters alongside the track and see where your car will be stopping. Then you can join the right queue of passengers. It took me a couple of times to figure this out. Everyone else looked so calm, and I was posed ready to sprint left or right as soon as the train stopped and I figured out where my car would land!
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
The seats in ICE trains are all the same. Same size, same seat picth. In 1st class they've leather covering, in 2nd class it's cloth. Since ACs not always work the latter one can be better during summer months.
Of course 2nd class is more packed than 1st class.
And to me the main difference is that waiters serve you at your seat in 1st class (you still have to pay for everything, but you do not have to get up, walk to the restaurant car and leave your belongings behind).
Also with 1st class tickets you've got access to 1st class DB Lounges at the major train stations. You always get a free warm meal there (outside of regular meal hours it might be a soup and a sandwich only, but still...).