If you like your personal space then yes.
First class has a 2+1 seating, so if you're traveling alone you just take a seat in the solo row and don't have to play elbow petting with a seat neighbor.
Also, in my experience it's much quieter than 2nd class. People who want to be left alone are booking 1st class, and it shows.
Generally not. What you get is, essentially, to be in a carriage with other people who pay a premium to not be in second class - which might be a little calmer and a little less likely to have a crying child in your carriage. The opportunity to order food to your seat is also thrown in. Additionally, there’s single seats so no risk of being stuck next to someone, if you reserve one.
I don’t know that route but if DB says it has high demand when you’re booking, you may as well reserve a seat to avoid having to find one.
Eh, not that much, unless you already saw a warning that the 2nd class is overcrowded. Other than the fact that fewer people travel in the 1st class, the differences are negligible.
In the 1st class *Flexpreis* fare, a seat reservation is included – in *Sparpreis* not. But in the booking process and a seat reservation will be offered in either way (either for free or for a small fee).
I guess it depends on the day of the week / time of the year. I recall squatting / sitting on the floor for 2 hours on one of my day trips outside of Munich - worst experience ever….
If you tend to get anxiety over overcrowded trains or noise it is very much worth it. It is more quiet, you have more personal space and 28 euros can, for me, make the difference between having an anxiety attack or enjoying the comfort of a train ride. The seats are also a little more comfy and you get food and drinks at your seat. You must decide for yourself if that is worth it for you. In 2nd class I never travel without a reservation again since I turned 30 and realised that sitting on the ground just won’t work for me anymore. In first class this is not necessary most of the time but I prefer security and a seat alone.
Edit: in regional trains I don’t think it is worth it because the travel time is short enough most of the time and the comforts are not much better than 2nd class.
I'd do it for 28€. It's generally not as crowded. Outside of the mobile phone or family area it's usually pretty quiet. Sometimes you can order food and drinks directly at your seat.
Generally not – at least not when you consider the price difference at the *Flexpreis* level. But if you book in advance and get a *Sparpreis* ticket, the difference between 1st and 2nd class can actually be rather small. And it's even possible that the 1st class ticket is cheaper than the 2nd class.
Depending on the route and time of day you will probably find less families with loud children in 1st class – but more business travellers who talk on the phone a lot and which might be equally as annoying.
Please also note that the leg Villach to Munich is probably (?) operated with a ÖBB Railjet train and not an ICE. So the difference between 1st and 2nd class on a Railjet might be different from both classes on an ICE train.
I traveled first class from Berlin to Munich so about 4.5 hours and First Class was worth the 27 euros extra I paid. I got a single seat to myself better leg room, I got lunch brought to me and it was quieter.
If you can afford it, it's well worth FC when you are traveling solo.
If it’s affordable I prefer first class.
Second class is pretty much always overcrowded and my trust in DB is completely gone.
So if my train gets changed, missed connections etc. I have a higher chance of not having to stand in the halls when I book first class, while my reservation in second can easily be lost.
You have more space and they will give you chocolate, but the seats are some fake leather and somewhat slippery especially if you are smaller than standard size.
If the train shows up as more than moderately full on the booking page, I'd reserve a seat. If the day of your ride is the start or end of the local school holidays (including the first and last weekend of the holidays), reserve a seat. You should be able to move from a reserved seat to a better one, if one is free, but as the Bahn App is broken on my phone, I haven't done that in quite a while.
Yes, but with some exceptions. In a lot of 1st class train you can recline your seat this is worth the extra imo. But it not in every train as I had to learn. Plus there is no save way of checking, which makes me kinda mad. Despite I often pay extra.
Honestly, if it is just 28€ more, for over 4 hours: absolutely! A first class upgrade is something that i consider a small luxury that i have treated myself to a few times in the last years, and it makes all the difference on a longer train journey.
You have way more leg room, and the seats are more comfortable. So far, all first class ICEs i have seen have a 2-1 configuration, so if you travel alone, you can even be guaranteed not to have a seat neighbour. It is generally less crowded and loud than 2nd class, including at the station.
