On Wed, 5 Mar 2003 17:46:07 -0800, "ds"
wrote:

    >I'm planning a trip to Italy this coming April/May and in looking into
    >the train schedules I am wondering what the difference is between 1st class
    >and 2nd class. Better seats? Is it worth the money for 1st class or perhaps
    >only on longer trips?

Because it costs more, first class is usually less crowded. And the
seats are bigger and usually in better condition. Plus if you're over
26 and buy a Eurail pass, you're required to get a first class pass.

---------------------------
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www.alreadyyours.com (sample chapter, etc...)

On Fri, 07 Mar 2003 11:58:49 +0100, Barbara Vaughan wrote:

    >
    >
    > Bruce Bowe wrote:
    >
    >> A couple of summers ago, we bought first class tickets from Milan to Venice
    >> and found when we got on the train, all the seats were taken by people smart
    >> enough to reserve seats--there's a difference, if you can believe that. We
    >> ended up riding in 2nd class on a boiling hot day for I don't know about 3
    >> hours or so.. Felt pretty stupid.
    >> BTW, the smart thing would have been to rent a car since there were 3 of us.
    >> Just stupid. You gotta think those things through before you go, I guess.
    >
    > In Italy, the trains that have air conditioning have it in both 1st and
    > 2nd class. These are mostly the Eurostar trains. Therefore, you can't
    > blame the heat on the fact that you were in 2nd class.
    >
    > Eurostar Italia trains have air conditioning.


However usually it's not working, apparently. :-) And/or the crowd
feels it's way too cold and turns it off?

(OK, maybe not in the Eurostar.)

In addition its a lot quieter, wider seats and nothing like as busy.
In Switz its not that much more expensive than 2nd. I go first when I
go skiing because with a Halbtax Abo its worth it. Italy is cheap
anyhow. UK forget it.
Dave

    >
    > Dennis,
    >
    > First class is to be recommended for
    >
    > -Businessmen or -women, whose employer authorizes firsz class travel (still cheaper than by
    > car), or others with the necessary ressources willing to spend it for a little additional comfort:
    > sometimes, FC also has plugs for PC and other electrical devices
    > -Oversize people, that don't fit into a second-class seat
    > -Travel during peak periods, especially in poorer countries, where trains can get very
    > crowded in 2nd class
    > -peole that believe in class-difference (knighthood, tennis professionals or polo players,
    > investment bankers, lawyers and other impostors)
    >
    > For all others, second class travel in Europe should be OK, particularly when traveling outside
    > rush hours (Friay and Sunday evenings, or the start of a vacation period are worst).
    >
    > RH
    > -

devil wrote:
    >
    > On Fri, 07 Mar 2003 11:58:49 +0100, Barbara Vaughan wrote:
    >
    > >
    > >
    > > Bruce Bowe wrote:
    > >
    > >> A couple of summers ago, we bought first class tickets from Milan to Venice
    > >> and found when we got on the train, all the seats were taken by people smart
    > >> enough to reserve seats--there's a difference, if you can believe that. We
    > >> ended up riding in 2nd class on a boiling hot day for I don't know about 3
    > >> hours or so.. Felt pretty stupid.
    > >> BTW, the smart thing would have been to rent a car since there were 3 of us.
    > >> Just stupid. You gotta think those things through before you go, I guess.
    > >
    > > In Italy, the trains that have air conditioning have it in both 1st and
    > > 2nd class. These are mostly the Eurostar trains. Therefore, you can't
    > > blame the heat on the fact that you were in 2nd class.
    > >
    > > Eurostar Italia trains have air conditioning.
    >
    > However usually it's not working, apparently. :-) And/or the crowd
    > feels it's way too cold and turns it off?
    >
    > (OK, maybe not in the Eurostar.)

I've only once found a Eurostar car where the air conditioning wasn't
working. The conductor transferred us all to cars with working air
conditioning; I ended up in first class.

Most IC trains I've been in didn't have air conditioning. I don't know
if this is true systemwide.

Barbara

"Tim" wrote
    | And probably the car wouldn't have had A/C. Then you'd still
    | be stupid, but there's be no-one else to see it. ;-)

There's be no-one else to see you take your clothes off in the heat, either
    :-)

Owain

"Tim" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:[email protected]...
    > In Austria you don't actually have to have a ticket when you board, so you
    > can buy th eticket on the train plus a small "administration fee".


The administration fee is EUR 3.
If there is no possibility to buy the ticket at the station, you don't need
to pay the administration fee.


    > This also applies to upgrading to 1st class.

Also in this case NO administration fee has to be payed.



--
Regards,

Helmut Uttenthaler
Graz - Austria

On Thu, 6 Mar 2003 16:23:59 -0800, " Bruce Bowe" wrote:

    >A couple of summers ago, we bought first class tickets from Milan to Venice
    >and found when we got on the train, all the seats were taken by people smart
    >enough to reserve seats--there's a difference, if you can believe that.

Your first class ticket from Milan to Venice gives you access to any
of several (2 per hour during parts of the day) trains running from Milan
to Venice every day that your ticket is valid. Do you really expect them
to hold a seat for you on all these trains?


--
Ask me for directions.