First Class versus Second Class on European Trains

1st October, | 5 minute read

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Should I travel First or Second Class on European trains?

If you&#;re travelling by train in Europe for the first time, you&#;ll probably notice that you have the option to book either First or Second Class tickets. In some cases, the price difference may be minimal, while in other cases First Class tickets may be even cheaper. So you may start asking yourself a few questions like the following:

• What&#;s the difference between the two seating classes? Is it the same as airline seating classes?
• Will I really benefit from sitting in First Class? Is it worth the extra money?
• Do they offer the essential services in Second Class?
• How can First Class be cheaper? Am I missing hidden costs?

These are some pretty understandable questions to ask yourself. For this reason, we decided to give a simple overview of the differences between First and Second Class on European trains.

First Class seats on European trains

In First Class, you&#;ll get wider and plusher seats, more legroom and sometimes a more formal atmosphere. Most First Class passengers are travelling for business, so they spend their time working while on the train. Depending on the time of day, there might be fewer families and children in First Class so there can be very little noise.

What is surprising to many is that there is no luggage allowance difference between First and Second class. Some trains do have luggage restrictions though, so read our page about luggage allowance on European trains for more information.

Meal service

One significant difference between First and Second Class is the at-seat meal service. Not all First Class reservations offer a meal service though &#; you can expect it on premier operators such as Eurostar, AVE, and TGV Lyria. They provide a hot or cold meal (depending on the time of day and length of the journey), which is served directly to your seat and is included in the price of your ticket. Generally speaking, on German ICE trains and Austrian Railjet trains food and drinks are not included in the First Class ticket price, although you&#;ll still be served at your seat after ordering your meal.

First Class lounges

If you have a First class ticket, you&#;ll get free access to the First Class lounges (if there&#;s one at your departure station), which can provide complimentary food and drinks. For example, with a Frecciarossa Executive ticket, you can access both FrecciaLounge and FrecciaClub, which offer free WiFi, newspapers, drinks and snacks, power sockets and travel monitors, as well as an information desk where you can ask for help in case you need to make changes to your booking. With a Frecciarossa Executive ticket, you can also get access to FrecciaClub and FrecciaLounges at relevant stations. First Class lounges can be really convenient if you prefer to arrive at the station or need to check out of your hotel a bit earlier.

Fast-track boarding

Eurostar has a boarding procedure which requires that you check-in at least thirty minutes before departure. If you're a Eurostar Business Premier ticket holder, you'll only need to check-in ten minutes before departure &#; this means that you can give yourself a bit more time in the Eurostar lounge or arrive at the station shortly before departure. Similarly, you'll get to enjoy the Fast Track service and avoid queues if you're travelling in Italo Prima (First Class).

So, is it worth it?

Overall, First Class tickets can definitely be worth the cost. Most carriers these days offer very minimal price differences between the two travel classes. At Trainline, we&#;ll automatically show you if there are low-priced First Class tickets available, so you can be sure that you won&#;t miss out on any bargains. If you happen to find that First Class tickets are cheaper than Second Class fares, then it only means that First class is still fairly empty, while the cheaper Second Class tickets have already sold out.

Second Class seats on European trains

Second Class seating is perfectly adequate on all European trains. You&#;ll get a nice comfortable seat, plenty of legroom, and your luggage allowance certainly won&#;t suffer.

If you&#;re travelling on a strict budget or aren&#;t a fussy traveller, then Second Class will be a great option for you. Although you won&#;t receive a meal served to your seat, you can always bring some food on board or purchase something in the train bistro or from the snack trolley. Most Second Class carriages can also be quiet, so you don&#;t always have to expect a noisy trip. Plus, the carriages are also kept very clean, toilets are available, and you might even have the opportunity to make friends with your fellow travellers.

Which European train companies offer First Class?

Discover our guides to the train companies offering First Class travel:

15 November

To go first class or not to go first class? That is the question many travellers ask themselves when they book train tickets in advance. On the one hand, nothing beats getting to feel like a VIP but on the other hand, people are put off travelling first class because of extra costs. 

If you are on the fence about whether travelling first class is the best option, here are our tips on when it is worth it and why. 

You are Looking for Comfort

For more Rail Standardinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

One of the most well known advantages of travelling first class is the added comfort. 

First class cabins tend to have more comfortable seats which are reclinable, larger and have extra legroom. These features will be a godsend if you are making a long journey and travelling on a route where it can occasionally be difficult to find a seat during peak times. 

Some train operators also allow you to begin your comfortable first class experience before you even step on the train. This is thanks to the provision of first class lounges at some major railway stations. Lounges tend to also boast comfortable seating and other benefits. 

However, it is always worth doing your research before trying to enter a first class lounge. Some operators may only allow people with certain types of first class tickets or people who have bought a supplementary lounge ticket to enter. 

You Love a Freebie

It is very rare to come across someone who doesn&#;t love a free perk. One major bonus of travelling first class is that many operators include complimentary snacks, drinks and even newspapers on their trains and sometimes in first class lounges too. 

When the Price Difference is Small

There&#;s a misconception that first class train tickets will always be extortionately priced in comparison to standard class. This is however not always the case. On occasion, first class tickets may only be slightly more expensive so the upgrade might be worth it at these times. This is especially the case if you take into account potential savings on buying food and drink when complimentary refreshments are offered. 

In fact, according to Money Saving Expert, sometimes the price difference between standard and first class tickets may be less than £10 if you book far enough in advance. 

You Want to Treat Yourself

Travelling first class might feel frivolous if you do it very rarely or you have never done it before. However, life is short. We would never encourage customers to pay over the odds for rail travel. In spite of this, if you can afford to pay a little extra and you know that travelling first class is an experience you will enjoy, we would recommend it. 

It is also very fun to travel first class if you are making a journey as part of a special occasion such as your birthday or an anniversary. 

Planning Your First Class Journey 

If you are planning to book train tickets in advance, why not see if you can travel first class for an affordable price with us? We offer great value standard and first class train tickets to an extensive list of UK destinations. 

Please note that to learn about the terms, conditions and specific features of a rail operator&#;s first class service, you should visit their website or contact them directly before you travel.

Are you interested in learning more about Hot Sale Railway Rail? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!