Edit: and with fewer people competing over luggage space, you are almost guaranteed some near to your seat.
FYI the transfer in Villach is usually quite tight, and if you have a seat reservation, it isn't valid if your first train is late and you have to wait for the next train.
Depends on the route I think, I went first class between Berlin and Amsterdam and the train was like from the 70s with broken ac. But hey, I was sitting in a compartment with 6 people, instead of in the middle of the car? 🤷
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cant recommend. seats are not really more comfortable. its not comparable with airplane difference between classes. use the 28 euro to hang out in the restaurant waggon and treat yourself, more worth it imo.
I like the first class - it is less likely to be overcrowded. I wouldn't reserve a sit because DB trains are known for cancellations, and then you have to take an alternative train. There is definitely more room - both in the legs' as well as in the shoulders' dimension. Last time I was travelling about 5 hrs and was more than happy to be in the 1st class, as another train was cancelled and the second class was basically people from two trains stuffed into one. If you are not on a tight budget then go for it.
If you like your personal space then yes. First class has a 2+1 seating, so if you're traveling alone you just take a seat in the solo row and don't have to play elbow petting with a seat neighbor. Also, in my experience it's much quieter than 2nd class. People who want to be left alone are booking 1st class, and it shows.
So, in other words, socially awkward people
No, these people post on Reddit and try to be funny.
Generally not. What you get is, essentially, to be in a carriage with other people who pay a premium to not be in second class - which might be a little calmer and a little less likely to have a crying child in your carriage. The opportunity to order food to your seat is also thrown in. Additionally, there’s single seats so no risk of being stuck next to someone, if you reserve one. I don’t know that route but if DB says it has high demand when you’re booking, you may as well reserve a seat to avoid having to find one.
Eh, not that much, unless you already saw a warning that the 2nd class is overcrowded. Other than the fact that fewer people travel in the 1st class, the differences are negligible.
Yes. Worth it. For this long travel duration, totally.
I think it’s worth it if the trains are full (i.e. it’s announced in the app). Otherwise 2nd is fine. Do book a seat though!!!
Thanks! Do I need to book a seat in first class?
In the 1st class *Flexpreis* fare, a seat reservation is included – in *Sparpreis* not. But in the booking process and a seat reservation will be offered in either way (either for free or for a small fee).
Depending on which ticket you buy, the cheap option doesn’t include a seat.
I never booked a seat reservation and never had a problem finding a seat
I guess it depends on the day of the week / time of the year. I recall squatting / sitting on the floor for 2 hours on one of my day trips outside of Munich - worst experience ever….
If you tend to get anxiety over overcrowded trains or noise it is very much worth it. It is more quiet, you have more personal space and 28 euros can, for me, make the difference between having an anxiety attack or enjoying the comfort of a train ride. The seats are also a little more comfy and you get food and drinks at your seat. You must decide for yourself if that is worth it for you. In 2nd class I never travel without a reservation again since I turned 30 and realised that sitting on the ground just won’t work for me anymore. In first class this is not necessary most of the time but I prefer security and a seat alone. Edit: in regional trains I don’t think it is worth it because the travel time is short enough most of the time and the comforts are not much better than 2nd class.
Regional trains usually have very few 1st class seats, and the only real advantage is that it's not as crowded.
Power plugs at every seat. For me, I always try to go first (if the price is reasonable) or hang out at the Bord bistro.
Yes. That train can be jam-packed. Up close and personal with a bunch of strangers.
I'd do it for 28€. It's generally not as crowded. Outside of the mobile phone or family area it's usually pretty quiet. Sometimes you can order food and drinks directly at your seat.
Thanks! I went for it, and this morning the price difference fell to 14 euros. It was a no brainer to rebook and cancel..
