I will take a 4 hour trip on Deutsche Bahn's ICE train. Should I pay for 1st Class?

Question

I will be going from Munich to Frankfurt (4 hour trip) next week. I frequently take the train from the Munich airport into Munich and frequently, and the seating tends to be pretty uncomfortable. Is ICE different? Would a 2nd class seat be like what I have experienced? I will also be traveling with my 9 year old daughter and so I have an added concern about the comfort of the trip. At the same time, the cost difference between 1st and 2nd class is significant. What do you really get in 1st class?

Answer 1

Yes ICE faster than IC or others they are confortable and you should not pay for 1st class there are some discounts if you buy it in internet... I bought ICE Leipzig-Koln just 29 eur in internet only....

Ola http://turk.us/

Answer 2

I wouldn't if I were you.  There's not a lot of difference.  You can walk through a first class car and check it out for yourself.  

What I would do is pay the extra 5 euro to reserve seats.  Then you can choose seats with or without a table, near or far from the door, etc.  You'll also be sure to have a seat for the entire trip instead of possibly having to move from seat to seat as spots are reserved between different stretches of the trip.

If you hate your seats once there, you can always move to first class.  When the attendend comes around, you can pay for an upgrade on the spot.  It'll cost a little more than if you'd bought first class in the first place but might be worth it if you're really uncomfortable in 2nd class.

Personally, I always go 2nd class even on longer trips.

Answer 3

HI,

the S-Bahn, from the Munich airport to Munich city is in nothing comparable to the ICE, which is a long distance train.

You will be perfectly fine travelling second class in the ICE. It is one of the most comfortable trains in Germany, and therefore a bit more expensive than the slower trains.

If you travel during peak hours such as friday afternoon, you MUST reserve a seat (3,50€ per person), otherwise you run the risk to be standing up during the whole journey.

First class of course is nicer than second, but it's not really that much of a difference.

In the ICE trains they also have so-called "family compartments" which are reserved for parents with kids. They are a bit bigger and have some kind of toys in there. You can ask at the train station to have a reservation in there.

Usually nobody uses them, so you could have a compartement with 6 seats for the two of you.

Answer 4

I agree with the others. I'm also from Germany and I've also taken the ICE before. 2nd class is just fine. The seat is pretty big and you can slide it down so you can sleep and you even get a footrest.

I've never been on 1st class, but to me it seems to be the only difference that the seats there have other colors and a tiny pillow attached to them. Maybe you have even more room.

Answer 5

I am German and I can tell you that the trains in Germany are fine! I went on a 6 hour trip in November in the ICE and the seats are comfortable and you don't have to worry about anything! The only thing I would recommend is to make seat reservations because otherwise it could take a while to find a good spot to sit with your daughter!

Answer 6

Commutter trains have by far the worst seating, they're the working horse of public transport.

ICE are pretty comfortable, even in second class. First class is spacier and you have service at your seat, but the seats themselves are offering the same comfort as second class ICE seats.

Except for the higher price, First Class also has a huger percentage of businessmen travelling in there, while second class is where your normal crowd travels (it's also more crowded in second class).

Since you travel with a child, I'd recommend reservation, though. They have special "Mutter & Kind" (mother&child) compartments, or else try to get a seat at a table in the "Großraumwagen" (no-compartment section).  Most families I know travel second class in ICE.

Answer 7

I experienced the 2nd class to be as comfy as I could wish. All you get in 1st class is more freedom for your legs, the seats are the same.

I would save the money, it's not worth it.

Answer 8

Save the money for 1st class and get a nice toy/game/stuffed animal for your daughter and a nice big coffee for yourself. ICE 2nd class is ok, I made those trips a couple times, no probs.

Enjoy the trip.

Answer 9

Look at it this way, the !st class and 2nd class carriages arrive at the same time. In first class you do get a better seat and mega service but you can't compare 2nd class seating to a commuter train, it's far better.

Answer 10

I'm traveling always with my daughter (12) at the 2 class. It is cheaper and you are sitting very comfortable too. Also non smoker... Now you can't smoke anymore anyway.

Answer 11

YES best way and only way!