What is difference between 1st class & 2nd class on rail pass?

http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/howrailworks.htm

Briefly, 1) both 1st class carriages and 2nd class carriages are on the same train. They are pulled by the same engine and go the same speed. The only real difference is that in 1st class, larger and more comfortable seats are 3 wide per row. In 2nd class, seats are 4 wide per row. A bit more leg and arm room. THAT'S IT. It's not anywhere near the difference between 1st and 2nd class on a plane. For the train trips in much of Europe 2-4 hours, you should find 2nd class quite satisfactory.

The class has nothing to do with guaranteed seating. On the faster trains, both classes require reservations. What could take place is that 2nd class could be full and because of the higher fares, you could get a seat in 1st class.

In over a dozen train trips we only used first class once early on. Decided the differences were so minor that it did not justify the additional cost. Only real advantage is that first class cars are parked closer to the station and the walk is shorter.

Not much difference to be honest. On some (many?) trains in first class an attendant gives you a drink (soda/juice) and offers you a magazine or newspaper (not useful if you don't read Italian). Anecdotally, first class seems populated with Italian businessmen/women and foreign tourists, while second seems to have more Italians on vacation. Used to pay for first class tickets until I erroneously sat in second with my first class ticket and didn't realize it until the trip was almost done. Either way I find train trips in Italy watching the scenery roll by to be very enjoyable (okay, I'm odd).

Thomas, there is nothing odd about that. In fact unless the distance is long we avoid the high speed trains because it is so hard to watch the country side when it is flying by at 200 mph. We do mostly regional/local trains just for the slower pace. Now that is odd !!!

In the 1970's I could see a difference between the two, but nowdays not much difference and alot cheaper. Like some one said a little more seat and leg room.

Our experience after 6 trips to Europe is not only is there more leg and seat room in 1st class, but 1st class seats tend to be cleaner, the people in the cars are quieter, there are less noisy kids and the bathrooms cleaner. Having said this, it isn't always true, there are always exceptions, but this has been our general experience. We've never seen 3 seats in a row in 1st class, always 2 seats together, then the aisle, then one seat by the opposite window.