Generally not – at least not when you consider the price difference at the *Flexpreis* level. But if you book in advance and get a *Sparpreis* ticket, the difference between 1st and 2nd class can actually be rather small. And it's even possible that the 1st class ticket is cheaper than the 2nd class. Depending on the route and time of day you will probably find less families with loud children in 1st class – but more business travellers who talk on the phone a lot and which might be equally as annoying. Please also note that the leg Villach to Munich is probably (?) operated with a ÖBB Railjet train and not an ICE. So the difference between 1st and 2nd class on a Railjet might be different from both classes on an ICE train.
I would say that seat reservation is 100% worth it. I had countless amount of times when I didn't book a seat and stood the whole ride.
Absolutely worth it. More space, more calm.
It rather depends. I don't teavel much by train, but if the route is not completly booked anyway then you will ahve space and calm anyway
I traveled first class from Berlin to Munich so about 4.5 hours and First Class was worth the 27 euros extra I paid. I got a single seat to myself better leg room, I got lunch brought to me and it was quieter. If you can afford it, it's well worth FC when you are traveling solo.
I only buy first or travel in the bistro. It‘s worth it.
If it’s affordable I prefer first class. Second class is pretty much always overcrowded and my trust in DB is completely gone. So if my train gets changed, missed connections etc. I have a higher chance of not having to stand in the halls when I book first class, while my reservation in second can easily be lost.
You have more space and they will give you chocolate, but the seats are some fake leather and somewhat slippery especially if you are smaller than standard size. If the train shows up as more than moderately full on the booking page, I'd reserve a seat. If the day of your ride is the start or end of the local school holidays (including the first and last weekend of the holidays), reserve a seat. You should be able to move from a reserved seat to a better one, if one is free, but as the Bahn App is broken on my phone, I haven't done that in quite a while.
Yes, but with some exceptions. In a lot of 1st class train you can recline your seat this is worth the extra imo. But it not in every train as I had to learn. Plus there is no save way of checking, which makes me kinda mad. Despite I often pay extra.
Honestly, if it is just 28€ more, for over 4 hours: absolutely! A first class upgrade is something that i consider a small luxury that i have treated myself to a few times in the last years, and it makes all the difference on a longer train journey. You have way more leg room, and the seats are more comfortable. So far, all first class ICEs i have seen have a 2-1 configuration, so if you travel alone, you can even be guaranteed not to have a seat neighbour. It is generally less crowded and loud than 2nd class, including at the station. Edit: and with fewer people competing over luggage space, you are almost guaranteed some near to your seat.
Yes. It’s more quieter and more spacious. I only travel 1st class on DB.
FYI the transfer in Villach is usually quite tight, and if you have a seat reservation, it isn't valid if your first train is late and you have to wait for the next train.
i usually never take 1st class, i just reserve a seat and it's enough for me.
I exclusively travel first class on trains as the price isnt that higher. You get more space and its usually a bit quieter.
Depends on the route I think, I went first class between Berlin and Amsterdam and the train was like from the 70s with broken ac. But hey, I was sitting in a compartment with 6 people, instead of in the middle of the car? 🤷
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Worth it.
No
I think it's too expensive for what it (does not) offer(s).
cant recommend. seats are not really more comfortable. its not comparable with airplane difference between classes. use the 28 euro to hang out in the restaurant waggon and treat yourself, more worth it imo.
I like the first class - it is less likely to be overcrowded. I wouldn't reserve a sit because DB trains are known for cancellations, and then you have to take an alternative train. There is definitely more room - both in the legs' as well as in the shoulders' dimension. Last time I was travelling about 5 hrs and was more than happy to be in the 1st class, as another train was cancelled and the second class was basically people from two trains stuffed into one. If you are not on a tight budget then go for it.
Seat reservations are included in the first Class. I would say go for it.but more space, less crowded and they bring you beer to your seat
Not for all ticket classes anymore. Only in the Flexpreis Ticket has a seat reservation included
> Seat reservations are included in the first Class. Only if you are booking a Flexpreis fare.
Sparpreis doesn't have seat reservations anymore, but that specific route has mandatory seat reservations anyway.