1st or 2nd Class Train Travel in Europe

Traveling in first class on a train in Europe is not as expensive as first class on an airplane

I’ve found the difference in fares between the 2 classes is only about 23% on most trains

If you purchase a first class ticket, you can ride in second class carriages if you prefer

If you purchase a second class ticket, you can’t sit in first class unless you buy an upgrade

You can often purchase an upgrade on board from the conductor

Usually, there’s not much of a comfort difference between first and second class

Most second class carriages have seats of 2 on each side of the carriage

Most first class carriages have 2 seats on one side and 1 seat on the other

My biggest reason for preferring first class is that usually, first class is less crowded